Today, I am happy to participate in a blog tour with friend Alyson Beecher (@alybee930 on Twitter). Alyson is the chair of the committee for the Schneider Family Book Award given by the American Library Association each year. Actually, the year 2014 marks the 10th anniversary of the award, and we are celebrating this occasion with Alyson this week. At the end of this post, you will find a list of participating blogs. Make sure you drop by and read about the different books that have won this prestigious award.
To give you some background, you must first know that the award is given annually to "an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences". The book may be either a work of fiction or nonfiction. For more information about this award, please visit the webpage at Schneider Family Book Award. The award winner is announced at ALA's Midwinter conference each year, and it is always exciting to be present to hear which book has won!
Because I also have been thinking a lot lately about the need for diverse books, I decided to share the following title which happens to be one of my all-time favorites:
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Becoming Naomi León. New York: Scholastic, 2004. Print. ISBN 0439269695.
I recently reread Becoming Naomi León (the 2005 Schneider Award Winner) and loved it even more the second time. I saw this book with different eyes (experience and the passing of time make a difference), and parts of it literally took my breath away. Books do have that effect on me. Does this happen to you?
About this book:
Naomi León Outlaw and her brother Owen first came to live with their great grandmother in Lemon Tree, California when he was a year old and Naomi was four. Their mother dropped them off at Gram's doorstep when she could no longer care for them and decided she needed to find her own life. (Owen faces physical challenges and even after several surgeries, must visit the doctor regularly.) At the start of this book, they live safely with Gram in her Airstream trailer (Baby Beluga) and neighbors Fabiola and Bernardo are close friends.
Naomi is a bright fifth grader who loves to make lists, and she has a talent for carving figures out of soap. The kids at school make fun of her name, so she takes refuge in the school library where she eats lunch every day. Her librarian, Mr. Marble, is one of my most favorite librarian book characters ever, and Naomi describes him as the "absolute best person at Buena Vista Elementary" (Ryan, 2005, p. 8). This was one of the nice little details I picked up on my second reading.
One day their mother returns, and readers get the sense that their mother has ulterior motives. She shows up with her new boyfriend Clive and lavishes Naomi with gifts but ignores Owen, a smart 2nd grader who always thinks positively. Without giving away any of the story, the rest of the book involves a custody battle, and a search for Naomi's father in Mexico.
This is a story with so many rich parts. Naomi is an endearing protagonist WE give our hearts to, and in Gram, Fabiola, and sweet Owen, Ryan gives US characters we won't forget. With the trip to Oaxaca and its famous radish festival, Ryan gives readers cultural insight and a better understanding of Naomi's heritage.
Both a coming-of-age novel and the story of one family's difficult journey, this book will definitely tug readers' hearts. Ryan's writing style will draw readers in from the very beginning. The characterization will evoke sympathy for Naomi & Owen and all who have cared for them, and the opposite for Skylar, Naomi's mother.
I appreciated the Spanish language integrated in the book, and the paperback edition has excellent back matter, including an interview with the author, segments on soap carving and Oaxaca's radish festival, and a note about collective nouns (the chapter titles).
One last reflection:
How I would have loved to have read this book as a 5th grader! It would have meant so much to me! I am grateful that books like this exist in the world. I extend heartfelt thanks to Pam Muñoz Ryan for this work.
Besides winning the Schneider Family Book Award, Becoming Naomi León was also named an ALA Children's Notable Book and was the winner of the Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award (among others). It also received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.
To read more about Pam Muñoz Ryan, visit her website by clicking here.
Blog Tour Participants and Dates:
July 6, 2014 Nerdy Book Club July 6, 2014 Kid Lit Frenzy July 7, 2014 Nonfiction Detectives July 9, 2014 There is a Book For That July 11, 2014 Kahtie Comments July 14, 2014 Librarian in Cute Shoes July 15, 2014 The Late Bloomer’s Book Blog July 16, 2014 Read, Write, and Reflect July 17, 2014 Read Now Sleep Later July 18, 2014 Unleasing Readers July 20, 2014 Maria’s Mélange
In continuation of the 10th anniversary celebration, you can enter a Schneider Book Award giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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