New Leaf Nominations for May 2019 • You're Never Too Young: Children

[issybird]

It's time for us select the book that the New Leaf Book Club will read in May 2019. The theme is You're Never Too Young: Children.

Everyone is welcome to join the nomination process even if they'd rather lurk during the voting and discussion; if that is still a little too much commitment, please feel free to suggest titles without making a formal nomination. Also, don't sweat the links. It's helpful to check availability and prices before nominating in order to eliminate anything that's out of the question, but ultimately our global members with different gadgets and preferences will have to check for themselves.

The nominations will run through 7 AM EDT, April 7, 2019. Each nomination requires a second and a third to make it to the poll, which will remain open for three days. The discussion of the selection will start on May 15, 2019. Don't forget to show up for the discussion of the April selection, The Daughter of Time, on April 15.

Any questions? See below, or just ask!

FAQs for the Nomination, Selection and Discussion process

General Guidelines for the New Leaf Book Club

Official choices with three nominations:

The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley [issybird, bfisher, Bookpossum]
Amazon US $10.99 | Amazon UK £4.99 | Amazon CA $10.99 | Amazon AU $14.99

Spoiler:

Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo, the hero of L. P. Hartley's finest novel, encounters a world of unimagined luxury. . . . The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naiveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart.

The book gives a critical view of society at the end of the Victorian era through the eyes of a naïve schoolboy outsider.

In the book’s prologue, Leo Colston chances upon a diary from 1900, the year of his thirteenth birthday, and gradually pieces together a memory that he has suppressed. Under its influence, and from the viewpoint of what he has become by the midpoint of “this hideous century”, Leo relives the events of what had once seemed to him its hopeful beginning.

344 pp.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery [CRussel, Victoria, bfisher]
Public domain
Amazon | FadedPage | Audible

Spoiler:

Eleven-year-old orphan Anne Shirley has just arrived at Green Gables, and already her guardians want to send her back. First, she’s not the boy the Cuthberts expected. Second, she talks too much. And even with her generous spirit, the redhead’s a trouble magnet. She gets the neighbor drunk and nearly poisons the pastor!

Still, despite a rocky start, the fiery Anne wins over her guardians and her new community. She enjoys life at Green Gables, excels in school, and earns a coveted scholarship. But when tragedy hits, Anne must choose between her dreams and the only home she’s ever known.

In this beloved coming-of-age story, Lucy Maud Montgomery drew from her own experiences growing up in Canada during the nineteenth century to introduce generations of readers to one of literature’s most original and inspiring characters.

320 pp.

Airman by Eoin Colfer [gmw, Victoria, CRussel]
Amazon US$6.99 | Amazon UK £2.99 | Amazon CA $7.99 | Amazon AU $11.99 | Kobo US $6.99 | Kobo UK £2.99 | Kobo CA $7.99 | Kobo AU $11.99 | Kobo NZ $14.25

Spoiler:

One dark night on the island of Great Saltee, fourteen-year-old Conor is framed for a terrible crime he didn’t commit. Thrown into prison by the dastardly Hugo Bonvilain, Conor is trapped in a seaswept dungeon and branded a traitor. He must escape and clear his name; he wants his old life back – his family, his friends . . . and his princess.

Conor knows there is only one way out. It’s an impossible task, which has never been done before. But Conor is determined to do it. He’ll have to fly.

416 pp.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis [Dazrin, Bookpossum, Bookworm_Girl]
Amazon US | Kobo US

Spoiler:

Narnia .... a land frozen in eternal winter ... a country waiting to be set free.

Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia -- a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change ... and a great sacrifice.

180 pp.

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle [Victoria, Dazrin, Bookworm_Girl]
$11 AU; $14 NZ; $8 CA; $7 US; £2UK

Spoiler:

“Out of this wild night, a strange visitor comes to the Murry house and beckons Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and extraordinary adventure - one that will threaten their lives and our universe.

Winner of the 1963 Newbery Medal, A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in Madeleine L'Engle's classic Time Quintet.”

228 pp.

One Night in Winter (2014) by Simon Sebag Montefiore [Catlady, drognal, Bookpossum]
Amazon US $8.49 | Kobo US $8.49 | Kobo Ca $10.99 | Kobo Au $12.99 | Kobo NZ $18.39 | Kobo UK £5.49

Spoiler:

Inspired by a true story, prize-winning historian and acclaimed novelist Simon Sebag Montefiore explores the consequences of forbidden love in this heartbreaking epic of marriage, childhood, danger, and betrayal that unfolds in Stalin's Moscow during the bleak days after World War II.

As Moscow celebrates the motherland's glorious victory over the Nazis, shots ring out on the crowded streets. On a nearby bridge, a teenage boy and girl—dressed in traditional nineteenth-century costumes—lie dead. But this is no ordinary tragedy, because these are no ordinary teenagers. As the son and daughter of high-ranking Soviet officials, they attend the most elite school in Moscow. Was it an accident, or murder? Is it a conspiracy against Stalin, or one of his own terrifying intrigues?

On Stalin's instructions, a ruthless investigation begins into what becomes known as the Children's Case. Youth across the city are arrested and forced to testify against their friends and their parents. As families are ripped apart, all kinds of secrets come spilling out. Trapped at the center of this witch-hunt are two pairs of illicit lovers, who learn that matters of the heart exact a terrible price. By turns a darkly sophisticated political thriller, a rich historical saga, and a deeply human love story, Montefiore's masterful novel powerfully portrays the terror and drama of Stalin's Russia.

485 pp.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman [Bookworm_Girl, CRussel, gmw]
Amazon $8.99

Spoiler:

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family...

325 pp.

The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein [Ralph Sir Edward, Dazrin, gmw]
Amazon US $5.38

Spoiler:

A heart warming story about a boy and his pet alien. . . .who has been a family pet for generations. . .

240 pp.

Mother Carey's Chickens by Kate Douglas Wiggin [Catlady, issybird, bfisher]
Public domain.

Spoiler:

From the pen of Kate Douglas Wiggin (Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm) comes this heartwarming story of Margaret Carey and her four children - or "chickens" as the author often refers to them.

The sudden death of the father of the family results in the drastic reduction of the Careys' income and they must leave their comfortable home in Boston. Nancy Carey, the eldest, recalls a vacation in Maine when they all picnicked in the garden of a big, vacant house that her father loved. She discovers that the house is available, the rent is cheap, and persuades her mother that life in The Yellow House in Beulah, Maine is the perfect place to begin their new life.

Mother Carey is a model of strength and wisdom (think Marmee from Little Women) but her children exhibit all the growing pains: Nancy is brimming with enthusiastic and not always practical plans; Gilbert resents moving to a small town and having his dream of college disappear; Kitty is overly sensitive; and coddled young Peter has to learn to do things for himself. Add to that, prim and snotty cousin Julia and visits from acerbic, critical cousin Ann, and Mother Carey has her hands full!

Soon The Yellow House becomes a welcoming oasis for Beulah's quirky inhabitants. A window into the joys and travails of country life of a century ago, Mother Carey's Chickens delighted everyone including Walt Disney, who adapted it for his 1963 movie Summer Magic starring Hayley Mills as Nancy.

384 pp.

[issybird]

Choices with one or two nominations:

[issybird]

Bump.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by issybird

Bump.

Ok, issybird, I can’t wait any longer for someone else to take the bait. Is ‘Bump’ really your nomination for our children’s book? Not much of a sell job, but it still cracks me up

https://www.amazon.com/Bump-Kate-Evans/dp/190843435X

[issybird]

Hah! No second or third, please!

Explanation: I'm having computer issues and I set up the post yesterday in the mods' forum so I could just move it this morning when the nominations opened. But since the timestamp would have moved it down the thread list and some navigate from the index page, I, uh, bumped it to make it visible.

I was going to delete the bump once someone else posted, but now you've preserved it for posterity! Thanks for the laugh.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by issybird

Bump.

Originally Posted by issybird

Hah! No second or third, please!

Explanation: I'm having computer issues and I set up the post yesterday in the mods' forum so I could just move it this morning when the nominations opened. But since the timestamp would have moved it down the thread list and some navigate from the index page, I, uh, bumped it to make it visible.

I was going to delete the bump once someone else posted, but now you've preserved it for posterity! Thanks for the laugh.

You’re kidding! I didn’t want to leave a spoiler in this thread, so was just about to send you a message saying that it’s April first, and I just got it!

[Bookpossum]

That sounds like an excellent reason to leave it there - you can’t be much younger than that! But we won’t count it as one of your votes, issybird.

[gmw]

It's the best nomination we've had so far. Should be a shoo-in!

[gmw]

I nominate Airman by Eoin Colfer.

One dark night on the island of Great Saltee, fourteen-year-old Conor is framed for a terrible crime he didn’t commit. Thrown into prison by the dastardly Hugo Bonvilain, Conor is trapped in a seaswept dungeon and branded a traitor. He must escape and clear his name; he wants his old life back – his family, his friends . . . and his princess.

Conor knows there is only one way out. It’s an impossible task, which has never been done before. But Conor is determined to do it. He’ll have to fly.

416 pages

Here are some example links/prices:
Amazon US - USD$6.99 | Amazon UK - £2.99 | Amazon CA - CDN$7.99 | Amazon AU - AUD$11.99 | Kobo US - USD$6.99 | Kobo UK - £2.99 | Kobo CA - CAD$7.99 | Kobo AU AUD$11.99 | Kobo NZ NZD$14.25

Also see Goodreads and even read about the real world setting: Saltee Islands.

The book is rather more serious and sophisticated in tone and writing than the blurb above may indicate. I found it an excellent story that just happens to be targeted at children ("ideal for readers 11+"). It is certainly less tongue-in-cheek than the (also excellent) Artemis Fowl stories. I was really tempted to nominate Artemis Fowl, as it feels more childish in nature and so perhaps more in keeping with the theme, but I do think Airman is the better book. Colfer has also written a few books for adults (Plugged and Screwed) that are also very good reads.


P.S. And I no longer think that Bump is the best nomination so far.

[drofgnal]

I browsed this list from goodreads. 122 adult novels with a child protagonist:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/...ld_Protagonist

My favorite on the list is 'All the Light We Cannot See'.

I'm still mulling over the list for a nomination. Funny, I don't see any classics in that list like David Copperfield.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

I browsed this list from goodreads. 122 adult novels with a child protagonist:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/...ld_Protagonist

My favorite on the list is 'All the Light We Cannot See'.

I'm still mulling over the list for a nomination. Funny, I don't see any classics in that list like David Copperfield.

I thought it was interesting to see the list, I had not considered books that were specifically adult stories.

One author and book on that list attracted my particular attention: Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala. That would present a rather macabre interpretation of our theme (never too young ... to be a soldier).

I suspect you don't see David Copperfield because it is generally considered a children's, or a teenage level, story.

[issybird]

I'm going to follow through with my second idea and nominate The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley. Even those who haven't read it will know its famous opening line, "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." People may also have seen the film with Julie Christie and Alan Bates; there was also a 2015 BBC production.

I'm going to borrow bits from Goodreads and Wikipedia, as I think both are a little too revealing.

Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo, the hero of L. P. Hartley's finest novel, encounters a world of unimagined luxury. . . . The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naiveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart.

The book gives a critical view of society at the end of the Victorian era through the eyes of a naïve schoolboy outsider.

In the book’s prologue, Leo Colston chances upon a diary from 1900, the year of his thirteenth birthday, and gradually pieces together a memory that he has suppressed. Under its influence, and from the viewpoint of what he has become by the midpoint of “this hideous century”, Leo relives the events of what had once seemed to him its hopeful beginning.

The price is slightly outside our US parameter, but cheaper in the UK and Canada and available on OverDrive and Audible. I also figure it's readily available in print for those who don't mind that.

Amazon US $10.99 | Amazon UK £4.99 | Amazon CA $10.99 | Amazon AU $14.99

344 pp.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by gmw

The book is rather more serious and sophisticated in tone and writing than the blurb above may indicate. I found it an excellent story that just happens to be targeted at children ("ideal for readers 11+"). It is certainly less tongue-in-cheek than the (also excellent) Artemis Fowl stories. I was really tempted to nominate Artemis Fowl, as it feels more childish in nature and so perhaps more in keeping with the theme, but I do think Airman is the better book. Colfer has also written a few books for adults (Plugged and Screwed) that are also very good reads.

I read the first three Artemis Fowl books with great enjoyment; then my reading companion aged out of them. I considered going back to them, but the first three wrapped things up and my experience has been that a series starts to tale off after the initial flurry, which of course might not be fair in this case. All this a long-winded way of saying that I'm taking seriously your comment that Airman is a better book than Artemis Fowl, as I know I've enjoyed the author!

[bfisher]

I second The Go-Between.

[CRussel]

I'd like to nominate a Canadian classic, the ever popular Anne of Green Gables. Especially (hides his head in shame) because I've never actually read it!

Amazon description:

Eleven-year-old orphan Anne Shirley has just arrived at Green Gables, and already her guardians want to send her back. First, she’s not the boy the Cuthberts expected. Second, she talks too much. And even with her generous spirit, the redhead’s a trouble magnet. She gets the neighbor drunk and nearly poisons the pastor!

Still, despite a rocky start, the fiery Anne wins over her guardians and her new community. She enjoys life at Green Gables, excels in school, and earns a coveted scholarship. But when tragedy hits, Anne must choose between her dreams and the only home she’s ever known.

In this beloved coming-of-age story, Lucy Maud Montgomery drew from her own experiences growing up in Canada during the nineteenth century to introduce generations of readers to one of literature’s most original and inspiring characters.

The book is short, under 200 pages, and public domain virtually everywhere. There are audio versions available, multiple film versions (even a 1919 silent film), television movies, and television series.


Amazon -- $0.00

FadedPage -- Public Domain in Life+50 and Life+75 countries

Audible -- many editions. Pick your favourite.