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JUNONIA

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Henkes
Author's First Name: 
Kevin
Publisher: 
Greenwillow
Publication Date: 
2011
2013 Nomination (not yet selected): 

A simple coming of age story. Alice has come to Sanibel Island for a week with her parents and she wants things to be just the same, but as her 10th birthday approaches she realizes that things change and while there are disappointments in life, there are also simple joys. While not much happens in terms of action, lots happens in terms of Alice's understanding of the world and the people around her. This title will appear on the June agenda. Edie Ching

Alice has always loved celebrating her birthday with family and friends on Sanibel Island, but this year she is turning ten, and things are different. In this quiet, introspective story, change is as difficult and exciting as finding a rare junonia shell.

Comments

I read it this weekend. I

by bharvey - 07/05/2011 - 3:50pm
I read it this weekend. I agree the 7-10 group is the best place for it. It is a well written story and draws the reader in with the character development and descriptive telling.
aklause's picture

I agree with moving Junonia

by aklause - 06/22/2011 - 11:10am
I agree with moving Junonia to the 7-10 group.

Meeting Notes June

by ladamson - 06/20/2011 - 6:47am
Meeting Notes June 17
 
Positive Comments:
  •  This quiet book concerns change with the character’s immense development as he comes of age.
  •  The reader will care what happens to the emotionally sound characters because they are so well crafted.
  •  The details include such important items as a plastic gelato spoon.
  •  The beautiful and evocative language creates the viewpoint of a child trying to make sense of an adult world.

Observation:
  •  Of age-level readers, one loved it and the other hated it.
  •  The book is for a special reader since it is old-fashioned and quiet.
  •  A consensus is to move the book to the 7-10 group.

Concerns:
  •  The detached and almost remote writing style overuses some of the images.
  •  The story seems derivative of Paula Fox since it concerns a child in an adult world.