tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post2654419832759505320..comments2024-01-22T08:32:58.608-05:00Comments on For Those About to Mock: The Winner's Circle: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!, by Laura Amy Schlitz (2008)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post-54793605738727444062012-04-07T16:13:36.698-04:002012-04-07T16:13:36.698-04:00I agree with you, Sam - I don't think GMSL was...I agree with you, Sam - I don't think GMSL was the most distinguished book of that year. Honestly, I can't remember what books I especially thought got robbed that year (maybe Patricia Reilly Giff's Eleven? Was that from that year?) but I remember the incredulity I felt when GMSL was announced as the winner. But I'll tell you, once you get 15 people in a room for all that time, who have read all those books... well, you never know what will happen!<br /><br />Good point, by the way, about the saminess of the voice affecting the Devt of Characters criterion. It's been too long since I've read the book to really comment on that one way or another, but I can see how that would adversely affect that point (and Appropriateness of Style, for that matter).Sam B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13870144459370240769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post-60826704022543175502012-04-04T08:46:12.368-04:002012-04-04T08:46:12.368-04:00Thanks for the kind words, and for the interesting...Thanks for the kind words, and for the interesting comment!<br /><br />I think you're absolutely right in GMSL being distinguished in Interpretation of the Concept/Theme, Presentation of Info, and Delineation of Setting. I have some questions about Appropriateness of Style; one of the common criticisms of the book seems to be that the individual voices of the characters don't seem to be all that different. I think that affects the Development of Characters critereon also, though I do agree with you that Development of Plot doesn't so much apply.<br /><br />I guess what I come back to is that GMSL *is* a distinguished book -- but that some of the other books published that year are *more* distinguished. (The more I think about it, the more I wonder how A Crooked Kind of Perfect didn't even Honor.) It's not the worst choice ever, or even very close; I just think it doesn't quite reach the heights of some of its competitors. But that's just me :)Sam Eddingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01008209097162183766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5024002801067718054.post-4019330860914931702012-04-03T19:24:26.866-04:002012-04-03T19:24:26.866-04:00Hi Sam, I got turned onto your blog last week and ...Hi Sam, I got turned onto your blog last week and I love it! Now, I don't necessarily think this is the greatest Newbery winner ever or anything, but remember that in the terms/criteria it does say that the book doesn't have to be distinguished in every single criterion, but it should be good in every one that applies to it. With that in mind, I think you could make a case that GMSW *is* distinguished in the Interpretation of the Concept/Theme, Presentation of Info, Delineation of Setting, and Appropriateness of Style, and not so distinguished in Development of Plot and Development of Characters. But, as the terms/criteria state, it wouldn't have to be distinguished in the areas of plot and characters since those two arguably don't apply.<br />-Sam BloomSam B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13870144459370240769noreply@blogger.com