of the Center for Children's Books
2006 Blue Ribbon Dissents
Unanimity and consent are all very well and good, but sometimes pure passion
needs its own outlet. I'm speaking, of course, of the passion for a particular
title, a title that didn't manage to make the Blue Ribbons list but nonetheless
aroused in its admirer the desire to praise, to advocate, or maybe even to whine
a little. Here, then, are our consolation prizes, our chance to appeal a book's
case to the world: our 2006 Blue Ribbon Dissents.
--Deborah Stevenson, Editor
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Boyce, Frank Cottrell. Framed. HarperCollins. Gr. 5-9 (October)
Hey, this one isn't just me; lots of us relished this tender and offbeat British novel, but not enough to get the title on the final Blue Ribbons list. And that's a shame, because it's accessible below the standard junior-high years, it's funny, and it's a colorful depiction of small-town life, set in rainy North Wales. Even the area becomes more colorful (between the rain and slate it's predominantly gray) as the residents respond to the secret trove of artistic treasures hidden in the region and get inspired by art to liven up the children's travel to school and the shop windows. Meanwhile, protagonist Dylan, aided by his criminally minded sister, Minnie, is planning to heist one of the paintings for a ransom that would help propel the family economy (the area's so depressed that Dylan is now the only boy of soccer-playing age, leaving sports-mad Dylan eagerly training up Max, the baby), and Dad has left town to seek more lucrative employment (or has he?). It's a genuine original, the sort of book for which the term "quirky charm" was invented.
--Deborah Stevenson, Editor - Dunrea, Olivier. Hanne’s Quest. Philomel. Gr. 3-5 (April)
A chicken epic, you say? A 95-page read-aloud in 9 chapters, where the small but heroic hen leaves home on a journey quest; survives difficult tests of intelligence, courage, and endurance; and returns with new knowledge that insures her farm’s survival? A narrative in Celtic high-fantasy mode, with guides, helpers, and villainous adversaries? Yes, here it is, with densely darksome gouache paintings featuring skeletal remains deep in a barrow, mist-enshrouded standing stones, and a great green turtle as God of the Sea. Even the magical chant that directs Hanne through her tasks has a mock-monumental quality that lends suspense as this little black hen braves the underworld and beyond. Although good readers in grades 3-5 will certainly enjoy this on their own, as mentioned in the original BCCB review (April 2006), it’s even more compelling when an adult shares it aloud with children ages 6-8. Eat your heart out, Joseph Campbell.
--Betsy Herne, Consulting Editor
This page was last updated on January 1, 2007.