But I'll Be Back By Cynthia Rylant

In But I’ll Be Back Again, Cynthia Rylant tells us of her life experiences that profoundly impacted her as a writer and I believe as a person. She gives us an honest matter of fact perspective on her life based on her experices. She shares with the reader about her family, friends, pets, loves, even the Beetles. ( I am a music fanatic so people and their musical interests are facinating to me). It is easy to see that Rylant truly does put a piece of herself into all of her novels. This book ties it all together for you as a reader of her works and makes it easy to understand why so many of her characters ring true.

Studying Rylant as an author and learning about her as a person has made me interested in learning more about the authors I enjoy, their lives, motivations, and inspirations.

Rylant see herself as a "Writer". This book made me reflect on what label I would identify myself with if I had to sum it all up in one word. For me, the labels are numerous and shift in response to situations. Perhaps if I knew that one word that I could identify with or use to sum up my life then I would know what I want to be when I grow up.

long night moon by Cynthia Rylant

How fitting that Rylant should write poetry. It is the perfect genre for her craft. She is a master of description and this poem is no exception. Her use of language coupled with Mark Siegel's charcoal drawings is captivating. Phrases such as "In January the Stormy Moon shines in midst, in ice, on a wild wolf's back. Find it and find your way home" almost hypnotize you with their beauty of description. The poem is about the Native American tradition of naming the full moons throughout the year. This is a wonderful poem to use with children. Most children find the night and the moon mysterious if not a bit forboading. This poem is about a subject that is familar to children, the language creates imagery brilliantly captured by Siegel's illustrations. Additionally, as an extension children could mimic this poem by giving their own names to the moon or perhaps to the sun.
The cover is a picture of the long night moon that continues onto the back cover. In the hard cover edition the end papers encompass two pages of a continuous scene of a night sky but no moon. Each page within the book contains a two page illustration of a dream like night with all the background hazy and the moon distinct. Different colored cursive writing was used for the text.
This book is a work of art.

The Higher Power of Lucky By Susan Patron

There is a curious part of me that always wants to know what all the hubbub is about and of course I love a good book so, I decided to give The Higher Power of Lucky a whirl. I was completely engrossed from page one. In this novel, Patron has captured the curiosity of a ten year old girl who wants to know all about the world and everything in it. The story centers around Lucky and a host of quirky and vibrant characters that make the town of Hard Pan in the Mojave Desert home. In this novel, Patron has managed to use wit that does not patronize young readers while sending a message of hardship and hope addressing the difficult topics of alcoholism and foster parents. Patron writes as a kid for all the kids that live in such households and for other empathetic young readers who want to take the journey along with her.
Lucky is on a journey to find a sense of security and her higher power. Lucky's mother was killed by a lightening strike, her father left her mother because he didn't want children and Lucky's guardian misses her own family in Paris so badly Lucky is afraid she too will disappear.
I read Susan Patron's response to all of this hubbub about the word "scrotum" and her use of this word in her book and I loved what she said. "Tbere's a direct correlation between the fear of naming body parts and kids' interest in finding out about them. To figure out the world, children have to unscramble a mishmash of secrets, clues, overheard tidbits, half-truths, out of context information, and their own observations."
Anyone who has ever been a ten year old kid knows exactly what Susan is talking about:)

I Had Seen Castles By Cynthia Rylant

Up until now, I have not been a big fan of Cynthia Rylant's chapter books. Van Gogh Cafe and Missing May left me wanting something more. I Had Seen Castles was a well crafted, wonderfully written book. I could relate to the main character John Dante. I felt like we really got to know him and what makes him tick. I felt Rylant did a fantastic job capturing the thoughts and emotions of a 17 year old boy during World War II.
I also loved the way Rylant used the character of Ginny to present in a sympathetic way other opinions that existed during the war and then incorporated those ideas into life lessons learned by our main character during World War II.
Another aspect I found interesting about the book was the religious/moral undertones of this book, such as the conversation with Ginny about being religious and going to church. Ginny states she is very religious but doesn't go to church because "I just don't like God in a suit". Then later Ginny and John fight about going to war because Ginny doesn't believe in war and she asks John what has war got to do with religion.
Maybe, this book appealed to me because it was intended for an older audience, 12 and up or maybe it appealed to me because everything about the book rang true. My mother-in-law will be 83 this year. She often talks about the War and all her friends and boyfriends that were lost, pulling out old newspaper clipping and trinkets she had kept from that time. It is through those conversations that I have come to realize how everyone who lived through that time was deeply affected by its events and I think that Rylant has captured those feeling beautifully in this book.

Missing May By Cynthia Rylant

Missing May is another Newberry Award book by Cynthia Rylant. Like many of her other stories such as Van Gogh Cafe, the story was beautifully written but for me there was something lacking. I felt the novel ended somewhat abruptly and for me there wasn't the character resolution for Ob that I wanted. The book left me saying to myself, "Is that it?"
Missing May is driven by the theme of grief and the grieving process. When Summer and Ob lost May all they wanted to do was "hold onto each other and wail in the trailer for days and days." But, "there are certain ways people expect you to grieve." I remember when my mother died. I was just graduating from college. I was horrified to learn that after the funeral we were suppose to entertain everyone who had come to funeral at our house afterwards. I remember thinking to myself when do I get to grieve.
Initially, Summer and Ob cannot accept May's death. Both of them in their own ways were in a state of denial after May's death. Ob believe he felt her presence and that she was still with them.
It was only after their return from Putnam county that Summer was able to finally cry or grieve. "Her body emptied of those tears and [she] was [no longer] burdened"
But with Ob we never know for sure if he has gained acceptance of May's death or resolution.