I can't help myself.

So, last month I swore off award-winning books for the summer, but I just couldn't stay away. I didn't read a Pulitzer this month, but I did read a Newbery winner.

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead won the Newbery award in 2010.

It tells the story of Miranda, a thirteen year-old growing up with a single mother in New York City in the late 1970s. One day, the hidden key to Miranda's apartment comes up missing, and then Miranda begins to find small notes in her belongings with cryptic messages written on them that seem to predict the future.

This novel explores many themes. Friendship, identity, racism, time-travel, and death, are just a few. Also, throughout the novel there are multiple reference to A Wrinkle In Time, a book Miranda loves. It's been a really long time since I read A Wrinkle in Time, and I don't know exactly what they are, but apparently in addition to the outright references to the book, the plots of both books also have some similarities.

For being a short book, When You Reach Me is surprisingly complex with many interwoven plot lines. It is the type of book a reader could benefit from reading multiple times, just to see how everything works together from the beginning.

I'm still not sure if I actually liked this one, but even so, it is definitely worth reading.

Dissappointed.

I just realized that I never wrote about my May Pulitzer and Newbery selections, so here they are.

I'm sad to report that I lost a lot of respect for the Pulitzer Prize after reading this year's winner: A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.

It wasn't that the novel was poorly written. In fact, it was put together rather cleverly. The chapters can almost be considered short stories - each one is about a different character and takes place in a different time and place, but even so, everything and everyone is interconnected.

However, in my opinion, the characters and plot are far from memorable, not at all likeable, and I found myself not really caring about any of it as I read. I finished reading the book about a month ago, and I'm now having a hard time actually remembering what it is even about. My recommendation on this one is don't waste your time with it.


The Newbery winner I read is the complete opposite. It's Like This, Cat by Emily Neville is one of the most charming books I have read in a long time.

It takes place in New York City in the 1960s and describes how a 14 year old boy's life changes just because he takes in a stray cat. Very cute. I highly recommend this one.

Since I was so disappointed by May's Pulitzer selection, and because I don't care to read any of the Pulitzer winners that I have left to read on the list any time soon, I've decided to take a break from award winning books for the summer and just read for fun.

Any book suggestions are welcome.