The reader is merely an eavesdropper, and both the setting and the character development fall short because of this. Its weaknesses lie in the limits set in the epistolary framework. The strengths of To Night Owl from Dogfish rest in its storytelling and overall themes of friendship and family – both traditional and nontraditional. Secondary characters, also introduced through emails and letters, serve to propel the plot and underscore the themes but do little to provide additional depth to Bett and Avery’s characters. Protagonists Bett and Avery’s voices are authentic, humorous, and distinct, providing readers with great insight into their personalities and developing friendship as the two plot to dismantle and then repair their fathers’ romance. Reminiscent of the Parent Trap, To Night Owl from Dogfish presents a fun, fast-paced tale of matchmaking, friendship and family dynamics that is played out against the classic childhood summer camp setting. Told through email exchanges and letters, this plot-driven title is easily accessible and immediately engaging. If the Newbery Medal criteria included popularity, there is no doubt that To Night Owl from Dogfish would successfully hit the mark. I’m sure many of my young readers will enjoy this book for years to come, I’m not sure that it rises to the level of the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature this year. Likewise I’m not sure the themes of the story (friendship, what it means to be a family, intergenerational connection?) were especially distinguished, even though they are satisfying. It was a lot to juggle as a reader and perhaps even harder as authors to create a distinguished setting. Two separate camps, each girl’s home, Grandma’s house, Kristina’s house. I have difficulty evaluating the setting of the story in terms of Newbery criteria because the setting was varied throughout. The plot and the characters were distinct and distinguished. Though, as Amanda mentioned, the plot was somewhat predictable, some of the twists and turns, particularly the ending, were delightful surprises. I read this aloud with my Newbery age range son and we both enjoyed it. I will say it didn’t always read aloud easily because the headings of the emails were cumbersome to read, though they were also necessary to be clear about who was speaking/receiving the correspondence. felt current and in the authentic voice of real kids. I agree with everyone who has commented on the epistolary format of this novel being a great choice. I liked how the authors chose to put them in two very distinctive camps with such lush descriptions of the surroundings. The summer camp settings were also written in such a way as to make them seem very real. As an adult, I could see why they would think that was romantic and also how it could go horribly wrong. I loved that idea that their fathers were going to go on a 10 week long motorcycle trip to China after having a long distance relationship for so long. I also thought that Bett and Avery and their fathers were very well written so as to be distinctive and realistic. Sometimes books that use a format like this (or a diary format) stretch the reader’s credulity a bit with all the exposition but I think using emails and voicemails and even emails from side characters really helps to flesh out the story without having the give the girls more insight than they would actually have. I think way in which the epistolary format is used in this book is really exceptional. Marlow Devlin is encouraging and wants his daughter to enjoy life. Sam Bloom is Papa who loves his daughter to the moon and is warm and reassuring to a worried daughter. Even the parenting styles of their fathers are different.
She comes from New York, is interested in science and medicine, and has periodic insomnia: so her nickname is night owl. Avery Bloom is quieter and spends her time worrying. Her writing includes capital letters and + symbols to express herself. She comes from California, loves to surf, and is interested in sharks: so her nickname is dogfish. Each character is distinct although not always completely fleshed out.Įven in the first few emails sent back and forth, the two main characters are distinct. These letters are written by many people, not just the main characters. It tells what everyone is feeling without characters all being aware of what was happening. I think this is a different way to organize and present the story, a stylistic choice that works well with this story.
The whole book is made up of emails, voice mails, and letters between the characters. To Night Owl from Dogfish is unique among the candidates we are considering in format.
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