The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine sets the gold standard for what a historical 
fiction novel should be. The time is 1917, the place, Moundville Alabama. Twelve year old Dit is so excited that a new postmaster is coming to town and finally he will have a boy his own age to play with! But Dit and the rest of the town are shocked when the new postmaster and his family turn out to be black, and even worse the new kid in town is a girl! While Dit and his family treat everyone the same, racisim and danger run rampent in their small town. Add to the mix Dit's growing friendship and feelings for Emma and this story is boiling with suspense.
This historical fiction is everything I wanted it to be. The environment and details felt like walking into Moundville. The story is losely based on the author's own grandfather and the idea that there have always been kind people who see everyone the same helped me root for Dit and Emma's friendship against all odds.
Rating: 5 out of 5
To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.
fiction novel should be. The time is 1917, the place, Moundville Alabama. Twelve year old Dit is so excited that a new postmaster is coming to town and finally he will have a boy his own age to play with! But Dit and the rest of the town are shocked when the new postmaster and his family turn out to be black, and even worse the new kid in town is a girl! While Dit and his family treat everyone the same, racisim and danger run rampent in their small town. Add to the mix Dit's growing friendship and feelings for Emma and this story is boiling with suspense. This historical fiction is everything I wanted it to be. The environment and details felt like walking into Moundville. The story is losely based on the author's own grandfather and the idea that there have always been kind people who see everyone the same helped me root for Dit and Emma's friendship against all odds.
Rating: 5 out of 5
To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.
I too enjoyed this book very much. I liked the character development that took place in both the major and supporting characters. The short chapters moved the pace right along, and would sure help young readers who aren't sure they will like historical fiction. My only concern would be that Dit and Emma were a little too perfect...but that's a minor quibble about a solid book.
I loved this! As Angela said, it's historical fiction at its best: never boring or didactic, just wonderful storytelling, compelling characters, and that time-machine quality, where you feel like you've been transported back to 1917.
The relationship between Dit and Emma reminded me of Jesse and Leslie in Bridge to Terabithia, which is a very high compliment in my book.
I think that the book is very good. The conflict in it makes the story even better.
I think that The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had was a really good book. My favorite part was when Emma and Dit went to the circus.
This was a GREAT book! I love the setting and characters. I also liked how most of the characters showed both a light and dark side. The drama in some parts made you not want to stop reading. :)
I really did enjoy this book. It had a extremely good plot and plan. I also like the way the author shows the growth between Dit and Emma's friendship. This book teaches how even back then, light-skinned people and dark-skinned people should be able to be friends freely.
I think that this book should win the Newberry Award because it has many problems, has a very good plot, and is very hard to put down.
I am one of the newberry kids from the class. I had to read all of these books and by far this is the best book from the 8 options. This books covers all of the topics that would be a really good childrens book, it has the friendship, the hardships and the history of living in Alabama in the early 1900's. It gives you an amazing movie inside your head. They describe the characters like you would tell someone on the phone what your new friend looked like. What I like the best is how they make her having to be taught, because a little Boston girl being AMAZING at baseball at that time wouldnt make sence, or a Alabama boy who would be AMAZING at math and reading. I hope that you read it, if you like hardship, friendship then you will LOVE this story.
on a scale to 1-1000 100 being the best i rate it an 1000/1000
This is the best book that I have read out of the Newbery books it has the perfect balance of excitment, humor, sadness, and depression, to make it one of the best books I have ever read. I think this should win the Newbery award out of the eaight nominees. It was the Best Bad Luck that this was the only one available at the time when I got it.
Rating: 5 out of 5
It was full of emotion and exitment, it got me hooked in the first few sentences! Though to younger readers, they may not like all the chapters in this book becouse ther is murder, sickness, and love spred through out the book..
Many people I know, that have read this book loved it. I liked the book, but it wasn't like I loved it so much that I was going to read it again. I liked how Dit and Emma had an unlikely friendship, and it had a wonderful start.
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***** (five stars)
An amazing book! It is so amazing how Dit and Emma come together at the end. Poor Mr. Sheriff is killed by Doc Haley and yet two kids save him from hanging. Anyone who is reading this comment should also read the book.
"The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had" is one of the best books I have read, since I have read a lot of books. I think that this newbery nominee is the best of the final eight: Wild Things, When You Reach Me, All the Broken Pieces, The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had, The Rock and the River, Neil Armstrong is my Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me, Also Known as Harper, and Return to Sender. It is also a historical fiction so people can learn about what the south was like after the civil war. This book can also teach life lessons like for example, if Dit and Emma can be friends, anyone can. And also, in the story, alot of the mistakes were made by Dit because he didn't keep his mouth shut, so that is a lesson too. The author (Kristin Levine) might make more children books if Best Bad Luck makes the newbery of 2010, so keep your fingers crossed. Rating: 10 out of 10
I think this book is great because it really takes you back to 1917 and feels like you're standing right next to the characters. This book is sad and happy at the same time, which ads to this amazing novel.
I abselutly loved this book. The drama,the action, the friendship. the friendship between Emma and Dit reminded me of me and my friend, Devin. I think this book should win the newbery award because it has alot of couletees I think a childrens book should have, except for the swering its one of the best books I ever read!
On a scale of one to ten is ten!
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had should be the next Newbery book because it is educational age appropriate and it has a good voice. This book is a book about an African American girl named Emma and an American boy called Dit when the go on the adventure of a lifetime.THis book is ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing
The Best Bad luck is about the time after the World War II. Dit Sims is a Southern boy who just happens to come across Emma Walker. Slowly as their unbelieveable friendship begins to biuld Dit understands that when the Union won the war, it was a great thing.