AND THE WINNER IS

The 2008 Newbery Medal winner is Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz , published by Candlewick.

In “Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village,” thirteenth-century England springs to life using 21 dramatic individual narratives that introduce young inhabitants of village and manor; from Hugo, the lord's nephew, to Nelly, the sniggler. Schlitz's elegant monologues and dialogues draw back the curtain on the period, revealing character and relationships, hinting at stories untold. Explanatory interludes add information and round out this historical and theatrical presentation.

“Schlitz adds a new dimension to books for young readers - performance,” said Committee Chair Nina Lindsay. “Varied poetic forms and styles offer humor, pathos and true insight into the human condition. Each entry is superb in itself, and together the pieces create a pageant that transports readers to a different time and place.”

Is it just me, or does this book sound like Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters?? I loved Spoon River. Can't wait to read this one!

"Mrs. Sibley

The secret of the stars, - gravitation.
The secret of the earth, - layers of rock.
The secret of the soil, - to receive seed.
The secret of the seed, - the germ.
The secret of the man, - the sower.
The secret of woman, - the soil.
My secret: Under a mound that you shall never find."

-Edgar Lee Masters