The Challenge Continues . . . Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge 1984

And the reading challenge continues!  As stated in a previous post, my librarian friend Ashley Lambacher of the Book Talker and I are hosting the Buckeye BookAward Reading Challenge.  Our goal is to read all the past winners from the children’s book category in chronological order from 1982 to the present.  I will read the K-2 picture book winners and Ashley will read the 4-8/3-5 chapter book winners.  Today I continue my challenge by reading the third winner of the K-2 Buckeye Book Award in 1984, E.T. Extra Terrestrial Storybook by William Kotzwinkle.

I can vividly remember going to the theater at five years old to see the 1982 blockbuster hit, E.T.  I was captivated by the movie!  It was everything a movie should be; magical, scary, sad, and thrilling.  While I was too young to truly understand the depth of E.T.’s saga, I fell in love the story and the adorable character.  As an adult, I still appreciate Spielberg’s movie and enjoy the story just the same.  The third Buckeye Book Award winner in 1984 is an adaptation of the E.T. movie entitled E.T. Extra Terrestrial Storybook by William Kotzwinkle.  It tells the story of E.T. using images from the movie.  However, Kotzwinkle goes beyond the film to add greater depth to E.T.’s story.  Unlike the movie, the book shares more of E.T.’s adventure including his point of view, various examples of symbolism, and the underlying theme and message of peace.  Kotzwinkle tells E.T’s story on par with Spielberg’s film, if not better.  His words successfully capture the flavor of the movie and readers learn more about E.T. on a much deeper level.  If you’re a fan the movie, I highly recommend this book.  It truly is better than the movie, and with Spielberg  as director . . . that’s a high standard of achievement!  Well done, William Kotzwinkle!  Your storybook adaptation of E.T. is well deserving of the 1984 Buckeye Book Award. 

Ashley, what Buckeye Book Award winner are your currently reading?  

Would you like to join Ashley and I as we read through Ohio’s award winning books?  We welcome any and all who are interested in participating in this fun reading challenge.