Sounder ANNOTATION
Angry and humiliated when his sharecropper father is jailed for stealing food for his family, a young black boy grows in courage and understanding by learning to read and through his relationship with his devoted dog Sounder.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
The Powerful Newbery Award-Winning Classic
A landmark in children's literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal, and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South. The boy's father is a sharecropper, struggling to feed his family in hard times. Night after night, he and his great coon dog, Sounder, return to the cabin empty-handed. Then, one morning, almost like a miracle, a sweet-smelling ham is cooking in the family's kitchen. At last the family will have a good meal. But that night, an angry sheriff and his deputies come, and the boy's life will never be the same.
A landmark in children's literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South.
Winner, 1970 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1940–1970 (ALA)
1970 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
"Best of the Best" Children's Books 1966–1978 (SLJ)
Outstanding Children's Books of 1969 (NYT)
Best for Young Readers (NYTBR)
1970 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
Children's Books of 1969 (Library of Congress)
Children's Books of the Year (CSA)
Some Select Children's Books of 1969 (Publishers Weekly)
Notable Books for the Portrayal of the Black in Children's Literature (Top of the News)
Mark Twain Award (Missouri)
1973 Nene Award (Hawaii)
1975 Sue Hefley Children's Book Award (Louisiana)
About the Author
William H. Armstrong grew up in Lexington, Virginia. He was graduated fromHampden-Sydney College and did graduate work at the University of Virginia. He taught ancient history and study techniques at the Kent School for fifty-two years. He also had a small sheep farm and lived in a house he built with his own hands. Author of more than a dozen books for adults and children, he won the John Newberry Medal for Sounder in 1970 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Hampden-Sydney College in 1986.
FROM THE CRITICS
Commonweal
The writing is simple, timeless and extraordinarily moving. An outstanding book.
New York Book Review
The author writes in details that glow alive.
AudioFile - Julie A. Bell
This 1970 Newbury Award winner has become a classic. Set in the South, itﾽs a poignant story of a dog, his master and masterﾽs family, whose lives are forever changed by one incident. The magnificent trained bass of Avery Brooks is a beautiful compliment to Armstongﾽs prose; words and voice clearly paint images and evoke emotional responses from the listener. Brooks uses a modern pace and Southern accent for the characters. Heﾽs talented at conveying personality and sentiment in the few words his characters utter. Blues riffs and Brooksﾽs soulful singing set the tone and enhance the tale. This bittersweet saga, richly told by Brooks, will remain in listenersﾽ hearts and minds long after the final line is heard. J.H.B. ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine
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