Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

This a novel by Katherine Paterson won Newberry Medal back in 1981, and the title refers to the sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau in the Bible where it is written, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated…” Sara Louise Bradshaw is sick and tired of her beautiful twin Caroline. Ever since they were born, Caroline has been the pretty one, the talented one, the better sister. Even now, Caroline seems to take everything: Louise's friends, their parents' love, her dreams for the future. For once in her life, Louise wants to be the special one, but in order to do that she has to find out who she essentially is and to try and make a special place for herself outside of her sister’s shadow.Click on the link below to hear author Katherine talk about her life and this book, the book of which she is most proud:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJLaLc_kaZc

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

One of my all time favourites. I used this one as a class novel twice and the classes loved it. It is more for the 12-14 year old range and has very good character development. Who could forget Maime Trotter the big bible-wielding lady whom Gilly the main character loathes for so long? Gilly finds herself in yet another foster home where her bitterness, anger and cynicism after years of repeated abandonment and rejection don't allow her to readily befriend or even accept William Earnest, another foster child in Trotter's care. To top it all off she has to run errands for and deal with the blind man next door, Mr Randolph, who is an African American. Gilly has to confront her own racism, help William Earnest deal with bullying and find out who she really is. All the while she plans her escape hoping to reunite herself with her mother Courtney Rutherford Hopkins. There are some profanities in the novel but these are a reflection of the hard life Gilly has lead. The following interview with Katherine Paterson about her books and why she writes is very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xj8ITyKQaQ