And Now Miguel

Definitely one of the weirder Newbery winners. This book is about Miguel, one of many sons in a New Mexico shepherding family. Miguel is 12 and really wants to be a vital member of his working family but struggles with recognition and validation from his father.

I'm here for the unusual plot. Definitely enjoyed the locale, not sure I'd ever read a book about Taos before. The dad in this book was a dismissive prick and it was hard to read through those scenes at times. But this book was written in 1953 so I'm hardly surprised.

if you're reading this book, you're probably an adult reading through every Newbery winner like me, but I'd be hard pressed to find an 11-12 year old whose attention was held by this.

Miguel wants desperately to go with the men on the long sheep drive in the summer, but his father thinks he is too young. Miguel does everything he can to prove himself to his father, but his father's answer is still no. Finally, Miguel resorts to praying to the saint, begging the saint to find a way for Miguel to go on the drive.
Miguel does not anticipate the consequences of his prayer. His father changes his mind, allowing Miguel to go, but at what cost, for what reasons?

This book is a thoughtful look at a boy growing to become a man, suddenly seeing things that were once clearly black or white have become a frightening gray.