E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web (1952)

Wilbur is a sweet pig with a big problem. He’s, well, a pig. And no matter how delightful of a friend he is to young Fern, the young girl who saves him from a tragic early end, or Charlotte, the spider who lives in the barn, he’s still going to end up as Christmas dinner. That is, unless Charlotte can think of a way to save him. . . .

Confession: I’ve never read this book until now. Yes, I know that makes me a weirdo–who hasn’t read Charlotte’s Web?, you may ask. Well, me, that’s who. However, since it was the winner of the Great Berryville Read and is now officially our town’s favorite book, I decided to remedy my ignorance. And I’m glad I did.

And the Great Berryville Read winner is . . .

For the past several weeks, we’ve been voting through the Great Berryville Read brackets. Last night, we unveiled our local winner and then watched the countdown for the national vote live at our results party at the library.

Exploring our Great Berryville Read Finalists

While we wait to learn the results for both the Great American Read and Great Berryville Read, I thought it would be interesting to compare notes with the released list of the country’s favorite books with the books that made our Top 10.

Great Berryville Read Final Bracket

 

It’s The Final Countdown! (Warning: that video perhaps features more 80s hair than you need on a Monday morning. Or perhaps it’s exactly as much 80s hair as you need on a Monday morning. I don’t judge!)

But I do digress! For the past several weeks, we’ve been encouraging people to submit their brackets to help us determine Berryville’s favorite book. We have been keeping track of everyone’s votes, and now we’re going to unveil the final bracket. This features the winners of each round, as well as the next 3 highest-scoring books in the voting.

Since we were doing bracket votes, and we didn’t have the same number of participants every week, we also factored in which books received the highest average number of votes. This required some mathematical calculations, which Julie and Jen were kind enough to provide. (No math-impaired library bloggers were hurt in the making of these brackets.)

Exploring Other Worlds in Literature

The Great American Read‘s most wide-ranging episode is undoubtedly its October 16th “Other Worlds” episode. The selections include historical fiction, fantasy, dystopian fiction, and science fiction.

In the process, it asks viewers what is their favorite type of “other world” to escape into through literature. Do you prefer to dive into the past with historical fiction or travel to foreign countries or venture into outer space or even transport yourself to other worlds entirely?

Other Worlds voting bracket

Voting for the Great Berryville Read continues this week with a new category! It is the last one. Next week will be the final round!

Welcome to Bracket #5 – Great Berryville Read Other Worlds Edition. Next week on Tuesday, October 15th, the Great American Read episode is all about the “other places” literature can take you.

This episode focuses on books that transport you far into the past, way into the distant future, and even into actual other worlds. We’ve assembled a bracket that requires you, gentle reader, to pick your favorites and decide which of these 16 books should advance to the next round of the Great Berryville Read voting.

Exploring What We Do For Love in Literature

In their analysis of the theme of love, which airs on October 9th, the Great American Read explores many manifestations of it, and not always the romantic kind. It ponders love between family members, love between friends, and even the love that exists between people and animals.

And in the process, it asks us exactly what kind of a love story we, the viewers, prefer.

What We Do For Love voting bracket

Voting for the Great Berryville Read continues this week with a new category!

Welcome to Bracket #4 – Great Berryville Read What We Do For Love Edition. Next week on Tuesday, October 9th, the Great American Read episode will focus on literary love stories.

This episode is all about love–romantic love, familial love, tragic love. We’ve assembled a bracket that requires you, gentle reader, to pick your favorites and decide which of these 16 books should advance to the next round of the Great Berryville Read voting.

Exploring Villains and Monsters in Literature

I enjoyed all the episodes of The Great American Read, but my favorite, hands down, was the discussion of villains and monsters, which airs next Tuesday, October 2.

I know people have found my love for literary villains a bit . . . creepy. But it’s really not! I swear! At the very least, like any good villain, I have well-developed reasons for it. 🙂

Villains and Monsters voting bracket

Voting for the Great Berryville Read continues this week with a new category!

Welcome to Bracket #3 – Great Berryville Read Villains and Monsters Edition. Next week on Tuesday, October 2nd, the Great American Read episode about the bad guys (and gals) of literature will air.

This episode is all about the villains, monsters, and bogeymen of the book world. We’ve assembled a bracket that requires you, gentle reader, to pick your favorites and decide which of these 16 books should advance to the next round of the Great Berryville Read voting.