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Phyllis Reynolds has a big heart for her family. Most of her books have been dedicated to them. Her husband (Rex) was one of her biggest supporters. He passed away in 2012.

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Their is what I believe to be a 70% to 30% chance that students would read Phyllis Naylor Reynolds books outside of the classroom. I think this because a lot of her YA books are really more so for pleasure rather than an academic theme. However you could argue that Shiloh would be an exception because it's one of those very popular books that many teachers put into students reading because of the values of friendships it displays. Another reason why I am arguing so much for the fact that her books are more on the sides of pleasure reading because a lot of her books like her popular series Alice are battling coming of age topics that a lot of schools have now started to ban or “challenge” is how they are puting it. It is not because schools find it innaprate but instead because parents are uncomfortable with the idea of their girls being exposed to different topics that are often taboo. So classrooms and schools are now pushing her older more classic books such as Shiloh that do not deal with such adult topics. If you are interested farther about the topic of baning her books I found a great article that was done by the Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/phyllis-reynolds-naylor-oracle-for-teenagehood-says-goodbye-to-alice/2013/10/13/457f465e-2528-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html?utm_term=.44c38d47e868

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Phyllis was awarded the Newbery Award in 1991 on her book Shiloh.  This award is that is given by American Library Association for having done a contribution to American literature for Children. This book also won a second award in 1993 the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's book award. It honors excellence in children's books.

This photo is of her back in 1991 doing her acceptance speech for the Newbery award.

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Naylor, P.R. (2015) Going Where It’s Dark. New York: Declaration Press.

Going Where It's Dark is about a thirteen year old boy named Buck. Buck has a stutter and the kids at his school tend to bully him because of his speech issue. This book takes place in Virgina and follows Bucks need for self discovery and empowerment. I would describe Buck as an adrenaline junky. He likes the challenge himself to explore caves on his own without his best friend David. He moves away so now it's up to Buck to continue to go caving. We also get to meet Bucks family and learn about the family dynamic he is brought up in. He struggles with the changes his twin sister is going through. She ends up getting a boyfriend and he never sees her anymore. Their family also owns a lumberyard which he helps out their a lot. He also makes a connection to an older man named Jacob and does some work with him in exchange for speech therapy to help his stutter. The book ends with the bullies pushing Buck down into the “pit” as he calls it and is stuck down their for three days discovers a new part of a cave that has not been discovered. He becomes famous once he gets out and is in the newspaper. The virginia Cavers Association end up asking Buck to go with them. He wants to name the caverns after the man who had help him to overcome so much; Jacobs chair.

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Naylor, P.R. (1985)The Agony of Alice. New York, NY: Atheneum.

The Agony of Alice is about 6th grade girl who is struggling with her self identity going into teen years. She struggles because her mother has passed away and she has no other strong females to look up to as a role model. What she does have is a father figure who loves her a lot but calls her “Al” instead of her name which is Alice. then she has an older brother who is nineteen years old. She does not exactly look up to him but she does think he is gross, but she still loves him. In school is where she meets the role model she has been looking for which is Miss Cole. She is a teacher at the school and Alice was hoping to have her as her teacher this year. But unfortunately she gets stuck with a different teacher Mrs.Plotkins. This teacher challenges her students to keep a journal that they can record thoughts and feelings. Alice uses this journal to record more of the embarrassing moments of her life. Such as her period, purchasing a bra, and boy drama with a boy she likes named Patrick. We get to see Alice change the way she thinks about herself. At first she was really insecure with who she was but then at the end she learns being herself and seeing the good in everyone is what is important. She also develops a strong bond to her teacher Mrs.Plotkins, or maybe it's really the teacher who develops a big heart for Alice. Alice is gifted a family ring from Mrs.Plotkins which is how the book ends.

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Naylor, P.R.. (1991) Shiloh. New York, NY: Atheneum.

Shiloh is the story about a boy named Marty who ends up befriending an abused beagle. This beagle finds Marty when he runs away from Judd (his owner.) The dog gets his name Shiloh when Marty finds him near the old schoolhouse that's called “the old Shiloh Schoolhouse.” The bond in this book displays a love between a boy and a dog. Judd can be explained as a rude hunting type man who is aggressive with his dogs. Marty has such a connection with this dog that he tries to purchase Shiloh off of Judd. He struggles to come up with enough money to buy the dog. Shiloh ends up running away again from Judd, most likely because of the fact that he is being beaten and kicked all the time. Marty ends up trying to hide Shiloh in a pen but a crazed dog ends up jumping into the pen and attacking the poor beagle. Shiloh ends up going to a vets office. When he comes back the vet drops of the dog back with Marty and his parents. This is when the family starts to be more supportive of Marty keeping the dog. At the end of the book Marty starts to connect and understand why Judd is so cruel and mean. Marty ends up seeing Judd hunting outside of deer season so he pretty much uses that to his advantage. He does some more for Judd in exchange for Shiloh to be his.

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While reading and looking into other books Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has wrote I feel the appropriate age range for her books would be 3rd graders to 9th graders. She has many books that are written in a way that is targeted towards coming of age and friendship books. Which a lot of third graders are able to understand. One of her more famous series that does is is her Alice series. It explores the values of friendship and what comes along with that. The first books in this series are really targeted for the younger kids as they would be seen as silly to be reading those ones in high school. However what is so unique about this series is the fact that it continues to expand into more adult like themes as you continue on in the series. So to start with these books can be read as a 3rd grader but as you go along with the series there are themes that would be more easily understandable or relatable to a highschooler. These themes are ones of coming of age type ideas, such as the first loves and what comes with that:sex. It also goes into some more heavier topics such as rape and family divorce issues. Which is why I have decided it would be best for an older student to be reading those topics.

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Naylor, P.R. (2009) Faith, Hope, and Ivy June. New York: Random House Inc.

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June. Is about two girls who participate in an exchange type program at their school were they both live with each other and record their findings about what it was like to live in each others homes. This was all taken place in a two week exchange program. Ivy June and Catherine are the two main characters, however this book we are introduced to lots of outside family members that play an important roles in each of the girls lives. The girls worry about what is going to happen because a major flood takes place in Thunder Creek Kentucky. Trapping their local minors in the area. This is when the families all have to stay in a nearby church. Ivy Junes family was very upset because they did not know whether or not their family members working in the mines were okay. This was the turning point in the book were both girls lean on each other for comfort and support. At the end of the book all is okay. Ivy June’s Pawpaw is saved by the rescue team. Catherine ends up receiving the lucky rock from Ivy June, which sybloses their friendship will never end and it's something to remember her by.