Books like Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon

This book is a milestone in anyone's life as a reader. Before it, you are one of a multitude. After it, you are one of a select few who have heard about it, sought it out, picked it up, and persisted with it well past the point of enjoyment.What does this say about you? Obviously, you are attempting to read all the Newbery Medal winners. Moreover, as you experienced this book, you quickly realized that it is terribly boring. Next, you realized that it has no possible classroom application. Finally, you realized that most of the information about pigeons is weirdly inaccurate. Yet, you read the thing anyway. I'm not sure that this is anything to be proud of- you have read a book with no expectation of enjoying or benefiting from it. Isn't that the opposite of what reading is supposed to be?In fairness, I should mention that the last third of this book is better than the first two thirds. I especially liked the mating chapter, in which Mukerji uses the phrase "go all the way" hilariously. The WWI sections were interesting, if only to see how wildly unrealistic they could be. (A nictating membrane as defense against mustard gas?)If, like me, you are persisting in your Newbery quest, then I wish you well. I hope you have only good books ahead of you. My next Newbery read is about roller skating in the 1890s. It looks pretty lame, but it can't be as painful as this book was.