Thanks everyone who participated in our novel giveaway contest. It dovetails nicely with my post this morning about Hunter McCracken in “The Tree of Life.” We got a lot of passionate defenses of actors like Elle Fanning (“Super 8”), Anna Jacoby-Heron (“Contagion”), Chloe Grace Moretz (“Hugo), Anna Sophia Robb (“Soul Surfer”), Jacon Wsocki (“Terri”), Alex Shaffer (“Win Win”) and Cozi Zuehlsdorff (“Dolphin Tale”).

Ultimately, though, I really liked what reader CODY S had to say about Shailene Woodley in “The Descendants”:

“Audiences often worship adult actors, adore child actors and simply recognize teenage actors. Shailene Woodley, coming from a show that criminally mocks and overlooks teenage emotion, surprisingly astounded me in ‘The Descendants.’ Woodley could have simply played off cliched angst and walked away with a nice paycheck, but instead embodies her character’s ambivalence, anger, sadness, and frustration. Beyond her character’s profanity and sarcasm lies a genuine struggle between forgiveness and disdain, which Woodley conveys beautifully through strained glances and buried grief. Embodying a showy and subdued performance, Woodley truly deserves a spot in oscar candidacy.”

So Cody S, if you’re reading, drop me a line so I can get your address and send off your spoils!