 After Shiloh received the Newbery Award , Jane Langton wrote in The New York Times Book Review : " Did Shiloh really deserve the prize ? Surely there must have been a book more important than this agreeable but slight story . " Langton opined that Shiloh was " a good book , not a great book " and that there must have been few worthy children 's books that year . The Sacramento Bee 's Judy Green disagreed , believing that Shiloh was " worthy of its award , which labels it the best fiction for children written last year " . Green lauded Naylor for her " excellent portrayal of Marty 's introspection and superb storytelling in the area 's vernacular " . 
