The John Newbery Medal

Newbery Beginnings The Newbery medal was created in 1922 by the American Library association. The medal is awarded to the best story for children published the previous year.

Newbery Medal Design

How did the Newbery Award begin?

How the Newbery Medal Came to Be The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year.

How the Newbery Medal Came to Be On June 21, 1921, Frederic G. Melcher proposed the award to the American Library Association meeting of the Children's Librarians' Section. He suggested that it be named for the eighteenth-century English bookseller John Newbery. His proposal was approved by the ALA Executive Board in 1922.

The purpose of the Newbery Medal was stated as follows: "To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field."

The Newbery Award became the first children's book award in the world. It is still the best known and most discussed children's book award in this country.

The Newbery committee also mentioned other books as worthy of attention. Such books were referred to as Newbery or Caldecott "runners-up.“ In 1971 the term "runners-up" was changed to "honor books."

TERMS and CRITERIA The Medal is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The book must be an original work. Honor Books may be named. The authors must be citizens or residents of the United States. "Contribution to American literature" indicates the text of a book. The committee must consider all forms of writing - fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

A "contribution to American literature for children" means that the book must be one in which children are a potential audience. The book respects for children's understandings, abilities, and appreciations. Children are defined as persons of up to and including fourteen.

"American literature published in the United States" means that books originally published in other countries are not eligible. Published... in the preceding year" means that the book has a publication date in that year, was available for purchase in that year, and has a copyright date no later than that year.

"Resident" means that author has established and maintained residence in the United States rather than being being a casual or occasional visitor. The term, "in English" means that the committee considers only books published in English. The book stand alone….in other words not depend on other media for enjoyment.

Newbery books are judged on these points: theme accuracy, clarity, organization plot development character development setting (time and place) style

Find Newbery Medal books Click on this web site in The American Library Association to find a list of Newbery winner and honor books: Choose 5 books to research. Newbery Medal

Find out about Newbery authors Go to the following site and read about an author. Answer the questions on the web site about one author of your choice. Newbery Medal Award Winning Authors

Some Recent Newbery Award Winners 2008: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz

Some Recent Newbery Award Winners 2007: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Some Recent Newbery Award Winners 2006: Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

Some Recent Newbery Award Winners 2005: Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

2004: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

2002: A Single Shard By Linda Sue Park

2001: A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

2000: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

1999: Holes by Louis Sachar

1998: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

1997: The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

1996: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

1995: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

1994: The Giver by Lois Lowry

1993: Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

1992: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

1991: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli