The John Newbery Medal

In the United States, the John Newbery Medal is the most prestigious children's book award that an author can receive. The Newbery Medal is an annual children’s book award administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) of the American Library Association (ALA). It is presented “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 John Newbery Medal, commonly referred to as the Newbery, has been awarded every year since 1922. It is named for John Newbery, an eighteenth-century British bookseller.

To be eligible for a Newbery, either the Newbery Medal or being designated a Newbery Honor Book, the following terms must also be met:

• The author(s) must be either citizens or residents of the United States.
• Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are all eligible, but reprints and compilations are not.
• The book must be written for children, with children defined as “persons of ages up to and including fourteen.”
• The book must be an original work.
• A book that was originally published in another country is not eligible.

On January 26, 2009, at the American Library Association's Midwinter meeting, the 2009 winners were announced.

The 2009 John Newbery Medal Winner

Neil Gaiman is the recipient of the John Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book, which was illustrated by Dave McKean and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

"A delicious mix of murder, fantasy, humor and human longing, the tale of Nobody Owens is told in magical, haunting prose. A child marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes into an abandoned graveyard, where he is reared and protected by its spirit denizens.

'A child named Nobody, an assassin, a graveyard and the dead are the perfect combination in this deliciously creepy tale, which is sometimes humorous, sometimes haunting and sometimes surprising,' said Newbery Committee Chair Rose V. Treviño." (ALA media release) (Compare prices.)

2009 Newbery Honor Books

Note: All of the quotations in this section are from the ALA media release about the awards mentioned above.

• The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing "Underneath the canopy of the loblolly pines, amid the pulsating sounds of the swamp, there lies a tale. Intertwining stories of an embittered man, a loyal hound, an abandoned cat and a vengeful lamia sing of love, loss, loneliness and hope. Appelt’s lyrical storytelling heightens the distinguished characteristics of this work." (Compare prices.)
• The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom, by Margarita Engle, published by Henry Holt and Company. "The Surrender Tree utilizes compelling free verse in alternating voices to lyrically tell the story of Cuba’s three wars for independence from Spain. Combining real-life characters (such as legendary healer Rosa La Bayamesa) with imagined individuals, Engle focuses on Rosa’s struggle to save everyone—black, white, Cuban, Spanish, friend or enemy." (Compare prices.)
• Savvy by Ingrid Law, published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group in partnership with Walden Media, LLC. "This rich first-person narrative draws readers into a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for Mibs Beaumont and her companions. Newcomer Law weaves a magical tall tale, using vivid language and lively personalities, all bouncing their way to a warm, satisfying conclusion." (Compare prices.)
• After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson, published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Books for Young Readers. "This tightly woven novel looks back on two years in a New York City neighborhood, where life changes for two 11-year-olds when a new girl joins their game of double Dutch. Bonded by Tupac’s music, the three girls explore the lure of freedom and build a friendship that redefines their own identities." (Compare prices.)

The 2008 John Newbery Medal Winner

Laura Amy Schlitz received the 2008 Newbery Medal for Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village, which was illustrated by Robert Byrd and published by Candlewick Press (compare prices). According to Newbery Committee Chair Nina Lindsay, “Schlitz adds a new dimension to books for young readers - performance. Varied poetic forms and styles offer humor, pathos and true insight into the human condition. Each entry is superb in itself, and together the pieces create a pageant that transports readers to a different time and place.”

2008 Newbery Honor Books

• Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis, published by Scholastic (compare prices)
• The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt, published by Clarion (compare prices)
• Feathers, by Jacqueline Woodson, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons (compare prices)

The 2007 John Newbery Medal Winner

Susan Patron received the 2007 Newbery Medal for her book The Higher Power of Lucky. Matt Phelan illustrated the book, which was published by Simon & Schuster/Richard Jackson. (compare prices). The main character in this 144-page novel for 9-11 year olds is a ten-year-old girl named Lucky Trimble. According to the ALA news release,

“Lucky is a perfectly nuanced blend of adventure, survival (emotional and physical) and hilarious character study... as well as a blueprint for a self-examined life,” said Newbery Medal Committee Chair Jeri Kladder. “Through Lucky’s experiences, we are reminded that children support one another just as needy adults do.”

2007 Newbery Honor Books

• Penny from Heaven, by Jennifer L. Holm, published by Random House (compare prices)
• Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson, published by Delacorte Press (compare prices)
• Rules, by Cynthia Lord, published by Scholastic (compare prices) If you are looking for good books for 9-14 year olds, be sure and take a look at the list of children’s books that have received Newbery Medals or honors.