Newbery Medal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newbery Medal
Presented by	Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association
Country	United States
First awarded	1922; 103 years ago (1922)
Currently held by	Dave Eggers, The Eyes and the Impossible

The John Newbery Medal, often just called the Newbery, is a special award for books. It's given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), which is part of the American Library Association (ALA). This award honors the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children." This means it celebrates the best American children's book published each year.

The Newbery and the Caldecott Medal are known as the two most important awards for children's books in the United States. When a book wins the Newbery, it becomes very popular. Bookstores and libraries stock it widely, authors are interviewed, and people even write college papers about these books.

The award is named after John Newbery, who was an English publisher in the 1700s. He was famous for publishing books for young people. A committee of fifteen people chooses the Newbery winner. They meet at the ALA's Midwinter Conference. Frederic G. Melcher first suggested the Newbery in 1921. This made it the very first children's book award in the world!

The actual bronze medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan. The winning author receives this medal at the next ALA annual conference. While the committee that chooses the winner has changed over the years, the medal itself has stayed the same.

Besides the main Newbery Medal, the committee also gives out special mentions called Newbery Honors. These are given to other great books that were strong contenders for the main award. Before 1971, these books were called "runners-up." Sometimes there are no Honor books, and sometimes there are as many as eight. However, since 1938, there have usually been one to five Honor books each year.

To be considered for the Newbery, a book must be written by a U.S. citizen or someone living in the U.S. It must also be published in English in the U.S. during the year before the award. Six authors have won the Newbery Medal twice. Many authors have won both a Medal and an Honor. Even more authors have won multiple Honors. For example, Laura Ingalls Wilder won five Newbery Honors but never the main Medal.

History of the Newbery Medal

Frederic G. Melcher first suggested the idea for the Newbery Award.

The Newbery Medal was officially started on June 22, 1921. This happened at the yearly meeting of the American Library Association (ALA). Frederic G. Melcher, who was an editor for Publishers Weekly, proposed the idea. Children's librarians at the meeting loved the idea, and the ALA Executive Board approved it.

The ALA managed the award from the beginning. However, Melcher himself paid for the design and creation of the medal. The first Newbery Medal was given out in 1922. It honored books that were published in 1921.

Melcher and the ALA Board wanted to create the award for a few key reasons. They hoped it would encourage people to write better, more creative children's books. They also wanted to show everyone that children's books are important and deserve recognition.

In 1932, the committee decided it was important to help new writers. So, they made a rule: an author could only win a second Newbery if everyone on the committee voted for them. This rule lasted until 1958. Joseph Krumgold was the first author to win a second Newbery in 1960. In 1963, another change made it clear that books written by two authors could also win the award. More small changes and updates were added in the 1970s and 1980s. A big change happened in 1971 when the term Newbery Honor was introduced. All the "runners-up" from previous years were then officially called Newbery Honor Books.

What the Medal Looks Like

The actual medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan. On one side, it shows an author giving a book to a boy and a girl to read. On the other side, it says, "For the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

The bronze medal still has the name "Children's Librarians' Section" on it. This was the original group that gave out the award. Today, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is in charge, and it includes both school and public librarians. Each winning author gets their own medal with their name carved into it.

How the Committee Works

John Newbery, often called "The Father of Children's Literature", was an English publisher who helped make children's books popular and profitable.

At first, the Newbery winner was chosen by votes from a special group of Children's Librarian Section officers. Librarians could suggest books, and then the jury voted for their favorite. The first winner was Hendrik Willem van Loon's history book, The Story of Mankind. It won with 163 votes out of 212.

In 1924, the way winners were chosen changed. Instead of a popular vote, a special award committee was formed. This committee included the Children's Librarian Section executive board, their book evaluation committee, and three other members. In 1929, it changed again to include four officers, the chairs of other committees, and the past president. Librarians could still nominate books.

In 1937, the American Library Association added the Caldecott Award. This award is for "the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in the United States." That year, one committee chose both the Newbery and Caldecott winners and Honor books. In 1978, the rules changed again. Two separate committees were created, each with fifteen people, one for each award. A new committee is formed every year. It has eight elected members, six appointed members, and one appointed Chair.

The Newbery Medal is named after John Newbery, a British bookseller from the 1700s. The Association for Library Service to Children, part of the American Library Association, gives it out every year. It goes to the author of the best American children's book.

How Books Are Chosen

The committee members who choose the Newbery winner come from many different backgrounds. They are librarians, teachers, and book reviewers. They read all the books on their own time. Then, they meet twice a year for private discussions. Any book that meets the rules can be considered, even if no one officially nominated it.

The Newbery is given to the "author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English during the preceding year." The winners are announced at the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting, which happens in January or February. The Honor Books are chosen from the top books on the final voting list, after the main winner is picked.

The results of the committee's vote are kept secret. Winners are told by phone shortly before the public announcement. In 2015, K. T. Horning suggested that old discussions about the Newbery and Caldecott awards should be made public. This would help researchers and historians. Some former committee members and authors supported this idea, while others had concerns.

Recipients

Hendrik Willem van Loon won the first Newbery Medal in 1922 for his book The Story of Mankind.

Dhan Gopal Mukerji was the first Indian American to win the Newbery Medal.

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote five books that were named Newbery Honors between 1938 and 1944.

Elizabeth Gray Vining (right) won the Newbery Medal in 1943 for Adam of the Road. The book was illustrated by Robert Lawson, who won the Newbery Medal himself in 1945.

Lois Lenski, who won two Newbery Honors and one Newbery Medal, wrote book series that were connected by themes instead of characters.

E. B. White won a Newbery Honor for Charlotte's Web. He also recorded an audiobook version of it.

Jean Craighead George won both a Newbery Medal and an Honor.

Beverly Cleary won two Newbery Honors for her Ramona series and the Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw.

Paul Fleischman won the Newbery Medal in 1989, two years after his father Sid Fleischman won it.

Lois Lowry won two Newbery Medals four years apart.

Jerry Spinelli is one of many authors who have won both the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor.

Karen Cushman won a Newbery Honor in 1995, and then a Newbery Medal in 1996.

Sharon Creech has won both the Newbery Medal and received an Honor.

Louis Sachar won in 1999 for Holes.

Kate DiCamillo is one of six authors who have won the Newbery multiple times.

Jacqueline Woodson has received a Newbery Honor four times.

Christopher Paul Curtis won a Newbery Honor and a Newbery Medal for his first two published books, The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 and Bud, Not Buddy.

Authors Who Won Multiple Awards

Isaac Bashevis Singer's first Newbery Honor Book, Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories, also won a German children's literature award.

Jennifer Holm's first book, Our Only May Amelia, was inspired by her Great Aunt's diaries and won a Newbery Honor.

Below are authors who have won at least two Newbery Medals or have three or more Medals and/or Honors.      Won a Newbery Medal and Honor

See also

In Spanish: Medalla Newbery para niños

• Caldecott Medal - Another important award for children's picture books in the U.S.
• Michael L. Printz Award - An award for young adult books published in the U.S.
• Children's Literature Legacy Award - Honors authors or illustrators for their lasting contributions to children's literature in the U.S.
• Hans Christian Andersen Award - An international award for authors and illustrators who have made a lasting contribution to children's literature.
• Carnegie Medal - An award for children's or young-adult books published in the UK.