Newbery Medal

literary award

Newbery Medal, annual award given to the author of the most distinguished American children’s book of the previous year. It was established by Frederic G. Melcher of the R.R. Bowker Publishing Company and named for John Newbery, the 18th-century English publisher who was among the first to publish books exclusively for children. The first award was given in 1922. It is presented at the annual conference of the American Library Association along with the Caldecott Medal, an award to an artist for the best illustrations for a children’s book. The judging committee responsible for selecting the award’s winner comprises educators, librarians, book reviewers, publishers, and children’s literature experts, all of whom are members of the Association for Library Service to Children. Judging committees also cite notable runners-up of the prize, and in 1971 such titles were designated Newbery Honor Books. Winners of the Newbery Medal include Hugh Lofting, Madeleine L’Engle, William Pène du Bois, Beverly Cleary, and Kate DiCamillo.

Winners of the Newbery Medal are listed in the table.

Newbery Medal
year title author
1922 The Story of Mankind Hendrik Willem van Loon
1923 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle Hugh Lofting
1924 The Dark Frigate Charles Hawes
1925 Tales from Silver Lands Charles Finger
1926 Shen of the Sea Arthur Bowie Chrisman
1927 Smoky, the Cowhorse Will James
1928 Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon Dhan Gopal Mukerji
1929 The Trumpeter of Krakow Eric P. Kelly
1930 Hitty, Her First Hundred Years Rachel Field
1931 The Cat Who Went to Heaven Elizabeth Coatsworth
1932 Waterless Mountain Laura Adams Armer
1933 Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze Elizabeth Lewis
1934 Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women Cornelia Meigs
1935 Dobry Monica Shannon
1936 Caddie Woodlawn Carol Ryrie Brink
1937 Roller Skates Ruth Sawyer
1938 The White Stag Kate Seredy
1939 Thimble Summer Elizabeth Enright
1940 Daniel Boone James Daugherty
1941 Call It Courage Armstrong Sperry
1942 The Matchlock Gun Walter Edmonds
1943 Adam of the Road Elizabeth Janet Gray
1944 Johnny Tremain Esther Forbes
1945 Rabbit Hill Robert Lawson
1946 Strawberry Girl Lois Lenski
1947 Miss Hickory Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
1948 The Twenty-One Balloons William Pène du Bois
1949 King of the Wind Marguerite Henry
1950 The Door in the Wall Marguerite de Angeli
1951 Amos Fortune, Free Man Elizabeth Yates
1952 Ginger Pye Eleanor Estes
1953 Secret of the Andes Ann Nolan Clark
1954 ...And Now Miguel Joseph Krumgold
1955 The Wheel on the School Meindert De Jong
1956 Carry On, Mr. Bowditch Jean Lee Latham
1957 Miracles on Maple Hill Virginia Sorenson
1958 Rifles for Watie Harold Keith
1959 The Witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare
1960 Onion John Joseph Krumgold
1961 Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O’Dell
1962 The Bronze Bow Elizabeth George Speare
1963 A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle
1964 It’s Like This, Cat Emily Neville
1965 Shadow of a Bull Maia Wojciechowska
1966 I, Juan de Pareja Elizabeth Borton de Treviño
1967 Up a Road Slowly Irene Hunt
1968 From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler E.L. Konigsburg
1969 The High King Lloyd Alexander
1970 Sounder William H. Armstrong
1971 Summer of the Swans Betsy Byars
1972 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Robert C. O’Brien
1973 Julie of the Wolves Jean Craighead George
1974 The Slave Dancer Paula Fox
1975 M.C. Higgins, the Great Virginia Hamilton
1976 The Grey King Susan Cooper
1977 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Mildred D. Taylor
1978 Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Paterson
1979 The Westing Game Ellen Raskin
1980 A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl’s Journal, 1830–1832 Joan W. Blos
1981 Jacob Have I Loved Katherine Paterson
1982 A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers Nancy Willard
1983 Dicey’s Song Cynthia Voigt
1984 Dear Mr. Henshaw Beverly Cleary
1985 The Hero and the Crown Robin McKinley
1986 Sarah, Plain and Tall Patricia MacLachlan
1987 The Whipping Boy Sid Fleischman
1988 Lincoln: A Photobiography Russell Freedman
1989 Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices Paul Fleischman
1990 Number the Stars Lois Lowry
1991 Maniac Magee Jerry Spinelli
1992 Shiloh Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
1993 Missing May Cynthia Rylant
1994 The Giver Lois Lowry
1995 Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech
1996 The Midwife’s Apprentice Karen Cushman
1997 The View from Saturday E.L. Konigsburg
1998 Out of the Dust Karen Hesse
1999 Holes Louis Sachar
2000 Bud, Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis
2001 A Year Down Yonder Richard Peck
2002 A Single Shard Linda Sue Park
2003 Crispin: The Cross of Lead Avi
2004 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread Kate DiCamillo
2005 Kira-Kira Cynthia Kadohata
2006 Criss Cross Lynne Rae Perkins
2007 The Higher Power of Lucky Susan Patron
2008 Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village Laura Amy Schlitz
2009 The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman
2010 When You Reach Me Rebecca Stead
2011 Moon over Manifest Clare Vanderpool
2012 Dead End in Norvelt Jack Gantos
2013 The One and Only Ivan Katherine Applegate
2014 Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures Kate DiCamillo
2015 The Crossover Kwame Alexander
2016 Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Peña
2017 The Girl Who Drank the Moon Kelly Barnhill

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Newbery Medal
Literary award
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