For April I'm Blogging the Alphabet through YA Book Awards! Find out more Here!
The Newberry Medal is given by the American Library Association's Association for Library Service to Children. This award, started in 1922, recognizes "the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year."1 According to the Newberry website this makes it the earliest children's book award in the world. The books are chosen by a committee of ALSC members. Its purpose is thus:
"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."
Notable Books:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - 2009 Winner
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo - 2004 Winner
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer - 2003 Honor
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine - 1998 Honor
A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle - 1981 Honor
The Grey King by Susan Cooper - 1976 Winner
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper - 1974 Honor
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien - 1972 Winner
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - 1963 Winner
1 http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery
I read A Ring of Endless Light as a 6th grader, and the cover had that gold seal on it. For years afterwards, I would look for books with that seal.
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