The Newbery Medal
This medal has been awarded annually by the American Library Association since 1922 "to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." There is a medal winner and usually from one to five honor books, which I list below the medal books. Sometimes referred to as the "Newbery award," the Newbery Medal is the oldest and most prestigious children's book award given in the United States.
The links in the book titles take you to the book's page on Amazon or on Bookshop.org, a bookselling website that supports independent booksellers. I have also set up a page of recent Newbery Medal and Honor books on Bookshop. These are affiliate links; purchases made through them earn me a commission.
Scroll down past the book lists for links for more information and some interesting opinion pieces, as well as links to articles sparked by the 100th anniversary of the Newbery in 2022.
Newbery Medal winners:
- 2023: Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson. Also the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.
- 2022: The Last Cuentista, by Donna Barba Higuera. A science fiction novel--a rare occurrence with the Newbery. Also the winner of the Pura Belpré Award.
- 2021: When You Trap a Tiger, by Tae Keller. You can also find When You Trap a Tiger at Amazon.
- 2020: New Kid, by Jerry Craft. This is the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal. Also a Coretta Scott King award-winner. You can also find New Kid at Bookshop.
- 2019: Merci Suárez Changes Gears, by Meg Medina. You can also find Merci Suárez Changes Gears at Amazon.
- 2018: Hello, Universe, by Erin Entrada Kelly. You can also find Hello, Universe at Bookshop.
- 2017: The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill.
- "Newbery Magic": Kelly Barnhill and Adam Gidwitz discuss their books.
- 2016: Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson.
- "A Huge, Huge, Shock" -- Matt de la Peña on his reaction.
- Winning the Newbery When Diversity Matters -- A thoughtful reading/appreciation of the book.
- This was the first picture book winner of the Newbery Medal in about 30 years.
- A Caldecott Honor book, and a Coretta Scott King Honor book.
- 2015: The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander.
- Kwame Alexander: "Overwhelmed with Joy" (on hearing The News)
- 2014: Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventure, by Kate DiCamillo.
- 2013: The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate.
- 2012: Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos. (Also a Scott O'Dell Award winner).
- 2011: Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool.
- 2010: When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead.
- 2009: The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.
- Neil Gaiman blogs about his reaction to winning
- Neil Gaiman interview on The Colbert Report
- 2008: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz.
- 2007: The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron.
- 2006: Criss Cross, by Lynne Rae Perkins.
- 2005: Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata.
- 2004: The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo.
- 2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead, by Avi.
- 2002: A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park.
Newbery Honor books:
- 2022:
- Red, White, and Whole, by Rajani LaRocca.
- A Snake Falls to Earth, by Darcie Little Badger.
- Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff.
- Watercress, by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin. Also the Caldecott Medal book.
- 2021:
- All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team, by Christina Soontornvat.
- BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood.
- Fighting Words, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.
- We Dream of Space, by Erin Entrada Kelly.
- A Wish in the Dark, by Christina Soontornvat. I don't know if this is the first time an author has received a Newbery Honor for two titles, one nonfiction and the other fiction, in the same year... but it's certainly unusual and quite an achievement.
- 2020:
- The Undefeated, by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Also the winner of the Caldecott Medal.
- Scary Stories for Young Foxes, by Christian McKay Hiedicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu.
- Other Words for Home, by Jasmine Warga.
- Genesis Begins Again, by Alicia D. Williams.
- 2019:
- The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani.
- The Book of Boy, by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch.
- 2018:
- Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, by Derrick Barnes. Also a Caldecott Honor and a CSK Author Honor and Illustrator Honor book.
- Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds. Also a CSK Author Honor and a Printz Honor book.
- Piecing Me Together, by Renee Watson. Also a CSK Author Medal.
- 2017:
- Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life, by Ashley Bryan.
- The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly.
- Wolf Hollow, by Lauren Wolk.
- 2016:
- The War That Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.
- Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson.
- Echo, by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
- 2015:
- Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson. Also a National Book Award winner, and a Sibert Honor book.
- El Deafo, by Cece Bell.
- 2014:
- Doll Bones, by Holly Black.
- The Year of Billy Miller, by Kevin Henkes.
- One Came Home, by Amy Timblerlake.
- Paperboy, by Vince Vawter.
- 2013:
- Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz.
- Bomb, by Steve Sheinkin.
- Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage.
- 2012:
- Breaking Stalin's Nose, by Eugene Yelchin.
- Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai.
- 2011:
- Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm.
- Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus.
- Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, by Joyce Sidman.
- One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (also the Coretta Scott King Author Award winner).
- 2010:
- 2009:
- The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt.
- The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, by Margarita Engle (also a Belpré Author Award winner).
- Savvy, by Ingrid Law.
- After Tupac & D Foster, by Jacqueline Woodson.
- 2008:
- Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis.
- The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt.
- Feathers, by Jacqueline Woodson.
-
2007:
- Penny from Heaven, by Jennifer L. Holm.
- Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson.
- Rules, by Cynthia Lord.
-
2006:
-
Whittington, written by Alan Armstrong, illustrated by S. D. Schindler.
-
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.
-
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale.
-
Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson with illustrations by Hudson Talbott.
-
-
2005:
-
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko.
-
The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson... by Russell Freedman.
-
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt.
-
-
2004:
-
Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes
-
An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy
-
-
2003:
-
The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer: also the National Book Award winner.
-
Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
-
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
-
A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin
-
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
-
-
2002:
-
Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
-
Carver: A Life in Poems, by Marilyn Nelson
-
More information:
-
More information about the Newbery Medal: this link leads to the official site for the Newbery, which includes a complete list of past winners.
- My list of recent Newbery Medal and Honor books on Bookshop.
- 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Newbery Medal. A selection of the coverage:
- From PW's archives: An article from 1922 about the founding of the Newbery Medal.
- Slate looks back at the Newbery's history, including recent attempts to deal with outdated/racist titles.
- School Library Journal's "The Newbery at 100" includes feature articles and interviews.
- The Newbery Awards, by Elizabeth Cosgriff: A good background article.
- The Top Ten Things You May Not Know About the Newbery Award, by Monica Edinger--more background on how it works.
- Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz by Gender, by Elizabeth Bluemle: An interesting analysis.
- Has the Newbery Lost Its Way? by Anita Silvey: A controversial article by a respected critic.
- Washington Post coverage of the debate kicked off by Silvey.
- Secrecy and the Newbery Medal by K.T. Horning.
- The Search for Distinguished by K.T. Horning. Early history of the Newbery, and also a response to Anita Silvey's piece above.
- What Makes a Good Newbery Novel? Noted children's book editor Patti Gauch looks into this question.
Children's Book Awards Index page
Caldecott
Medal | Coretta Scott King Award
| Lifetime Achievement Awards
| Young Adult Awards
NBA Young People's Award | Sibert Informational Book Award | Pura
Belpré Award | Scott O'Dell Award