John Newbery Medal

Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned. See more kids literary prize winners.

The John Newbery Medal is awarded by the American Library Association for the most distinguished contribution to American Literature for Children. Established 1922.

2024

Medalist

The eyes & the impossible Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris

Honor books

• Eagle Drums written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson
• Elf Dog and Owl Head M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu
• Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir written and illustrated by Pedro Martín
• Simon Sort of Says Erin Bow
• The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares

2023

Medalist

Freewater Amina Luqman-Dawson

Honor books

• Iveliz Explains It All Andrea Beatriz Arango
• The Last Mapmaker Christina Soontornvat
• Maizy Chen's Last Chance Lisa Yee

2022

Medalist

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Honor books

• 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

2021

Medalist

When You Trap a Tiger Tae Keller

Honor books

• All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team Christina Soontornvat
• BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood
• Fighting Words Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• We Dream of Space Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly and Celia Krampien
• A Wish in the Dark Christina Soontornvat

2020

Medalist

New Kid Jerry Craft

Honor books

• The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Kwame Alexander
• Scary Stories for Young Foxes, written by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu
• Genesis Begins Again Alicia D. Williams
• Other Words for Home Jasmine Warga

2019

Medalist

Merci Suárez Changes Gears Meg Medina

Honor Books

• The Night Diary Veera Hiranandani
• The Book of Boy Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2018

Medalist

Hello, Universe Erin Entrada Kelly

Honor Books

• Piecing me together Renée Watson
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes
• Long way down Jason Reynolds

2017

Medalist

The Girl Who Drank the Moon Kelly Barnhill

Honor Books

• Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life Ashley Bryan
• The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly
• Wolf Hollow Lauren Wolk

2016

Medalist

Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Peña; illustrated by Christian Robinson

Honor Books

• The War that Saved my Life Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• Roller Girl Victoria Jamieson
• Echo Pam Muñoz Ryan

2015

Medalist

The crossover Kwame Alexander

Honor Books

• El deafo Cece Bell
• Brown girl dreaming Jacqueline Woodson

2014

Medalist

Flora & Ulysses: the illuminated adventures Kate DiCamillo

Honor Books

• Doll bones Holly Black
• The year of Billy Miller Kevin Henkes
• One came home Amy Timberlake
• Paperboy Vince Vawter

2013

Medalist

The one and only Ivan Katherine Applegate

Honor Books

• Splendors and glooms Laura Amy Schlitz
• Bomb: the race to build – and steal – the world’s most dangerous weapon Steve Sheinkin
• Three times lucky Sheila Turnage

2012

Medalist

Dead end in Norvelt Jack Gantos

Honor Books

• Inside out & back again Thanhha Lai
• Breaking Stalin’s nose Eugene Yelchin

2011

Medalist

Moon over Manifest Clare Vanderpool

Honor Books

• One crazy summer Rita Williams-Garcia
• Dark Emperor and other poems of the night Joyce Sidman
• Heart of a Samurai Margi Preus
• Turtle in paradise Jennifer L. Holm

2010

Medalist

When you reach me Rebecca Stead

Honor Books

• The evolution of Calpurnia Tate Jacqueline Kelly
• Where the mountain meets the moon Grace Lin
• The mostly true adventures of Homer P. Figg Rodman Philbrick
• Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice Phillip Hoose

2009

Medalist

The graveyard book Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean

Honors

• The underneath Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small
• The surrender tree: poems of Cuba’s struggle for freedom Margarita Engle
• Savvy Ingrid Law
• After Tupac & D Foster Jacqueline Woodson

2008

Medalist

Good masters! Sweet ladies! Voices from a medieval village Laura Amy Schlitz

Honors

• Elijah of Buxton Christopher Paul Curtis
• The Wednesday wars Gary D. Schmih3
• Feathers Jacqueline Woodson

2007

Medalist

The higher power of Lucky Susan Patron, illustrated by Matt Phelan

Honors

• Penny from heaven Jennifer L. Holm
• Hattie Big Sky Kirby Larson
• Rules Cynthia Lord

2006

Medalist

Criss Cross Lynne Rae Perkins

Honors

• Whittington Alan Armstrong, illustrated by S.D. Schinuler
• Hitler Youth: growing up in Hitler’s shadow Susan Campbell Bartoletti
• Princess Academy Shannon Hale
• Show Way Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Hudson Talbott

2005

Medalist

Kira-Kira Cynthia Kadohata

Honors

• Al Capone does my shirts Gennifer Choldenko
• The voice that challenged a nation: Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights Russell Freedman
• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster boy Gary D. Schmih3

2004

Medalist

The tale of Despereaux: being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering

Honors

• Olive’s Ocean Kevin Henkes
• An American plague: the true and terrifying story of the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 Jim Murphy

2003

Medalist

Crispin: the cross of lead Avi

Honors

• The house of the scorpion Nancy Farmer
• Pictures of Hollis Woods Patricia Reilly Giff
• Hoot Carl Hiaasen
• A corner of the universe Anne M. Martin
• Surviving the Applewhites Stephanie S. Tolan

2002

Medalist

A single shard Linda Sue Park

Honors

• Everything on a waffle Polly Horvath
• Carver: a life in poems Marilyn Nelson

2001

Medalist

A year down yonder Richard Peck

Honors

• Because of Winn-Dixie Kate DiCamillo
• Hope was here Joan Bauer
• Joey Pigza loses control Jack Gantos
• The wanderer Sharon Creech

2000

Medalist

Bud, not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis

Honors

• Getting near to baby Audrey Couloumbis
• Our only May Amelia Jennifer L Holm
• 26 Fairmount Avenue Tomie de Paola

1999

Medalist

Holes Louis Sachar

Honors

• A long way from Chicago Richard Peck

1998

Medalist

Out of the dust Karen Hesse

Honors

• Ella enchanted Gail Carson Levine
• Lily’s Crossing Patricia Reilly Giff
• Wringer Jerry Spinelli

1997

Medalist

The view from Saturday E.L. Konigsburg

Honors

• A girl named Disaster Nancy Farmer
• Moorchild Eloise McGraw
• The thief Megan Whalen Turner
• Belle Prater’s boy Ruth White

1996

Medalist

The midwife’s apprentice Karen Cushman

Honors

• What Jamie saw Carolyn Coman
• The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 Christopher Paul Curtis
• Yolanda’s genius Carol Fenner
• The Great Fire Jim Murphy

1995

Medalist

Walk two moons Sharon Creech

Honors

• Catherine, called Birdy Karen Cushman
• The ear, the eye and the arm Nancy Farmer

1994

Medalist

The giver Lois Lowry

Honors

• Crazy lady J. Conly
• Dragon’s Gate L. Yep
• Eleanor Roosevelt R. Freedman

1993

Medalist

Missing May Cynthia Rylant

Honors

• What hearts Bruce Brooks
• Dark thirty Patricia McKissack
• Somewhere in darkness Walter Dean Myers

1992

Medalist

Shiloh Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Honors

• Nothing but the truth Avi
• Wright Brothers R. Freeman

1991

Medalist

Maniac Magee Jerry Spinelli

Honors

• True confessions of Charlotte Doyle Avi

1990

Medalist

Number the stars Lois Lowry

Honors

• Afternoon of elves Janet Lisle
• Shabanu, daughter of the wind Suzanne Staples
• Winter room Gary Paulsen

1989

Medalist

Joyful noise Paul Fleischman

Honors

• In the beginning Virginia Hamilton
• Scorpions Walter Myers

1988

Medalist

Lincoln photobiography R. Freedman

Honors

• After the rain N. Mazer
• Hatchet Gary Paulsen

1987

Medalist

The whipping boy Sid Fleischman

Honors

• A fine white dust Cynthia Rylant
• On my honor Marion Dane Bauer
• Volcano: the eruption and healing of Mount St. Helens Patricia Lauber

1986

Medalist

Sarah, plain and tall Patricia MacLachlan

Honors

• Commodore Perry in the land of Shogun Rhonda Blumberg
• Dogsong Gary Paulsen

1985

Medalist

The hero and the crown Robin McKinley

Honors

• Like Jake and me Mavis Jukes
• The moves make the man Bruce Brooks
• One-eyed cat Paula Fox

1984

Medalist

Dear Mr Henshaw Beverly Cleary

Honors

• The sign of the beaver Elizabeth George Speare
• A solitary glue Cynthia Voight
• The wish giver Bill Brittain

1983

Medalist

Dicey’s song Cynthia Voight

Honors

• Blue sword Robin McKinley
• Dr DeSoto William Steig
• Graven images Paul Fleischman
• My own story Jean Fritz
• Sweet whisper, Brother Rush Virginia Hamilton

1982

Medalist

A visit to William Blake’s inn Nancy Willard

Honors

• Ramona Quimby, age 8 Beverly Cleary
• Upon the head of the goat: a childhood in Hungary Aranka Siegal

1981

Medalist

Jacob have I loved Katherine Paterson

Honors

• The fledgling Jane Langton
• A ring of enuless light Madeline L’Engle

1980

Medalist

A gathering of days: a New England girl’s journal 1830-32 Joan Blos

Honors

The road from home: the story of an Armenian girl David Kherdian

1979

Medalist

The westing game Ellen Raskin

Honors

The great Gilly Hopkins Katherine Paterson

1978

Medalist

Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Paterson

Honors

• Ramona and her father Beverly Cleary
• Anpao: an American Indian odyssey Jamake Highwater

1977

Medalist

Roll of thunder, hear my cry Mildred Taylor

Honors

• Abel’s island William Steig
• A string in the harp Nancy Bond

1976

Medalist

The Grey King Susan Cooper

Honors

• The hundred penny box Sharon Bell Mathis
• Dragonwings Lawrence Yep

1975

Medalist

M.C. Higgins, the Great Virginia Hamilton

Honors

• Figgs and phantoms Ellen Raskin
• My brother Sam is dead James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
• The perilous gard Elizabeth Marie Pope
• Philip Hall likes me, I reckon maybe Bette Green

1974

Medalist

The slave dancer Paula Fox

Honors

The dark is rising Susan Cooper

1973

Medalist

Julie of the wolves Jean Craighead George

Honors

• Frog and Toad together Arnold Lobel
• The upstairs room Johanna Weiss
• The witches of Worm Zilpha Keatley Snyder

1972

Medalist

Mrs Frisby and the rats of NIMH Robert C. O’Brien

Honors

• Incident at Hawk’s Hill Allan W. Eckert
• The planet of Junior Brown Virginia Hamilton
• The tombs of Atuan Ursula K. Le Guin
• Annie and the old one Miska Miles
• The heauless cupid Zilpha Keatley Snyder

1971

Medalist

Summer of the swans Betsy Byars

Honors

• Kneeknock Rise Natalie Babbitt
• Enchantress from the stars Sylvia Louise Engdahl
• Sing down the moon Scott O’Dell

1970

Medalist

Sounder William H. Armstrong

Honors

• Our Eliie Sulamith Ish-Kishor
• The many ways of seeing: an introduction to the pleasures of art Janet Moore
• Journey outside Mary Q. Steele

1969

Medalist

The High King Lloyd Alexander

Honors

• To be a slave Julius Lester
• When Shlemiel went to Warsaw and other stories Isaac Bashevis Singer

1968

Medalist

From the mixed-up files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler E. L. Konigsburg

Honors

• Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and me, Elizabeth E. L. Konigsburg
• The black pearl Scott O’Dell
• The fearsome inn Isaac Bashevis Singer
• The Egypt Game Zilpha Keatley Snyder

1967

Medalist

Up a road slowly Irene Hunt

Honors

• The king’s fifth Scott O’Dell
• Zlateh the goat Isaac Bashevis Singer
• The Jazz Man Mary H. Weik

1966

Medalist

I, Juan de Pareja Elizabeth Borten de Trevino

Honors

• The black cauldron Lloyd Alexander
• The animal family Randall Jarrell
• The noonday friends Mary Stolz

1965

Medalist

Shadow of a bull Maia Wojciechowska

Honors

Across five Aprils Irene Hunt

1964

Medalist

It’s like this, cat Emily Cheney Neville

Honors

• Rascal Sterling North
• The loner Ester Weir

1963

Medalist

A wrinkle in time Madeline L’Engle

Honors

• Thistle and thyme Sorche Nic Leodhas
• Men of Athens Olivia Coolidge

1962

Medalist

The bronze bow Elizabeth George Speare

Honors

• Frontier living Edwin Tunis
• The golden goblet Eloise McGraw
• Belling the tiger Mary Stolz

1961

Medalist

Island of the blue dolphins Scott O’Dell

Honors

• America moves forward Gerald W. Johnson
• Old Ramon Jack Schaefer
• The cricket in Times Square George Selden

1960

Medalist

Onion John Joseph Krumgold

Honors

• My side of the mountain Jean George
• America is born Gerald W. Johnson
• The Gammage Cup Carol Kendall

1959

Medalist

The witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare

Honors

• The family under the bridge Natalie Savage Carlson
• Along came a dog Meindert Dejong
• Chucaro: wild pony of the Pampa Francis Kalnay
• The perilous road William O. Steele

1958

Medalist

Rifles for Watie Harold Keith

Honors

• The horsecatcher Mari Sandoz
• Goneaway Lake Elizabeth Enright
• The great wheel Robert Lawson
• Tom Paine, freedom’s apostle Leo Gurko

1957

Medalist

Miracles on Maple Hill Virginia Sorenson

Honors

• Old Yeller Fred Gipson
• The house of sixty fathers Meindert Dejong
• Mr Justice Holmes Clara Ingram Judson
• The corn grows ripe Dorothy Rhoads
• Black Fox of Lorne Marguerite de Angeli

1956

Medalist

Carry on, Mr Bowditch Jean Lee Latham

Honors

• The secret river Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
• The golden name day Jennie Linquist
• Men, microscopes, and living things Katherine Shippen

1955

Medalist

The wheel on the school Meindert Dejong

Honors

• The courage of Sarah Noble Alice Dalgliesh
• Banner in the sky James Ullman

1954

Medalist

And now Miguel Joseph Krumgold

Honors

• All alone Claire Hutchet Bishop
• Shadrach Meindert Dejong
• Hurry home Candy Meindert Dejong
• Theodore Roosevelt, fighting patriot Clara Ingram Judson
• Magic maize Mary and Conrad Buff

1953

Medalist

Secret of the Andes Ann Nolan Clark

Honors

• Charlotte’s web E. B. White
• Moccasin Trail Eloise McGraw
• Red sails to Capri Ann Weil
• The bears on Hemlock Mountain Alice Dalgliesh
• Birthdays of freedom vol. 1 Genevieve Foster

1952

Medalist

Ginger Pye Eleanor Estes

Honors

• Americans before Columbus Elizabeth Baity
• Minn of the Mississippi Holling C. Holling
• The defender Nicholas Kalashnikoff
• The light at Tern Rock Julia Sauer
• The apple and the arrow Mary and Conrad Buff

1951

Medalist

Amos Fortune, free man Elizabeth Yates

Honors

• Better known as Johnny Appleseed Mabel Leigh Hunt
• Gandhi, fighter without a sword Jeanette Eaton
• Abraham Lincoln, friend of the people Clara Ingram Judson
• Appleby Capple Anne Parrish

1950

Medalist

The door in the wall Marguerite de Angeli

Honors

• Tree of freedom Rebecca Caudill
• The blue cat of Castle Town Catherine Coblentz
• Kildee House Rutherford Montgomery
• George Washington Genevieve Foster
• Song of the pines Walter and Marion Havighurst

1949

Medalist

King of the wind Marguerite Henry

Honors

• Seabird Holling C. Holling
• Daughter of the mountains Louise Rankin
• My father’s dragon Ruth S. Gannett
• Story of the Negro Arna Bontemps

1948

Medalist

The twenty-one balloons William Pene du Bois

Honors

• Pancakes-Paris Claire Hutchet Bishop
• Le Lun, lad of courage Carolyn Treffinger
• The quaint and curious quest of Johnny Longfoot Catherine Besterman
• The cow-tail switch Harold Courlander
• Misty of Chincoteague Marguerit Henry

1947

Medalist

Miss Hickory Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

Honors

• Wonderful year Nancy Barnes
• Big tree Mary and Conrad Buff
• The heavenly tenants William Maxwell
• The avion my uncle flew Cyrus Fisher
• The hilien treasure of Glaston Eleanor Jewett

1946

Medalist

Strawberry girl Lois Lensky

Honors

• Justin Morgan had a horse Marguerite Henry
• The moved-outers Florence Crannell Means
• Bhimsa, the dancing bear Christine Weston
• New found world Katherine Shippen

1945

Medalist

Rabbit Hill Robert Lawson

Honors

• The hundred dresses Eleanor Estes
• The silver pencil Alice Dalgliesh
• Abraham Lincoln’s world Genevieve Foster
• Lone journey: the life of Roger Williams Jeanetter Eaton

1944

Medalist

Johnny Tremain Esther Forbes

Honors

• The happy golden years Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Fog Magic Julia Sauer
• Rufus M. Eleanor Estes
• Mountain born Elizabeth Yeates

1943

Medalist

Adam of the road Elizabeth Janet Gray

Honors

• The midule Moffat Eleanore Estes
• Have you seen Tom Thumb? Mabel Leigh Hunt

1942

Medalist

The Matchlock gun Walter D. Edmonds

Honors

• Little town on the prairie Laura Ingalls Wilder
• George Washington’s world Genevieve Foster
• Indian captive Lois Lenski
• Down Ryton Water Eva Roe Gaggin

1941

Medalist

Call it courage Armstrong Sperry

Honors

• Blue willow Doris Gates
• Young Mac of Fort Vancouver Mary Jane Carr
• The long winter Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Nansen Anna Gertrude Hall

1940

Medalist

Daniel Boone James Daugherty

Honors

• The singing tree Kate Seredy
• Runner of the mountain tops: the life of Louis Agassiz Mabel Robinson
• By the shores of Silver Lake Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Boy with a pack Stephen W. Meader

1939

Medalist

Thimble summer Elizabeth Enright

Honors

• Nino Valenti Angelo
• Mr Popper’s penguins Richard and Florence Atwater
• Hello the boat Phyllis Crawford
• Leader by destiny: George Washington Jeanette Eaton
• Penn Elizabeth Janet Gray

1938

Medalist

The white stag Kate Seredy

Honors

• Pecos Bill James Cloyd Bowman
• Bright Island Mabel Robinson
• On the banks of Plum Creek Laura Ingalls Wilder

1937

Medalist

Roller skates Ruth Sawyer

Honors

• Phoebe Fairchild: her book Lois Lenski
• Stokes: whistler’s van Idwal Jones
• Golden basket Ludwig Bemelmans
• Winterbound Margery Bianco
• The codfish musket Agnes Hewes

1936

Medalist

Caliie Wooulawn Carol Ryrie Brink

Honors

• Honk, the moose Phil Strong
• The good master Kate Seresy
• Young Walter Scott Elizabeth Janet Gray
• All sail set Armstrong Sperry

1935

Medalist

Dobry Monica Shannon

Honors

• Pageant of Chinese history Elizabeth Seeger
• Davy Crockett Constance Rourke
• Day on skates Hilda Von Stockum

1934

Medalist

Invincible Louisa Cornelia Meigs

Honors

• The forgotten daughter Caroline Snedeker
• Swords of steel Elsie Singmaster
• ABC bunny Wanda Gag
• Winged girl of Knossos Erik Berry
• New land Sarah Schmih3
• Big tree of Bunlahy Padraic Colum
• Glory of the seas Agnes Hewes
• Apprentice of Florence Ann Kyle

1933

Medalist

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze Elizabeth Foreman Lewis

Honors

• Swift rivers Cornelia Meigs
• The railroad to freedom Hildegarde Swift
• Children of the soil Nora Burglon

1932

Medalist

Waterless mountain Laura Adams Armer

Honors

• The fairy circus Dorothy P. Lathrop
• Calico Bush Rachel Field
• Boy of the South Seas Eunice Tietjens
• Out of the flame Eloise Lownsbery
• Jane’s island Marjorie Allee
• Truce of the wolf Mary Gould Davis

1931

Medalist

The cat who went to heaven Elizabeth Coatswirth

Honors

• Floating island Anne Parrish
• The dark star of Itza: the story of a pagan princess Alida Malkus
• Queer person Ralph Hubbard
• Mountains are free Julie Davis Adams
• Spice and the Devil’s Cave Agnes Hewes
• Meggy Macintosh Elizabeth Janet Gray
• Garram the hunter Herbert Best
• Ood-Le-Uk the wanderer Alice Lide and Margaret Johansen

1930

Medalist

Hitty, her first hundred years Rachel Field

Honors

• Daughter of the Seine: the life of Madame Roland Jeanette Eaton
• Pran of Albania Elizabeth Miller
• Jumping-off place Marion Hurd McNeely
• Tangle-coated horse and other tales Ella Young
• Vaino: a boy of New England Julia Davis Adams
• Little Blacknose Hildegarde Swift

1929

Medalist

The trumpeter of Krakow Eric P. Kelly

Honors

• Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo John Bennett
• Millions of cats Wanda Gag
• The boy who was Grace Hallock
• Clearing weather Cornelia Meigs
• Runaway papoose Grace Moon
• Tod of the Fens Elinor Whitney

1928

Medalist

Gayneck, the story of a pigeon Dhan Gopal Mukerji

Honors

• The wonder smith and his son Ella Young
• Downright Dencey Caroline Snedeker

1927

Medalist

Smoky, the cow horse Will James

Honors

• No Record

1926

Medalist

Shen of the sea Arthur Bowie Chrisman

Honors

Voyagers Padraic Colum

1925

Medalist

Tales from the silver lands Charles Finger

Honors

• Nicholas: a Manhattan Christmas story Anne Carroll Moore
• Dream coach Anne Parrish

1924

Medalist

The dark frigate Charles Hawes

Honors

• No Record

1923

Medalist

The voyages of Doctor Doolittle Hugh Lofting

Honors

• No Record

1922

Medalist

The story of mankind Hendrik Willem Van Loon

Honors

• The great quest Charles Hawes
• Cedric the forester Bernard Marshall
• The old tobacco shop William Bowen
• The Golden Fleece and the heroes who lived before Achilles Padraic Colum
• Windy Hill Cornelia Meigs