The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children".  The Newbery and the Caldecott Medal are considered the two most prestigious awards for children's literature in the United States. Books selected are widely carried by bookstores and libraries, the authors are interviewed on television, and master's theses and doctoral dissertations are written on them.
Named for John Newbery, an 18th-century English publisher of juvenile books, the winner of the Newbery is selected at the ALA's Midwinter Conference by a fifteen-person committee. The Newbery was proposed by Frederic G. Melcher in 1921, making it the first children's book award in the world. The physical bronze medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan and is given to the winning author at the next ALA annual conference. Since its founding there have been several changes to the composition of the selection committee, while the physical medal remains the same.

Besides the Newbery Medal, the committee awards a variable number of citations to leading contenders, called Newbery Honors or Newbery Honor Books; until 1971, these books were called runners-up. As few as zero and as many as eight have been named, but from 1938 the number of Honors or runners-up has been one to five. To be eligible, a book must be written by a United States citizen or resident and must be published first or simultaneously in the United States in English during the preceding year. Six authors have won two Newbery Medals each, several have won both a Medal and Honor, while a larger number of authors have won multiple Honors, with Laura Ingalls Wilder having won five Honors without ever winning the Medal.

History

The Newbery Medal was established on June 22, 1921, at the annual conference of the American Library Association (ALA). Proposed by Publishers Weekly editor Frederic G. Melcher, the proposal was well received by the children's librarians present and then approved by the ALA Executive Board. The award was administered by the ALA from the start, but Melcher provided funds that paid for the design and production of the medal. The Newbery Medal was inaugurated in 1922, considering books published in 1921. According to The Newbery and Caldecott Awards Melcher and the ALA Board agreed to establish the award for several reasons that related to children's librarians. They wanted to encourage quality, creative children's books and to demonstrate to the public that children's books deserve recognition and praise. In 1932 the committee felt it was important to encourage new writers in the field, so a rule was made that an author would win a second Newbery only if the vote was unanimous. The rule was in place until 1958. Joseph Krumgold became the first winner of a second Newbery in 1960. Another change, in 1963, made it clear that joint authors of a book were eligible for the award. Several more revisions and clarifications were added in the 1970s and 1980s. Significantly in 1971, the term Newbery Honor was introduced. Runners-up had been identified annually from the start, with a few exceptions only during the 1920s; all those runners-up were named Newbery Honor Books retroactively.

Medal 

The physical medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan and depicts an author giving his work (a book) to a boy and a girl to read on one side and on the other side the inscription, "For the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children". The bronze medal retains the name "Children's Librarians' Section", the original group responsible for awarding the medal, despite the sponsoring committee having changed names four times and now including both school and public librarians. Each winning author gets their own copy of the medal with their name engraved on it. Currently the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is responsible for the award.

Committee 

As Barbara Elleman explained in The Newbery and Caldecott Awards, the original Newbery was based on votes by a selected jury of Children's Librarian Section officers. Books were first nominated by any librarian, then the jury voted for one favorite. Hendrik van Loon's non-fiction history book The Story of Mankind won with 163 votes out of 212. In 1924 the process was changed, and instead of using popular vote it was decided that a special award committee would be formed to select the winner.  The award committee was made up of the Children's Librarian Section executive board, their book evaluation committee and three members at large. In 1929 it was changed again to the four officers, the chairs of the standing committees and the ex-president. Nominations were still taken from members at large.

In 1937 the American Library Association added the Caldecott Award, for "the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in the United States". That year an award committee selected the Medal and Honor books for both awards. In 1978 the rules were changed and two committees were formed of fifteen people each, one for each award. A new committee is formed every year, with "eight elected, six appointed, and one appointed Chair".
The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Selection process
Committee members are chosen to represent a wide variety of libraries, teachers and book reviewers. They read the books on their own time, then meet twice a year for closed discussions. Any book that qualifies is eligible; it does not have to have been nominated. 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."  Newbery winners are announced at the Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association, held in January or February. The Honor Books must be a subset of the runners-up on the final ballot, either the leading runners-up on that ballot or the leaders on one further ballot that excludes the winner.
The results of the committee vote are kept secret, and winners are notified by phone shortly before the award is announced. In 2015, K. T. Horning of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Cooperative Children's Book Center proposed to ALSC that old discussions of the Newbery and Caldecott be made public in the service of researchers and historians. This proposal was met with both support and criticism by former committee members and recognized authors.

Criticism

In October 2008, Anita Silvey, a children's literary expert, published an article in the School Library Journal criticizing the committee for choosing books that are too difficult for children. Lucy Calkins, of the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University's Teachers College, agreed with Silvey: "I can't help but believe that thousands, even millions, more children would grow up reading if the Newbery committee aimed to spotlight books that are deep and beautiful and irresistible to kids". But then–ALSC President Pat Scales said, "The criterion has never been popularity. It is about literary quality. How many adults have read all the Pulitzer Prize-winning books and... liked every one?"
John Beach, associate professor of literacy education at St. John's University in New York, compared the books that adults choose for children with the books that children choose for themselves and found that in the past 30 years there is only a five percent overlap between the Children's Choice Awards (International Reading Association) and the Notable Children's Books list (American Library Association). He has also stated that "the Newbery has probably done far more to turn kids off to reading than any other book award in children's publishing."

Recipients

Multiple award winners 

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

See also

 Carnegie Medal for a children's or young-adult book published in the UK
 Michael L. Printz Award for a young-adult book published in the US
 Caldecott Medal for illustration of an American children's picture book
 Children's Literature Legacy Award for lifetime contribution to American children's literature
 Hans Christian Andersen Award for lasting contribution to children's literature

Notes

References

External links

 
 Online editions of Newbery Honor Books and Medal Winners by Women, 1922–1964
 
 Newbery Medal winners at Faded Page  (Canada)
 The Newbery & Caldecott Awards Web Extra: an archive of "distinctive essays" from previous editions of the book.
 The Newbery Video (Part 2), written by Mona Kerby and funded by the International Reading Association highlights favorite Newbery Award books and authors.
 Choices Booklists: Children's Choices
 Interview with Newbery Judge, on Beyond the Margins
 Newbery Medal Winners and Honor Books (including cover art) at smallfrybooks
 
Caldecott and Newbery Medal Wins Bring Instant Boost to Book Sales

 
1922 establishments in the United States
American children's literary awards
American Library Association awards
Awards established in 1922
English-language literary awards
뉴베리 상()은 미국 아르아르보커 출판사의 프레더릭 G. 멜처가 제정했으며, 아동용 도서를 처음 쓴 18세기 영국의 출판인 존 뉴베리의 이름을 따서 지었다. 미국도서관협회의 연례총회에서 주관한다. 

1922년부터 처음으로 시상되었고 수상 작가는 미국 국적자거나 거주자여야 한다. 칼데콧상과 함께 미국 아동문학 최고의 상으로 꼽힌다. 칼데콧 상은 최우수 아동용 그림책을 그린 미술가에게 수여한다.

상은 뉴베리상 메달과 뉴베리 아너 상으로 나뉘며 중복 수상이 가능하며 수상 작가는 미국 국적을 가진 사람이거나 미국에 거주하는 사람이어야 한다는 제한이 있다.

수상자 
 1922년 헨드릭 빌럼 판 론, 《청소년을 위한 친절한 세계사》
 1923년 휴 로프팅, 《둘리틀 박사의 바다 여행》
 1924년 찰스 호스, The Dark Frigate
 1925년 찰스 핑거, Tales from Silver Lands
 1926년 아서 보위 크리스먼, Shen of the Sea
 1927년 윌 제임스, Smoky the Cow Horse
 1928년 Dhan Gopal Mukerji, Gayneck, the Story of a Pigeon
 1929 에릭 P. 켈리, 《백만 마리 고양이》
 1930 레이철 필드, Hetty, Her First Hundred Years
 1931 엘리자베스 코츠워스, 《하늘로 올라간 고양이》
 1932 로라 애덤스 아머, Waterless Mountain
 1933 엘리자베스 포먼 루이스, 《세상을 두드리는 소년》
 1934 Cornelia Meigs, Invincible Louisa
 1935 모니카 섀넌, Dobry
 1936 캐럴 라이리 브링크, Caddie Woodlawn
 1937 루스 소여, 《롤러스케이트 타는 소녀》
 1938 케이트 세러디, The White Stag
 1939 엘리자베스 인라이트, 《마법 골무가 가져온 여름 이야기》
 1940 제임스 도허티, Daniel Boone
 1941 암스트롱 스퍼리, Call It Courage
 1942 월더 O. 에드먼즈, The Matchlock Gun
 1943 재닛 엘리자베스 그레이, Adam of the Road
 1944 에스터 포브스, Johnny Tremain
 1945 로버트 로슨, Rabbit Hill
 1946 로이스 렌스키, Strawberry Girl
 1947 캐럴린 셔윈 베일리, 《미스 히코리와 친구들》
 1948 윌리엄 펜 듀보이스, 《21개 열기구》
 1949 마거리트 헨리, King of the Wind
 1950 마거리트 데안젤리, The Door in the Wall
 1951 엘리자베스 예이츠, Amos Fortune, Free Man
 1952 엘레노어 에스테스, 《생강 파이》
 1953 앤 놀런 클라크, Secret of the Andes
 1954 조지프 크럼골드, And Now Miguel
 1955 마인데르트 드용, 《지붕 위의 수레바퀴》
 1956 진 리 레이섬, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
 1957 버지니아 소런슨, Miracles on Maple Street
 1958 해럴드 키스, Rifles for Watie
 1959 엘리자베스 조지 스피어, 《검정새 연못의 마녀》
 1960 조지프 크럼골드, Onion John
 1961 스콕 오델, Island of the Blue Dolphins
 1962 엘리자베스 조지 스피어, 《청동 활》
 1963 매들린 렝글, 《시간의 주름》
 1964 에밀리 체니 네빌, It's Like This, Cat
 1965 마이아 보이치에호프스카, Shadow of a Bull
 1966 Elizabeth Borten de Trevino, I, Juan de Pareja
 1967 아이린 헌트, Up a Pond Slowly
 1968 E. L. 코니그즈버그, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
 1969 로이드 알렉산더, The High King
 1970 윌리엄 H. 암스트롱, Sounder
 1971 베치 비어스, Summer of the Swans 그중
 1972 로버트 C. 오브라이언, Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH
 1973 진 크레이그헤드 조지, Julie of the Wolves
 1974 폴라 폭스, The Slave Dancer
 1975 버지니아 해밀턴, M. ㅗtrumpet of the swan is a good book to read.C. Higgins, the Great
 1976 수전 쿠퍼, 《그레이 킹》
 1977 밀드레드 테일러, 《천둥아, 내 외침을 들어라!》
 1978 캐서린 패터슨, 《테라비시아로 가는 다리》
 1979 엘런 래스킨, 《웨스팅 게임》
 1980 조앤 블로스, A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal
 1981 캐서린 패터슨, Jacob Have I Loved
 1982 낸시 윌러드, A Visit to William Blake's Inn
 1983 신시아 보이트, Dicey's Song
 1984 비벌리 클리어리, 《헨쇼 선생님께》
 1985 로빈 매킨리, The Hero and the Crown
 1986 퍼트리샤 매클라클런, Sarah, Plain and Tall
 1987 Sid Fleischman The Whipping Boy
 1988 러셀 프리드먼, Lincoln: A Photobiography
 1989 Paul Fleischman, Joyful Noise
 1990 로이스 로리, 《별을 헤아리며》
 1991 제리 스피넬리, Maniac Magee
 1992 밀리스 레이놀즈 네일러, Shiloh
 1993 신시아 릴런트, Missing May
 1994 로이스 로리, 《기억전달자》
 1995 샤론 크리치, Walk Two Moons
 1996 캐런 커슈먼, The Midwife's Apprentice
 1997 E.L. 코니그즈버그, The View from Saturday
 1998 캐런 헤스, Out of the Dust
 1999 루이스 새커, 《구덩이》
 2000 크리스토퍼 폴 커티스, Bud, Not Buddy
 2001 리처드 펙, A Year Down Yonder
 2002 린다 수 박, 《사금파리 한 조각》
 2003 애비 워티스, 크리스핀의 모험
 2004 케이트 디커밀로, 《생쥐 기사 데스페로》
 2005 신시아 가도하타, Kira-Kira
 2006 린 레이 퍼킨스, 크리스 크로스
 2007 수전 패트런, 《행운을 부르는 아이, 럭키》
 2008 로라 에이미 슐리츠, Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village
 2009 닐 게이먼, 《그레이브야드 북》
 2010 리베카 스테드, 《어느 날 미란다에게 생긴 일》
 2011 클레어 밴더풀, Moon Over Manifest
 2012 잭 갠터스, 《노벨트에서 평범한 건 없어》
 2013 캐서린 애플게이트, 《세상에 단 하나뿐인 아이반》
 2014 케이트 디커밀로, 《초능력 다람쥐 율리시스》
 2015 콰메 알렉산더, The Crossover
 2016 맷 데라페냐, 《행복을 나르는 버스》
 2017 켈리 반힐, 《달빛 마신 소녀》
 2018 에린 엔트라다 켈리,《안녕, 우주》
 2019 메그 메디나,《머시 수아레스 기어를 바꾸다》

미국의 문학상