I grew up reading Newbery books, and my writing has been strongly influenced by them. The Newbery is the highest American award given for children’s literature every year since 1922. These books helped cement my love of reading, fueled my choice to go into children’s education, and pushed me to try my own hand at writing. They taught me how stories work and gave me something to emulate.
A few years ago, I set myself the challenge to read them all. Asterisks and links to reviews mark the ones I’ve conquered. I’m up to 42. How many have you read?
Here are the Newbery honor books from 1990-1999, 2000-2010, and 2011-2020.
- 2014 – Flora and Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo. Review.
- 2013 – The One and Only Ivan, by Kathrine Applegate. Review.
- 2012 – Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos. Review.
- 2011 – Moon Over Manifest, by Clare VanderPool. Review.
- 2010 – When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. Review.
- 2009 – The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman. Review.
- 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. Review.
- 2003 – Crispin : The Cross of Lead, by Avi. Review.
- 2002 – A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park. Review.
- 2001 – A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck. *
- 2000 – Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis. *
- 1999 – Holes, by Louis Sachar. Review.
- 1998 – Out Of The Dust, by Karen Hesse. Review.
- 1997 – The View from Saturday, by E.L. Konigsburg.
- 1996 – The Midwife’s Apprentice, by Karen Cushman. Review.
- 1995 – Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech. *
- 1994 – The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Review.
- 1993 – Missing May, by Cynthia Rylant. *
- 1992 – Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. *
- 1991 – Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli. *
- 1990 – Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. Review.
- 1989 – Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, by Raul Fleishman.
- 1988 – Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman.
- 1987 – The Whipping Boy, by Sid Fleischman. *
- 1986 – Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan. Review.
- 1985 – The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley.
- 1984 – Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary. Review.
- 1983 – Dicey’s Song, by Cynthia Voigt.
- 1982 – A Visit to William Blake’s Inn, by Nancy Willard
- 1981 – Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Patterson. *
- 1980 – A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl’s Journal, 1830-32, by Joan Blos
- 1979 – The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin. *
- 1978 – Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson. Review.
- 1977 – Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Hear my Cry, by Mildred Taylor. *
- 1976 – The Grey King, by Susan Cooper.
- 1975 – M.C. Higgins, the Great, the Great, by Virginia Hamilton.
- 1974 – The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox. *
- 1973 – Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George. *
- 1972 – Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, by Robert C. O’Brien. *
- 1971 – Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars. *
- 1970 – Sounder, by William H. Armstrong. Review.
- 1969 – The High King, by Lloyd Alexander. Review.
- 1968 – From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Kronigsburg. Review.
- 1967 – Up a Road Slowly, by Irene Hunt.
- 1966 – I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton deTrevino.
- 1965 – Shadow of a Bull, by Maia Wojciechowska.
- 1964 – It’s Like This, Cat, by Emily Cheney Neville. Free Kindle. Review.
- 1963 – A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle. *
- 1962 – The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare. Review.
- 1961 – Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell. *
My favorites from earlier years:
- 1959 – The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare.
- 1950 – The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite deAngeli. Review.
- 1949 – King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry.
- 1944 – Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes.
Newbery Challenge Update
This a great list i’d love to copy. I’ve read many of the books, but not nearly enough. Read some as a teen and some to my daughter. Most as an adult. Would like to tackle this list and learn more about their writing styles.
Holy moly, Michelle! What a great idea. I find that I’ve read most of the ones from the 90s (because of my own kids) and many earlier ones, but none since 2004! A challenge indeed. Thank you!
Great list! 😀 You are really far! 😀
Whew! I’m back from a South Carolina “research and recreation” trip. Gathered lots of info for my current book. I’ll do a post sometime. Anyway, yeah, this list is a great reading challenge, but I’ve been SLOW at conquoring it, lol.