Perhaps the most prestigious award in children’s literature is the Newbery Medal. Each year, the medal is given to honor the most notable children’s book published during the year before. The award is named after John Newbery, an eighteenth-century English bookseller who is largely credited with inventing literature for children. Since 1922, 87 books have been awarded this high honor.
While each Newbery title is well worth a read, the following are a few classic novels that remain interesting and immensely entertaining to children today.
The Matchlock Gun by Walter Edmonds
Set in New York State, The Matchlock Gun tells of a family of Dutch colonists during the French and Indian War. Edward is ten years old when his father goes to protect his family from the warring Indians, leaving Edward to defend his mother and six-year-old sister. When their homestead is attacked, Edward must fire his father’s cumbersome heirloom Spanish gun to save the lives of his family. A stirring tale of bravery; ideal for ages 7-10. Published by Putnam.
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene DuBois
Tired of his lifelong job as a math teacher, Professor William Waterman Sherman sets out from 1883 San Francisco to travel the world in an enormous balloon. As he travels over the South Pacific, a troublesome seagull punctures the Professor Sherman’s balloon, forcing to make an emergency landing on the volcanic island of Krakatoa. There he discovers twenty English-speaking families who revel in the vast wealth of the diamond mines on the island and spend their time cooking, eating, and inventing. Professor Sherman joins the twenty families in a riveting hydrogen balloon escape from the island’s eventual volcanic eruption. The Twenty-One Balloons is a witty story with well-drawn characters, interesting scientific facts, and grand adventure. Recommended for ages 9-12. Available from Puffin Books.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'engle
It is a dark and stormy night, and twelve-year-old Meg Murry, fourteen-year-old Calvin O'Keefe, and Meg's five-year-old brother Charles Wallace are about to embark on the adventure of their lives. While experimenting with concepts of time and space travel, Meg and Charles Wallace's father has accidentally been trapped on Camazotz, a planet enslaved to IT, an evil brain. With the help of three mysterious old women, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who, and Mrs Which, the children find their father while fighting the forces of evil that poison planets and stars far beyond the imagination. Ideal for ages 10-14, this well-loved classic is the first in L'engle's Time Quintet series--all five novels are well worth many reads. Available from Square Fish Books.
For a complete list of all Newbery winners, visit www.ala.org/alsc/newbpast.html.
Katie Shelt is a local teacher and freelance writer.
