Books: Newberry Winners

In my former life, I was a fourth grade teacher. I taught Language Arts (as well as every other subject) and immersed myself in the bookshelves at the elementary school. What I found were wonderful and inspiring books for children.

Last year I decided to read books from the Newbery Award winners list. The Newbery Medal is awarded each year by the American Library Association to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Here are the books I've read so far. In order from the oldest to the newest (by date).

1941: Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry

1945: Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson

1957: Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson

1961: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

1968: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

1971: Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars

1972: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien


1978: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

1979: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

1984: Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

1990: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

1995: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

1996: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

1998: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

1999: Holes by Louis Sachar

2002: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

2004: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
I could tell you what I thought of each of these books, but I won't. There is a reason these books made the list. They are amazing and thoughtful and I'm glad to have them in my collection.