< Newbery Medal and Honor Books
Given the Newbery Award's prestige it would be easy to assume that the award winners are all excellent books for children. The Biblioguides Team has not found this to be the case. We always want to provide parents with the information they need to make the best book decisions for their families. With that goal in mind, we've put together a complete list of all medal winners and honor books since inception, and the Biblioguides Review Team is working together to read our way through the winners and to provide a review. Where we have not yet reviewed a book, a description directly from the dust jacket or from the publisher has been provided. In some cases, we have shared a brief synopsis from The Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books (1999).
Reviews are the thoughts and opinions of the particular reviewer and do not necessarily represent all members of the team. Reviews will continue to be added as the team reads more of the Newbery books. We hope this list will help you familiarize yourself with the various winners and provide the necessary information to determine which books would be a good fit for your family!
King of the Wind
By: Marguerite Henry
Illustrated by: Wesley Dennis
Medal Winner
NOT REVIEWED
Boys and girls who loved Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague will find in this book a grand new favorite in the fiery Arabian stallion of unquenchable spirit who became one of the most famous horses of all time—the almost legendary Godolphin Arabian. Here is a tale of epic adventure, of steadfast courage and unwavering devotion, that will be read and loved as long as there are boys and girls to love great horses.
He was named "Sham" for the sun, this golden-red stallion born in the great stone stables of the Sultan of Morocco. Upon his heel was the white spot—symbol of speed; but upon his chest was the mark of the wheat ear—a sign of misfortune. And these two signs seemed to govern his life. Swift he was, swift as the wind, but time after time disaster almost overtook him. Beginning at the Sultan's court, the story sweeps across France and then into England, one exciting incident following fast upon another with the changing fortunes of the royal-blooded horse and the slim brown horseboy who cares for him.
How at last Sham becomes the possession of the Earl of Godolphin; how he becomes the most honored horse in England and the founder of a whole new line of Thoroughbreds (among them the illustrious Man o' War), makes a magnificent story. And Wesley Dennis's superb illustrations will delight every horse lover.
From the dust jacket
Daughter of the Mountains
By: Louise S. Rankin
Illustrated by: Kurt Wiese
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
For as long as she could remember, Momo had prayed for a very special kind of dog—a red-gold one from Lhasa. Finally, she became the owner of one, which she named Pempa, but her joy was dashed to the ground when the dog was stolen by a wool-trader traveling through her village, in the Jelep La pass of Tibet, on his way to Calcutta.
This story tell how she made the long journey, alone, from her wild mountain home to the steaming coast of India, in search of Pempa. It flows as surely and simply as the faith that carried the small Tibetan girl down the difficult mountain way, among people who did not speak her language, and through varied landscapes and climates between the land of the lamas and the "land of the turquoise plain."
Because the author, Louise Rankin, and the illustrator Kurt Wiese, have both lived there, they have been able to give an intimate portrait, in both text and illustrations, of the mountain pass which was the only route for Momo to follow in her search. They have brought it alive in such a way as to make it almost a character in the story, for its difficulties are a test of Momo's faith and its beauties are her encouragement.
From the dust jacket
★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
My Father's Dragon
By: Ruth Stiles Gannett
Illustrated by: Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Honor
Reviewed by: Terri Shown
Also read and recommended by: Sandy Hall, Sarah Kim, Sherry Early
"My Father's Dragon" is a heartwarming adventure that captivates readers of all ages. Elmer Elevator's courageous quest to save a stranded dragon on Wild Island is both charming and clever. The story's simplicity, coupled with vivid illustrations, creates a magical world that sparks the imagination.
The characters, from the determined Elmer to the endearing baby dragon, make for a delightful read. The universal themes of bravery, compassion, and ingenuity make this book not just a children's classic but a timeless gem. "My Father's Dragon" is a perfect choice for family reading, offering a delightful escape into a world of whimsy and life lessons.
★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Seabird
By: Holling Clancy Holling
Honor
Reviewed by: Deanna Knoll
Recommended age: 6+
Also read and recommended by: Sandy Hall, Sarah Kim, Terri Shown
Holling C. Holling once again writes a wonderful geographical tale, taking the reader on a literary voyage around the world and through the seven seas with a carved sea gull. His ability to write an engaging story about geography is impressive, and makes this a book I want to read again to take in all the details. While I personally find the one chapter on whaling quite disturbing, it is not graphic and can easily be read to younger children.
Story of the Negro
By: Arna Bontemps
Illustrated by: Raymond Lufkin
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
In this account of the history of his people, Arna Bontemps has told the story that, he says, "I would have given my eye teeth to know when I was a high school boy in California — the story that my history books scarcely mentioned."
Its scope is wide, for he traces the history of the Negro people from "as far back as it goes" down to the present. But the rich and colorful picture of the Negro in Africa is merely the background for what was to follow when boatloads of stolen men were brought to the shores of America to be sold as slaves. "Along the way," he says, "I tried to make clear how American slavery came about and what causes lay behind the present attitudes towards Negroes on the part of some people." The long, hard struggle that ensued is a story filled with courage and heroism. What adventure stories can rival the tales of the slave ships Le Rodeur and the Saint Leon; the mutiny of the Amistad captives; the insurrection of Haitian slaves; the accounts of escapes via the Underground Railroad? What success story can match that of the hotel waiter, Henri Christophe, who became a "king" and built the Citadel in Haiti that is considered the eighth wonder of the world?
Mr. Bontemps introduces a long and varied procession of heroes, like Antar, the black warrior-poet of the desert; the blessed Martin de Porres of old Lima, Peru; Phillis Wheatley, the slave girl poet who charmed Boston and London and won the praise of George Washington; the orator Frederick Douglass; the educator Booker T. Washington; and the scholar and writer, W. E. B. Du Bois.
But aside from the drama and excitement that fill every chapter, there is an inherent dignity throughout the book—the dignity of a people fighting for freedom, a people about whom too little is known. In writing this much-needed story dispassionately and without bias, Mr. Bontemps has made a significant contribution to the education of the young people of America.
The book is illustrated with striking black and white chapter head drawings by Raymond Lufkin.
From the dust jacket
