1960 Newbery Medal and Honor Books

Onion John

By: Joseph Krumgold
Illustrated by: Symeon Shimin

Medal Winner
NOT REVIEWED

Andy Rusch, Jr. had a lot of friends in Serenity, the town where he lived. But his best friend was Onion John, and for a time he was Onion John's best friend.

Onion John lived up on Hessian Hill in a house he built out of piled-up stones and four bath tubs (no running water). He ate onions the way Andy ate apples, and to Onion John the Serenity dump was the same as the supermarket is to other people. Goodness and happiness radiated from him. Whether his talk was understandable or not, whether his methods of bringing rain, making apples grow large, or celebrating Halloween made sense to the world at large, they made sense to Andy.

But when Andrew Rusch, Senior and his friends in the Rotary tried to transform Onion John's way of life, everything changed: Andy's life, Onion John's life, and even that of Andy's mother and father. Within the pages of this book Andy grows up.

Joseph Krumgold deals, in Onion John, with a classic theme. His story of the age-old conflict between father and son is told with humor and gusto, and most of all with compassion.

The reading of Onion John is a moving and magnificent experience.

From the dust jacket

America Is Born

By: Gerald W. Johnson
Illustrated by: Leonard Everett Fisher

Honor
NOT REVIEWED

This book is a distinguished and brilliant history of the beginnings of our country. It starts in the fifteenth century, when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain listened at last to the petitions of a wild man named Columbus. It ends in 1787, when a group of state delegates sat down in Philadelphia to see how they could strengthen the government of their hard-won nation.

What happened during those three hundred years is a story of courage and suffering, great wisdom as well as great error, and it is Mr. Johnson's special gift to be able to make these events clear, meaningful, and exciting. It is the story of men who came to colonize, not realizing that living in a new and strange country would make them think and act differently, would make them, eventually, no longer Englishmen or Frenchmen or Spaniards, but Americans.

Mr. Johnson does not simply tell what people did; he explains how they felt about the things they did. George Washington, he says, was not the greatest general who ever lived; he was not a great lawgiver; he didn't write the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. He was not as eloquent as Patrick Henry, as witty as Franklin, or as learned as John Adams. But he was greater than any of them because he was a man who always did his duty, no matter what the cost, never expecting of desiring any reward from other men.

What distinguishes America Is Born from the many other books about America's history is its compactness and clarity of language, the unique flavor of its unfailing humor, and its profound moral sense. These give dimension and life to the men and the events that brought America into being, and makes America Is Born an unforgettable book.

The book is lavishly illustrated with Leonard Everett Fisher's bold, dramatic drawings.

From the dust jacket

The Gammage Cup

By: Carol Kendall
Illustrated by: Erik Blegvad

Honor

Reviewed by: Sherry Early
Recommended age: 10+

The story of five non-conformist Minnipins who become unlikely heroes. The Periods, stodgy old conservatives with names such as Etc. and Geo., are wonderful parodies of those who are all caught up in the forms and have forgotten the meanings. And Muggles, Mingy, Gummy, Walter the Earl, and Curley Green, the Minnipins who don’t quite fit in and who paint their doors colors other than green, are wonderful examples of those pesky artistic/scientific types who live just outside the rules of polite society.

This book creates a fantasy world and characters on par with the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis or the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. All three of Kendall’s fantasy novels for children, but especially The Gammage Cup, are not as well known as they ought to be. Highly recommended.

My Side of the Mountain

By: Jean Craighead George

Honor

Reviewed by: Terri Shown
Also read and recommended by: Sandy Hall, Sherry Early

"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George is a timeless classic that has left an indelible mark on the hearts of many readers, myself included. This novel, with its captivating narrative and vivid descriptions, is a nostalgic journey into the realm of childhood dreams and the allure of self-sufficiency.

The story follows Sam Gribley, a young boy who decides to run away from his crowded city life to live in the wilderness of the Catskill Mountains. He does ask his fathers permission before “running away”.  The most striking element of the book is the profound connection between Sam and nature. George's meticulous detailing of Sam's survival skills and his bond with his pet falcon, Frightful, creates a sense of wonder and admiration for the natural world.

The allure of living off the land and the romanticized idea of a treehouse as a solitary haven contribute to the book's enchantment. Sam's resourcefulness, as he forages for food and builds his shelter, instills a sense of independence and resilience. The narrative not only entertains but also educates, offering a glimpse into survival skills and the importance of harmony with the environment.

As an adult reflecting on childhood favorites, "My Side of the Mountain" stands out as one of my most memorable books. It captures the essence of youthful curiosity and the yearning for a simpler, more connected existence. The book's enduring appeal lies in its ability to spark a sense of adventure and appreciation for nature, making it a exciting and engaging read for all.