My Favorite Newberry Medal Books

A Sampling of Favorites

Just eight of the many Newberry Medal books I've enjoyed reading.

The purpose of the Newberry Medal is:

To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field.

Image of Wheel on the School book cover Image of The 21 Balloons book cover Image of Johnny Tremain book cover Image of The Bronze Bow book cover Image of The Witch of Blackbird Pond book cover Image of A Wrinkle in Time book cover Image of The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler book cover Image of The High King book cover



The Wheel on the School by Meindert deJong

The children in a Dutch fishing village go on a quest to find a wagon wheel for the roof of their schoolhouse. They hope the wagon wheel will attract a stork who will build a nest on the wheel, bringing food fortune to the school.

The 21 Balloons by William Pene du Bois

Professor Sherman, a retired schoolmaster seeking some peace and quiet, goes on a round the world trip in a balloon. He crashes in the ocean and ends up on the island of Krakatoa. He finds a hidden society living there, although the explosion of the volcano causes their emergency plan, which includes more balloons, to go into effect.

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

Johnny's career as a silversmith at the time of the American Revolution is shortened by an accident and a burned, maimed hand. The story carried Johnny and his friend Rab into the pre-Revolutionary War activities.

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

Set in Palestine during the time that Jesus lived, Daniel is bitter after seeing his mother and father killed by the Romans. Committed to driving out the Romans, he eventually meets Jesus and his message of love, learning that only love is strong enough to bend the bow of bronze.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Kit, raised in Barbados, comes to live with relative in Puritan Connecticut. She doesn't fit in with her cousins or the community at all, and flouts local mores by befriending an elderly Quaker woman, who is known as the witch of Blackbird Pond. Kit ends up on trial for witchcraft.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Meg and her young brother Charles Wallace go off to find their missing scientist father. They must "tesser" to a distant planet and Meg must fight a battle of good vs. evil, where love eventually saves her father and brother.

From the Mixed-Up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Claudia and her brother run away from home and take up secret residence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, fishing for coins in the fountain at night to buy food from the vending machines. They meet Mrs. Frankweiler and become involved in a mystery.

The High King by Lloyd Alexander

This is the final book in the Prydain chronicles, based on . Throughout the series, Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, has been moving toward this final battle with the Death Lord, assisted by his friends Eilonwy, Gurgi and Fflewdur Fflam. The future of Prydain is at stake.

If you'd like to read any of these books: Check out Barnes and Noble booksellers.

Go back to home page.

Web page created as class assignment on November 10, 2014, last updated November 17, 2014.
© 2014.
Contact webmaster at Cathy@email.com.