The following has been copied and pasted from the American Library Association's web page about the John Newbery award:
The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year. On June 22, 1921, Frederic G. Melcher proposed the award to the American Library Association meeting of the Children's Librarians' Section and suggested that it be named for the eighteenth-century English bookseller John Newbery. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by the children's librarians, and Melcher's official proposal was approved by the ALA Executive Board in 1922. In Melcher's formal agreement with the board, the purpose of the Newbery Medal was stated as follows: "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."
What exactly does that mean? It certainly is an open-ended invitation, particularly as each different reader brings their individual experiences and tastes to the table. In recent years, it seems that more and more controversy has grown about the books that are awarded Newbery medals and honors, although I believe that both still carry a certain amount of prestige among libraries, schools, and parents.
With my own children starting to read and my own love for children's literature, I decided that I wanted to read each and every book that has received a medal or honor.
That's a lot of books.
From 1922 to the present -- one medal winner each year and, on average, 3 honor books. You do the math, I'll do the reading.
I don't expect to finish this challenge this year. Or next. Or perhaps even in five. I expect to find books that I love, hate, and everything in between. But if I'm reading the above description correctly, I do expect to be edified, instructed, and entertained. Some I will read myself and some I will read aloud to my children. All will be documented here as I finish them to the best of my ability and opinion.
And so it begins.
