Newbery 100th Anniversary Celebration
91´«Ã½
Celebrate a century of the Newbery Medal! 
Since 1922, lovers of children's literature -- children and adults alike -- anxiously await the announcement of the Newbery Medal for the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." This anniversary commemorates not only a century of captivating books, it celebrates the longevity and evolution of the award. The world has changed in the last 100 years, and with it, the Newbery Medal seeks to recognize stories that represent and respect all youth.
Join the celebration by attending our soon-to-be announced events, showing off exclusive Newbery merchandise, and by posting about all things Newbery on social media with #Newbery100. Share your favorite #Newbery100 books, authors, trivia, stories, memories, and more! Be sure to watch this page for updates, events, and new products.
Write a special birthday card to your favorite Newbery Award-winning author and post. Make sure to use #Newbery100 so we can share on our channels! Download Card
The Newbery Practitioner’s Guide: Making the Most of the Award in Your Work
Item Number: 978-0-8389-3827-0
Publisher: 91´«Ã½ Editions, 2022
Price: $49.99; $44.99 members
Including new, limited edition designs from Newbery-winning illustrators , , , , and !
Newbery 100 Events
Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Banquet
Sunday, June 26, 2022 | Reception at 5:45pm | Dinner at 7:00pm | Program at 8:30pm | Marriott Marquis, Washington DC
Join ALSC for the biggest night in #kidlit! The annual Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Award is back, and ALSC is excited to celebrate this year's Medalists and Honorees with you. The evening will begin with a reception, followed by a seated dinner, and will culminate with the awards ceremony and speeches from this year's Medalists. Please note: this is a ticketed event, taking place during the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in Washington DC.
Saturday, June 25 | 4:30-6:30pm | Marriott Marquis, Independence Salons E F G H
We will premiere the Newbery 100 Tribute Video created by , followed by an in-person game of Author Librarian-fan Face-Off featuring Newbery Medal and Honor-winning authors and host of the popular YouTube original series of Author Fan Face-Off, Steve Sheinkin and Stacey Rattner.
Author signing to follow. There will be dessert and refreshments!
Participating authors include:
Kwame Alexander
Meg Medina
Margi Preus
Christina Soontornvat
Kyle Lukeoff
Linda Sue Park
Jerry Craft
Rajani LaRocca
Monday, January 24, 2021
Watch a recording of the announcement of this year's Newbery titles!
Sunday, June 27th 2021.
Featuring the recipients of the 2021 Newbery, Caldeoctt, and Children's Literature Legacy Award! This celebration featured the 100th Newbery Medal recipient, Tae Keller (When You Trap a Tiger) and the annoucement of commemorative art by Newbery illustrators.
Problematic Award-Winning Texts: Daniel Boone, the Newbery Award, and Children’s Librarianship
Tuesday, September 28th 11AM-12PM Central.
According to Melanie D. Koss and Kathleen A. Paciga, "Newbery Medal winners rarely go out of print... since its inception, only one book is currently out of print, Daniel Boone by James Daugherty (1939), due to extreme racism and perpetuation of stereotypes" (2020).* But after 100 years, are all the Newbery titles still relevant to today's young readers? Should librarians continue to keep Newbery award-winners as part of their collection, no matter how old they are? What do we do with Doctor Dolittle?
In a panel discussion, Dr. Rob Bittner (LGBTQ Youth Literature Specialist), Megan Schliesman (Cooperative Children's Book Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison), Dr. Junko Yokota (Center for Teaching through Children's Books at National Louis University) and moderator Edith Campbell (Indiana State University) discuss the myriad issues at play with the Newbery and its (sometimes not too bright) legacy: the lasting impact of the medal on the dissemination of a text and its continued place in cultural conversation and on a publisher's backlist; the role of the medal as a contemporary signifier in children's literature; and the impact of the medal on the day-to-day issues for those serving children and families in libraries, including collection development and audits. The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A.
Continuing Education
- Online Course: The Newbery Medal: Past, Present, and Future -- check back for upcoming offerings of this course!
- What does it mean when we recommend Newbery Award winners to the children in our communities? Should the 91´«Ã½ seal of approval stand for 100 years? Why is that gold medal often considered the “kiss of death” by kids? How can we help parents and teachers understand what the Newbery Medal is – and isn’t? This 6-week online course will give participants a solid grounding in the history of the Medal and how it’s changed over time; an opportunity to read, discuss and consider past and present Newbery winners with their colleagues from across the nation; a chance to talk to former Newbery Committee members and a Newbery author, and suggestions for programming using Newbery-winning books.
