Newbery Ketchup!

Catch-up, actually. Ketchup just sounded cute, and I am hungry. I digress....for a while, I've had a goal to read all the Newbery books - both winners and honors. As time marches on, a deadline for this project is needed. A year seems more than reasonable. So perhaps a nice, neat date like June 1, 2012. Yes, I like it!

What is the story behind the Newbery? ("One R! One R!", as Dr. Nancy Brown would tell her GSU grad students) Per the American Library Association's website:

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."

The Newbery Award thus became the first children's book award in the world. Its terms, as well as its long history, continue to make it the best known and most discussed children's book award in this country.

I have read a number of books on the list already - whether recently or in the past. Favorites - some of which I have already mentioned in this blog - include:

 

• Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis  2008 Honor 

• Whittington  by  Alan Armstrong, illustrated by S.D. Schindler  2006 Honor

• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell  1961 Winner

While I try to recognize the value of each story, I can't imagine one person enjoying every single book. That is the beauty of reading...so much material for all different personalities to enjoy. So I will also recognize some of my not-so-favorites:

• The Underneath  by Kathi Appelt, illus. by David Small 2009 Honor

• Old Yeller by Fred Gipson 1957 Honor

The books above were certainly well-written, but as an animal lover, they were emotionally challenging. That said, I have no regrets on reading them and see their value to a library collection. It is good to be challenged.

What are some of your favorite Newberys? Some you are still scratching your about? Any oversights?

Time to get started. Here is my first batch, courtesy of Atlanta's Buckhead Library:

And for the record, a shot of the Buckhead Library. Architecture fans: talk amongst yourselves!