Born on this day in 1713, the English publisher pioneered a market others thought foolish: children. Beginning in 1744, this “Father of Children's LIterature” published about 100 storybooks for children, plus magazines and "ABC" books, becoming the leading children's publisher of his time. He used the word “baseball” for the first time in print! Newbery, the son of a farmer, was self-taught. He loved to read, which led to his becoming a printer's helper and eventually a publisher. He wrote, edited and published newspapers and books for adults, and had a second job selling unproven health remedies, such as Dr. James' Fever Powder. When he moved to London, he began publishing ABC books, and eventually became famous for his emphasis on understanding what children wanted to read and how they, as an audience, differed from adults.
More than 175 years later, when editor Frederic Melcher suggested that the American Library Association create an annual award "for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children," he asked that it be named for Newbery, an Englishman who never set foot in America. It's been 103 years since that momentous day. Here are just a few of the Newbery winners in our library collection:
The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers; Shawn Harris (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781524764203
Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyes--to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park's elders, three ancient Bison. His friends--a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelican--work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and making sure the Equilibrium is in balance. But changes are afoot. More humans arrive in the park. A new building, containing mysterious and hypnotic rectangles, goes up. And then there are the goats--an actual boatload of goats--who appear, along with a shocking revelation that changes Johannes's view of the world.
Freewater (Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award Winner) by Amina Luqman-Dawson
ISBN: 9780316056618
After an entire young life of enslavement, twelve-year-old Homer escapes Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, leaving his beloved mother behind. Much as he adores her and fears for her life, Homer knows there's no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the recesses of the swamp. In this new, free society made up of escaped slaves and some born-free children, Homer cautiously embraces a set of spirited friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he hatches a plan to return to Southerland plantation, overcome his own cautious nature, and free his mother from enslavement.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
ISBN: 9781646140893
There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard - or purged them altogether Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
ISBN: 9781524715700
When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal--return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice...and the courage to face a tiger.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate; Patricia Castelao (Illustrator)
ISBN: 0061992259
Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.
Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
ISBN: 9780385907507
Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn about the boy her father once was. Having heard stories about Manifest, Abilene is disappointed to find that it's just a dried-up, worn-out old town. But her disappointment quickly turns to excitement when she discovers a hidden cigar box full of mementos, including some old letters that mention a spy known as the Rattler. These mysterious letters send Abilene and her new friends, Lettie and Ruthanne, on an honest-to-goodness spy hunt, even though they are warned to "Leave Well Enough Alone." Abilene throws all caution aside when she heads down the mysterious Path to Perdition to pay a debt to the reclusive Miss Sadie, a diviner who only tells stories from the past, and whose memories may stir more than Abilene can bear.
Robyn Williams
The Eyes and the Impossible by 
Freewater (Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award Winner) by 
