Who was Newbery?
The award was named for John Newbery, (1713-1765) an English bookseller, author and publisher of children’s literature. He inherited a printing business in 1737, which he eventually moved to London and opened a bookshop. He was the first to publish a periodical for children, The Lilliputian Magazine, with stories, tales, songs and riddles, and helped to create the children’s book genre.2 Interestingly enough, this award for American literature is named after an Englishman, while the British equivalent for children’s literature is named for an American (the Carnegie Medal, named for the Scottish-born American industrialist/philanthropist who endowed over 2800 libraries across the world).3 Who awards the medal, and how do they decide? The committee that selects the Newbery is made up of 15 people including the chair, and they serve a one-year term. You can visit the ALA website if you are interested in names and contact information of the current members4. For those diehards who are inte
