John Newbery Medal

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm

In 1921 Frederic G.Melcher had the Newbery Medal designed by René Paul Chambellan. The bronze medal has the winner's name and the date engraved on the back. The American Library Association Executive Board in 1922 delegated to the Children's Librarians' Section the responsibility for selecting the book to receive the Newbery Medal.

ORIGINS:

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, who first made children's literature a profitable and sustainable part of the literary market. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by the children's librarians, and Melcher's official proposal was approved by the ALA Executive Board in 1922.

TERMS:

1. The Medal shall be awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year. There are no limitations as to the character of the book considered except that it be original work. Honor Books may be named. These shall be books that are also truly distinguished.

2. The Award is restricted to authors who are citizens or residents of the United States.

3. The committee in its deliberations is to consider only the books eligible for the award, as specified in the terms.

CRITERIA:

1. The book must contribute to literature and will be considered by the committee based on the following:

• Interpretation of the theme or concept
• Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity, and organization
• Development of a plot
• Delineation of characters
• Delineation of setting
• Appropriateness of style

2. The book must have been published in English in the United States the previous year.

3. The book must relate to a child audience

4. The author must be a citizen or resident of the United States.

5. The book must stand alone and not as part of a multimedia presentaion

BOOKS:

Maniac Magee

Jeffrey Magee of Two Mills is a young man who wanders around the city and tries to stay out of trouble.

The Giver

In a utopian based society, families are governed by elders of the community who implement laws and discipline.

Hatchet

Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father in Canada when his plane crashes, forcing him to spend his summer vacation trying to survive in the middle of nowhere.

Number the Stars

Annemarie Johansen, a Danish ten-year-old girl, and her best friend Ellen Rosen, a Danish Jew, are forced to work together in order to overcome the horrific events of the Holocaust and World War II.

Missing May

After Ob's wife May passes away, he and the young girl the couple had been raising for the past six years, try to move on with life.

Frog and Toad Together

Two very good friends, Frog and Toad, encounter various problems but get through each of them together.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Mr. Popper and his family take in twelve penguins. They make ends meet during a slow winter, thanks to the penguins' unique talents.

The Midwife's Apprentice

A timid, homeless girl is taken in as a midwife's apprentice and quickly learns how to stand on her own two feet.

The Higher Power of Lucky

Lucky is a girl who is looking for more out of life than being left behind in a small desert town. She is searching for a higher power to direct her.

The Whipping Boy

This is a story of two boys from two different worlds. While one lives a life of luxury, the other lives to endure a life of pain and is considered the whipping boy.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

A family is faced with the tragedy of losing a loved one until they finally find someone to help them move on and recapture the joy they once had.

Sounder

A boy wants to do all that he can to help his poor family survive in the American south of the nineteeth century.

Princess Academy

In this fairytale-like story, all of the village girls are sent to the Princess Academy to learn princess ways and get an education. Through this experience, Miri learns that she has to make a choice that will change her life forever.

Ella Enchanted

Ella is a young girl who is cursed to obey every command that is given to her. When she reaches her breaking point, she goes on a quest to find a way to end the curse, but things don't go exactly as planned.

The Wednesday Wars

Holling Hoodhood is lives in Long Island during the late 1960's. The world at large is changing drastically, but Holling has bigger issues to deal with, like having an English teacher who he thinks hates his guts.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Opal is a young girl who lives in the south with her preacher father. She doesn't have many friends until one day when she meets a stray dog and they become best friends.

Strawberry Girl

Birdie and her family struggle to live well and peacefully in the Florida backwoods in spite of harsh conditions and even more difficult neighbors.

Jacob Have I Loved

Sara Louise struggles with her own identity and idea of self-worth as she grows up under the shadow cast by her perfect sister.

Bridge to Terabithia

A fearful and lonely boy befriends another outsider with whom he creates a magical kingdom.

A Wrinkle in Time

Young Meg Murray, her brother, and their friend team up with a group of extraodinary alien beings and travel through space and time in an attempt to rescue the Murrays' missing father.

A Year down Yonder

Teenage Mary Alice is forced to the live with her grandma for a year, not knowing what to expect.

The Tale of Despereaux

Young Despereaux does not know what to make of life as he struggles to fit in within the world of the castle.

Bud, Not Buddy

Now motherless young Bud wants to find his father. The problem is, he does not know who or where in the United States his father is.

Criss Cross

Five teenage friends that have grown up in the same small town together have failed to noticed the changes they each have under gone over the years.

Olive's Ocean

Martha is getting ready to go on vacation when she gets more than she bargains for in a note.

Kira-Kira

Katie is a young and happy girl, but suddenly she must cope with the many changes that come her way.

Hoot

Roy is always getting picked on but that all changes when he meets some new friends.

Dragon's Gate

Otter's dream is to go to America but he finds that this dream is more of a nightmare.

Walk Two Moons

During a trip, Salamanca tells her grandparents a story about a girl she meets who has more in common with her than she thinks.

It's like This, Cat

Dave Mitchell, from New York, faces many exciting escapades after adopting an adventurous cat.

I, Juan de Pareja

A 17th century slave tells the story of his adventures and life with his master, the painter, Diego Velazquez.

Dicey's Song

After finding a home with her grandmother, a girl faces reality when she no longer has to be the caretaker of her three younger siblings.

Charlotte's Web

A piglet is grown to be loved and cared for, while a spider, named Charlotte, weaves miraculous webs and helps save Wilbur from a gruesome end.

Holes

A troubled teenager named Stanley Yelnats is sent to a camp where he thinks life would be different. Little did he know how different his life would be.

Abel's Island

After a tragedy, Abel gets seperated from his wife Amanda and struggles to survive in order to get back to her.

After Tupac & D Foster

Three girls growing up in Queens search for their big purpose in life after listening to the lyrics of Tupac.

The View from Saturday

Four sixth-graders become friends over Saturday afternoon tea. They soon become The Souls, their schools winning Academic Bowl team. The four help each other and also help Mrs. Olinski their teacher get back the confidence she needs.

Rules

Catherine's brother David has autism. Catherine finds herself wishing for a normal life, until she meets someone who makes her question what normal really is.

Everything on a Waffle

Primrose Squarp's parents have been lost at sea. But unlike everyone else she believes that one day soon, they will return home safely.

Yolanda's Genius

Yolanda's is convinced her little brother Andrew is a genius, and is determined to find a way to make everyone else believe.

Thimble Summer

Garnet, a simple nine-year-old girl, lived on a farm with her family. Due to the lack of rain, her family experienced tough times and had trouble making ends meet. Garnet earnestly hoped that the silver thimble she found would magically turn everything around for the better.

Hitty Her First Hundred Years

Hitty, a special doll made out of mountain-ash wood, tells of her exciting and wonderful journeys she has had throughout her years.

Rabbit Hill

All of the animals living on the hill are filled with curiosity and excitement, as they eagerly try to figure out who is moving into the abandoned house.

Roller Skates

A ten-year-old girl named Lucinda gets the opportunity to explore the special places in New York City, with the help of her very own roller skates.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Wonapalei must endure and thrive while alone on an island that provides continual hardships.

The Wheel on the School

School children embark on a quest that proves to be difficult in a small town. The roofs in the town are too steep for storks to nest, so the children find a wagon wheel to place on their roofs to allow them to nest.

The Graveyard Book

A boymust learn about the dangers of the outside world, while he resides in a graveyard surrounded by phenomenal effects of those who had passed.

M.C. Higgins, the Great

A boy must learn about the important lessons in life, including friendship, family, and the most important lessons that come with growing up.

Miracles on Maple Hill

Marly and her family hope for miracles at their new home on Maple Hill because her dad needs one after being a prisoner of war in WWII.

William Blake's Inn

A visitor goes to William Blake’s Inn, which holds surprises around every corner, like maids that are angels and cooks that are dragons.

The Cat Who Went to Heaven

A poverty stricken artist and his housemaid adopt a very special cat and name him Good Fortune. Only time will tell if they can afford to feed him and if he will live up to his name.

Hattie Big Sky

When sixteen-year-old Hattie gets the chance to leave her evil Aunt Ivy for a farm she has inherited out west, she doesn’t think twice before getting on the train with her cat Mr. Whiskers.

Rufus M.

Rufus M. gets through challenges in fun and creative ways.

The Door in the Wall

Robin is a young man from London that wants nothing more than to please his father and become a knight. An unfortunate event occurs and Robin’s abilities to become a knight are challenged.

The Silver Pencil

Janet Laidlaw is a girl growing up in Trinidad that experiences a lot of challenges and is able to gather her thoughts by writing with her silver pencil.

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain

A boy named Jonathan lives in a farmhouse. When he is told by his mother to go over Hemlock Mountain he finds himself surrounded by all nature has to offer.

Shiloh

Marty finds a dog and names him Shiloh. He is saddened when his dad makes him return the dog to his owner, but he decides he will do anything to get Shiloh back.

Out of the Dust

Billie Jo was born but her parents still wanted a boy so they kept trying. When Her mother finds out she is pregnant, things turn bad quickly for Billie Jo and her family.

Belle Prater's Boy

Cousins Woodrow and Gypsy are both coping with the loss of a person they loved.

Shabanu Daughter of the Wind

The coming of age story of a young Arabian girl.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Cassie and her siblings grow up in a time when racial tensions are high.

Like Jake and Me

Alex is finally beginning to see things that he and his stepfather have in common.

The Family under the Bridge

While living under a bridge in Paris, Armand finds himself getting invloved with the homeless Calcet family.

The Great Gilly Hopkins

Gilly has a rough childhood being moved from different foster homes, longing for the love of her biological mother.

The Cricket in Times Square

Chester Cricket lived hapily in Conneticut when he gets stowed away in a picnic basket and ends up in a New York City subway station.

Julie of the Wolves

Julie, an Alaskan Eskimo, gets lost when running away from her unhappy life after her father dies. She hopes that befriending a pack of wolves will help her survive.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, lives in a vegetable garden on a farm with her children. Planting season forces the family to move but her youngest son, Timothy, is sick with pneumonia and risks dying either because of the cool spring nights or by the plow.

Onion John

An eccentric man named Onion John and a kid named Andy are best friends. Onion John is well liked in the little town of Serenity but life changes for everyone when Andy's father and the Rotary Club decide to build him a new house with all the modern conveniences.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler

Claudia Kincaid feels unappreciated at home and takes her penny-pinching younger brother and runs away to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They become intrigued in the mystery of an angel statue and are relentless to prove that it was created by Michelangelo.

The Summer of the Swans

Sara, a 14 year old girl, feels out of place and confused about herself since her mother's death and her responsibilities toward her developmentally disabled brother.

The Hero and the Crown

When Aerin, the king's daughter of Damar, discovers a powerful gift in her it is in her hands to save Damar.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Minli and her family live in a very poor valley near the fruitless mountain. When she recognizes her parents hard work and struggles she decides to ask the man of the moon how her family can change their fortune.

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P.Figg

When Homer's older brother, Harold, is sold illegally to the Union Army by their legal guardian, Homer is determined to find his brother before it is too late.

Dear Mr.Henshaw

Leigh Botts writes to his favorite author, Boyd Henshaw, until he is comfortable to keep a diary and express himself through writing.

Getting Near to Baby

Willa Jo and her younger sister Jo Ann must stay at their Aunt Patty's house for a while in hopes that the family can get over the tragic death of their baby sister.

What Jamie Saw

Jamie and his mother must move into a trailer in the middle of nowhere in hopes to escape and hide from his mother's violent boyfriend.

Dogsong

Russel Susskit, a young eskimo boy, goes on a journey to the north by living the old traditional ways, in search of his own identity.

When You Reach Me

While living in New York City, Miranda recieves four mysterious letters that may change her life forever.

The Watsons go to Burmingham 1963

The Watsons, an African American family, take a trip to Burmingham, Alabama in 1963.

The Noonday Friends

In Greenwich Village, two friends bond over family struggles.

The Witches of Worm

Jessic's cat seems to be possessed by a witch, making Jessica do terrible things.

The Jazz Man

In Harlem, a boy and his parents find comfort in the music played by the Jazz man.

Patterns we found

One of the patterns we found that was common in all of our books and not mentioned by the committee is that the protagonist is usually a young boy or girl who is about ten to fourteen years old. For example in the book Maniac Magee, Jeffery Magee becomes an orphaned at the age of three and placed with his uncle and aunt for eight years. Finally at the age of eleven, he leaves his home and wanders the streets of Two Mills for a year. Similarly, in Number the Stars, the protagonist, Anamarie Johanson, is a ten year old Danish girl whose best friend, family, and friends are being discriminated because of their Jewish heritage. In the book Wednesday Wars, Holling Hoodhood is a twelve year old boy who is living in Long Island during the late sixties. Finally, in Missing May, the protagonist is a young girl who is about twelve or thirteen years old, going through the loss of the only solid mother-figure she has ever had. This is important to the stories because these books are designed for a young mature audience, such as pre-teen and teenagers. Therefore, the authors' are accommodating to their young audience by being able to relate to their feelings and emotions.

Another pattern we found was that some of the stories followed a historical event. For example, in Number the Stars , the setting takes place during World War II and is a fictional account of what jewish and non-jewish families may have faced. In The Wednesday Wars, the characters' reactions to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were referenced, as well as the war in Vietnam. In the book Sounder, the time frame was set during a time when racism was not frowned upon, and people of color were treated unfairly on a daily basis. This is important because history is a part of our society and in order to have a greater understanding, we have to see the events from different perspectives. Therefore, the community is drawing connections between the past and the future by demostrating the uniquness of our American culture and the countries surrounding us.

Finally, the last major criteria we found throughout the books we read was a lack of family structure. For example, each family are either divorced, separated, or dead. In the book Maniac Magee, Jeffery Magee becomes an orphan and is forced to live with his aunt and uncle who live as a "divorced couple" in the same house. This causes Jeffery to eventually run away and wander the streets of Two Mills, forcing him to eat out of the garbage and sleep on the street. Similarly, in Missing May, the mother has died and the husband Ob and the protagonist Summer, are trying to keep the family together and move on as a family, without May. However, Ob and May are not Summer's real parents. Her mother died when she was six, and Ob and May had been raising her ever since. Another pattern we found was in The Midwife's Apprentice. The protagonist was homeless, didn't have a family at all, and didn't even know what a family was. This is important because young readers are able to identify with similar situtations through different protagonists and different stories. Therefore, the committee is acknowledging that family life in general, no matter what ethnicity and backround may be, doesn't always have to involve a birth mother, birth father, and siblings that come from the same parents. Family life can be whatever a person wants it to be.

Some additional criteria we found in common in all of our books were based on fantasy and optimistic views of life. For example The Giver is a story of a utopian society who follows strict rules that are dictated by the elders of the society. These rules may be seen as optimistic because they follow an unrealistic lifestyle based on discipline, structure, and hope. One example would be that kids are not allowed to ride bikes until they are nine, and girls must wear ribbons in their hair until they are twelve. In Frog and Toad Together, the two main characters, frog and toad, are not humans, yet they consistently portray human-like features and activities throughout the entire book, such as baking cookies, planting gardens, and having dreams. In the pictures, they also wear clothes, live in houses, and walk up-right like humans do.

Overall, the Newbery Award is awarded to books that show some type of traumatic struggle that people go through in life. The book doesn't necessarily have to be realistic itself, but the conflict tends to be more realistic. The struggle or trauma is usually something that is very unfortunate and rare, and yet could happen to anyone. The books help to show children that life is not perfect, it's possible to get through tough times, and you can get through those times with the people who matter the most, and those people are not limited to your natural family.

In particular, these traumatic struggles tend to center around the archetypal coming of age theme. For example, Strawberry Girl, Jacob Have I Loved, A Wrinkle in Time and Bridge to Terabithia all deal with young people straddling the line between childhood and adulthood. The difficult circumstances they face and ultimately work through somehow define the transformation from one stage to another and help the protagonist(s) gain a more reasonable, more "adult" outlook. While the struggles faced are often times more dramatic or fantastic than what most readers go through regarding their own coming of age journeys, the stories still have an allegorical feel and seem to address a universal experience.

Many of the books chosen for the Newbery Award also seem to show children who feel overlooked or inadequate within their families. In Jacob Have I Loved, Sara Louise feels like a second-class citizen, constantly overshadowed by the perfection of her sister, Caroline, who her parents, best friend, and everyone else in her community obviously favor. The money Sara Louise earns helping her father work is not even used for her own betterment. Instead her parents use it to pay for Caroline's voice lessons. Another example is the character of Calvin O''Keefe in A Wrinkle In Time, whose large family shows little interest in him. And in Bridge to Terebithia, Jesse's mother favors his sisters, while his father is more or less absent from his life due to work demands. He is timid, angry and depressed with his situation and looks on his new friend Leslie's family with awe as they lavish on her all the love and attention that is not demonstrated clearly in his own home.

The traumatic struggles that the young characters in the books go through, start by them having a question about life that sends them on a journey or adventure to find an answer to their question. In Bud, not Buddy, Bud sets out to find his father with the clues his mother left behind before she dies. The adventure takes the characters places they did not expect; it is either a real journey, imaginary, or both. Despereaux in The Tale of Despereaux is a young mouse trying to find his place in this world. He undergoes many adventures in the castle his family lives in that he could never have dreamed of. This journey is the first step for the characters in helping them become adults. In A Year down Yonder, sixteen year old Mary Alice goes to live with her grandma for a year because her father lost his job in 1938. That year she grows a lot by the unexpected life in the small town. It also helps the characters understand the differences in the way children look at life and the way adults look at life. The answer to the question is not always what they wanted to find or thought they would find, just the answer that seems to be right for the story. For example, in Criss Cross, five teenagers looked for romance, with only one of the friends having had a short romance. In the end, though, the five friends come together.

In addition to the traumatic struggles these young characters face, we found that many of the award winning books also portrayed a realistic element that made these books come to life. For example, It's Like This, Cat, was written in the 1960's and was meant to be about a boy,and life in the 60's. The novel does a great job capturing the life of a teenage boy living in New York during these times. The way he speaks and the carefree approach to everyday life is what gives this particular book the feeling that you are right along side of the character. Another book that does this very well is I, Juan de Pareja. Not only is this book written from the point of view of Juan but it also allows the reader to immerse themselves in the 17th century. The characters language and the books setting, along with the way Juan tells his own story makes the reader feel as if Juan truely is telling it to the reader. Although i only named a few, the characterization in many of these books truely bring out the novels purpose and liveliness.

Another criteria that we found in these books is character arc. In the book Charlotte's Web the piglet Wilbur starts out as just a pig that the farmers were going to grow and eventually eat. Wilbur becomes friends with the daughter of the farmer and through his friendship with her, the family decides to keep him for a family pet, rather than a family dinner. Also, in Abel's Island, Abel starts out living the good life. He lives in upper class society, he is well known and liked, and has the mouse of his dreams that he is completely in love with. When he gets separated from his wife Amanda and his lavish life, Abel finds himself learning how to make due with what he has and works hard to survive. Another book that uses this criteria is Holes, in this book Stanley, a young naive boy who steals and gets sent to a camp, meets other boys there just like him. While there, he realizes that stealing and running away are a childish thing to do and begins to look at life in a more serious light. Also in the book After Tupac & D Foster, the narrator starts out as this young and shy type of girl. Through out the book she doesn't really talk much. After her friend D leaves she comes into her own and finds her voice to speak up and tell it like it is.

One criteria that we found was that the characters in these books started off struggling or later on struggled. For example, in Dragon's Gate, Otter ends up finally coming to America but finds himself cold, hungry and in poverty. Through many obstacles he ends up growing into a man and realizes his potential. In Kira-Kira, Katie is young and happy where she is at, but her family ends up moving to another state. First she must adjust to a new place, watch her sister spend more time with her friends then her, and the worse part is that her sister gets sick and eventually passes away right before her eyes. She starts off naive young girl and by the end of the book becomes a woman. Another example is Olive's Ocean. Martha knows Olive died but never really knew her until she receives this note. This note helps Martha change into the woman she needs to be through her feelings of trying to honor Olive.

An additional criteria that we found was the involvement of a rounded character. For example, in a Thimble Summer, a character named Eric is introduced. When he first appears in the story, he is presented as a young, careless boy who has no family to go to. He was not a likeable character because he was portrayed as untrustworthy. However, throughout the story he is very helpful on the farm and very good with kids. In Rabbit Hill, Uncle Analdas is first presented as the caring uncle of Little Georgie. He is a very likeable character at first because he helps Little Georgie travel safely back home. However, throughout the story it is revealed that he is not very nice at all. He is truly a rounded character when the end of the book surprisingly reveals that he is the cause of the division of the animals. The Newbery Award committee probably esteems rounded characters because they are more true to life and children need to see that people can change, whether for good or bad.

Another criteria that we found was that all of the characters in these books helped someone out. In Yolanda's Genius, Yolanda spends most of her time trying to help her brother. She wants everyone to realize he is a genius. In Rules, Catherine helps not only her brother David, but also Jason. She helps Jason by creating new words in his word book, and also with helping him "run" by pushing his wheelchair. By doing this, she helps him get out and experience new things. In A View from Saturday, all of the characters help one another out. Julian is helped by Ethan when he is picked on at school. Nadia is helped by Noah when he helps her understand how to learn to like her new family. Perhaps the Newbery Award committee values the didactic value of teaching children to help one another out.

An additional criteria we found in these books that the Newbery Award seemed to esteem, was the themes of nature and imagination. For instance, The Cat who Went to Heaven, Hattie Big Sky, and Miracles on Maple Hill, all focus on children’s connection to nature and how important that connection is. The artist from The Cat Who Went to Heaven spends most of his time imagining himself in nature and painting noble animals of nature. In Miracles on Maple Hill and A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers there is a huge focus on imagination. William Blake's Inn is full of imagination with angels for maids and dragons for cooks. A perfect example of both of these themes together is Marly from Miracles on Maple Hill because she spends all of her time outdoors finding miracles in each new flower, each new snow, and each new leaf color in autumn. The Newbery committee seems to want children to value the outdoors and the ability to play with imagination, keeping that childish romantic world-view.

Another criteria that seemed to show up in Newbery Award books was the theme of how children view and deal with what they consider life challenges. For example, in Rufus M, The Silver Pencil, The Door In The Wall, and, The Bears On Hemlock Mountain all show how a child views different situations and deals with them. The protagonist from Rufus M is a young boy that sees going to the library and having to get a library card as ones of life’s biggest challenges. In The Silver Pencil the protagonists goes through losing her father to dealing with life in Trinidad by writing her feelings down wail using a silver pencil. In The Door In The Wall the protagonists has to learn how to work through his illness to become a great knight. Also, in The Bears On Hemlock Mountain the protagonist has to face his fear of the idea of bears living on Hemlock Mountain. It seems as though The Newbery committee values books that shows life experiences through a child’s mind.

In Shiloh we see this as well, where the child is faced with a problem and must figure it out. He is not happy with Judd taking care of Shiloh even though it is his dog, so he is willing to try and work for money to buy the dog or figure a way to get the dog home. Also, in Out of the Dust we see Billie Jo have to cope with the idea that her dad wanted a boy and is not satisfied with her. They continue to try for a baby and finally her mother becomes pregnant, but then terror strikes when Billie Jo and her mother get badly burnt from a innocent mistake. It continues on a short time later she dies giving birth to their son and just a short time later the son dies as well. This is a horrible thing for a child to go though and you can see through her experiences the tough lives they have. It is interesting that the Newbery Medal books have this in common and would want young readers reading about such tragedy in young childrens lives.

All of the Newbery titles seem to meet the criteria through struggles faced by the characters. An example would be within Belle Prater's Boy. Woodrow is trying to cope with his mother's mysterious dissappearance. The town has formed all sorts of rumors about it, and Woodrow is more than happy to throw in some of his own. Gypsy is dealing with the fact that her father shot himself in the face. She experiences several nightmares and even breaks the promise she made to him as an act of venegance. Near the end there is a dramatic change in the both of them and they are able to overcome their struggle. This reveals the characters and plot to be well thought out, though both are dealing with the loss of a parent, the way they cope is very different. This is also seen in Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. The setting is very crucial to the struggles the children face with racism and is thus well outlined in the book. While the main chracter Cassie starts out resenting the situations in which she finds herself and even losing her temper at one point, in the end, she and her siblings learn the importance of forgiveness. This dramatic change in them shows that they are dynamic and well rounded characters. Shabanu:Daughter of the Wind is yet another book in which we can see the the struggles aiding in meeting the criterion for a Newbery honor. Shabanu faces several struggles, some of which are the sale of her favorite camel Guluband, living in her sister's shadow, and her relationship with her father. Setting is also crucial to this story, as many of the disasters they face have to do with the conditions of the desert, thus the setting is well outlined. Shabanu starts out rather immature for the culture she's in and rather curious about several things as she approaches her teenage years, By the end of the novel however, She and her father realize that she is no longer a child, but a grown woman. This reveals the main character to be dynamic once again. Alex, the main character of Like Jake and Me, faces a struggle of his own. He is having problems accepting his stepfather and the expected arrival of two new baby siblings. He doesn't believe that he and his stepfather have anything in common, but by the end of the book, his views have changed tremendously revealing him to be dynamic. Setting is also important and well emphasized in this book.

The importance of family is yet another trend in the winners of the Newbery Honor. One of Shabanu's main problems as the plot of the book develops is the relationship with her father. In comparison, Gypsy and Woodrow feel cheated out of a relationship with their parents due too the fact that they are no longer present. This is seen once again when one considers the fact that Alex wants to find common ground with his stepfather , and that Cassie is very protective of her brothers and sisters. This implies that the award is given to books that deal with familial structure, problems, and how children cope with them.

Although there is a list of criteria for receiving the Newbery Award, our group has found many similarities in our books that have not been listed as one of the criteria to receive this award. We have found that the Newbery Award favors books that are about children that go through dangerous journeys. In the book Dog Song, Russel Susskit, a fourteen year old Eskimo boy, sets off on a journey to the north to live the way the Eskimos did in the past without snowmobiles or guns. He runs into and overcomes many problems in trying to live like the Eskimos did in the past. In The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, Homer sneaks out of his home and begins the journey of searching for his brother who was illegally sold to the army by their ruthless uncle. His journey takes him from Maine to Pennsylvania in search of his brother—he runs into many dangerous obstacles during his voyage. In Julie of the Wolves, Julie runs away from her unhappy life after her father disappears at sea. She journeys through Alaska, in hopes of reaching her pen pal in California. During her journey, she gets lost and must use the help of a wolf pack to survive the harsh winter and find her way back to civilization.

Another similarity we found in many of our books is the protagonist is challenged with a major change in family dynamics. In The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963, Byron is a juvenile delinquent who gets into too much trouble, so his parents decide to take him to Birmingham to live with his grandmother who has promised to knock some sense into him. While in Birmingham, Byron and his family witness firsthand the effects of racism in the south. This allows Byron to rethink his attitude and realize how important family really is to him. This change of heart greatly affects his family dynamics. In Summer of the Swans, Sara has a hard time adjusting to life living with her aunt after her mother dies and her father moves away for work. Sara begrudgingly feels responsibilities towards her developmentally disabled brother and goes through a very hard time when she realizes her brother is missing. When they find her brother, she appreciates him and feels a sense of comfort in their new family life. In The Family under the Bridge, the protagonist Armand is a homeless man who wants nothing to do with having a family or grandchildren. After meeting the homeless Calcet family, he comes to love them like his own. He changes the way he lives in order to provide for these children who have become his family.

The Newbery also favors books that have to do with the protagonist moving from one place to another and how they adjust to their new home. In The Cricket in Times Square, Chester, a Cricket living in a meadow in Connecticut, was eating food from a picnic basket and fell asleep in it. When he woke up in the picnic basket, he realized he was far away from home. Chester ended up in a subway station in New York City. Chester meets a little boy who takes him as a pet and lives in a news stand in the subway station. The book is all about how Chester adjusts to his new life in New York City. In Jazz Man, Zeke and his parents moved from the South to Harlem, New York. Zeke doest have any friends and his parents are often gone at work. Zeke learns to adjust to his new home and finds comfort and entertainment in listening to jazz music from across the street. In Dear Mr. Henshaw, Leigh has a hard time adjusting to his new life in California and writes in his diary for comfort: “After the Divorce Mom and I moved from Bakersfield to Pacific Grove, which is on California’s central coast.” Leigh has a difficult time getting used to his new home, but school keeps him busy and eventually he accepts the changes.