The Newbery Medal became the world’s first children’s book award in 1922. Since then, the American Library Association annually awards the Newbery Medal to the author of the finest children’s book in American literature. The medal was named after John Newbery, an 18th-century British bookseller referred to as “The Father of Children’s Literature” for his dedication to creating a successful market for children’s books. This collection of study guides highlights fiction titles for middle-grade readers, including award winners and honorees.
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Published in 1990, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by children’s book writer Avi, tells the story of a teenage girl who travels from England to America aboard a sailing ship filled with intrigue, mutiny, and murder; she learns to be a sailor, withstands a hurricane, and thwarts the captain’s attempts to kill her. Written for middle-grade readers, the book won several awards, including the Newbery in 1991. Plot SummaryThirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle, at school in... Read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Animals, Science / Nature, Children's Literature
Publication year 1972
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
The Upstairs Room (1972) is a novel based on the experiences of author Johanna Reiss as a Jewish girl during World War II. The novel follows protagonist Annie de Leeuw and her sister Sini as they hide from the Nazis during the German occupation of Holland. Annie’s story, which is told from her first-person perspective, celebrates human resilience and compassion while exploring themes concerning the loss of childhood innocence, the sacrifices people make during wartime... Read The Upstairs Room Summary
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Animals
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Disability, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
The View From Saturday by American author Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was published in 1996 and won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children’s literature in 1997—Konigsburg’s second Newbery Medal. She is one of only six writers to win the award twice (her first was awarded for From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in 1968). Prior to becoming a writer of children’s and young adult fiction and publishing over 20 works from... Read The View From Saturday Summary
Publication year 1978
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction
The Westing Game is a 1978 mystery novel by American children’s author and illustrator Ellen Raskin. The novel, marketed as children’s literature, won the John Newbery Medal, although it is also considered a work of young adult fiction. The narrative tells the story of a group of strangers brought together to solve the mystery of wealthy industrialist Samuel Westing’s death and pursue a great fortune. As the mystery unfolds, the story considers themes like Appearances... Read The Westing Game Summary
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
The Whipping Boy is a middle grade historical novel written by American author Sid Fleischman and published in 1986. The novel won the Newbery Medal (awarded by the American Library Association) in 1987. When it was published, Fleischman had already written many books for both young and adult readers, often incorporating his interest in history, and setting books in different locales and time periods. In 1994, the novel was adapted into a film called Prince... Read The Whipping Boy Summary
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Immigration
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Nonfiction
The Winter Room is a 1989 young adult novel by American author Gary Paulsen. The story follows 11-year-old Eldon, who lives on a northern Minnesota farm with his family. The narrative explores Eldon’s relationship with his older brother, Wayne, and their connection to their great-uncle David. The boys grow up working on the farm all year and listening to Uncle David’s stories during the winter. The novel received the Newbery Medal Honor in 1989. Gary Paulsen... Read The Winter Room Summary
Publication year 1958
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Place
Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Elizabeth George Speare was a well-known author of children’s books during the mid-twentieth century. Her second novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1957), earned her a Newbery Medal in 1959. She won another in 1962 for The Bronze Bow (1961), as well as a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1989 for her lifetime contribution to children’s literature. Her other novels include Calico Captive (1957) and The Sign of the Beaver (1984). Speare’s books are often... Read The Witch Of Blackbird Pond Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure
Three Times Lucky (2012) is a middle grade mystery fiction novel written by Sheila Turnage. Turnage is the author of the Mo & Dale series and lives in North Carolina, where her books take place. Three Times Lucky was a Newbery Honor Book, a New York Times Best Seller, a Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and an E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book. In the story, 11-year-old best friends Mo and Dale... Read Three Times Lucky Summary
Publication year 1968
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
To Be a Slave is a nonfiction children’s book written by Julius Lester and published in 1968. In 1969, the book was named a John Newbery Honor Book in recognition of its important contribution to children’s literature.The book focuses on the history of enslavement in the United States. Julius Lester compiled slave narratives and wrote his own historical commentary to accompany them. Lester was writing in the context of the civil rights movement of the... Read To Be a Slave Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Gender
Tags LGBTQ, Fantasy, Relationships, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Great Depression, Animals, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Turtle in Paradise is a 2010 historical fiction children’s novel by Jennifer L. Holm. Set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression, the novel follows an 11-year-old girl’s struggles and successes as she visits her aunt and cousins in the town where her mother grew up. The novel won the Golden Kite Award and is a Newbery Honor Book as well as a Junior Library Guild selection. Other works by this author include The... Read Turtle in Paradise Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Walk Two Moons is perhaps the most famous work of Sharon Creech, a celebrated author of young adult fiction. The novel blends elements of both a coming-of-age narrative and a road story, and is set in the same literary universe as several of Creech’s other works, including Absolutely Normal Chaos (1990) and Chasing Redbird (1997). Following its 1994 publication, Walk Two Moons won numerous awards, including the 1995 Newbery Medal and the 1995 Children’s Book... Read Walk Two Moons Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Bullying, Parenting, Race / Racism, Relationships, American Literature, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
When You Reach Me (2009) is a middle-grade novel by Rebecca Stead. It won the Newbery Medal and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for fiction and has been included in numerous best book lists for young adult readers. Stead's Liar and Spy won the 2013 Guardian Children's Fiction Award. She is also the author of Goodbye Stranger (2015) and The List of Things That Will Not Change (2020), and co-authored The Lost Library (2023) with... Read When You Reach Me Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Children's Literature