Thirteen Tina Recommended Newberry Award Winners
Amid toys and electronics this holiday season, why not consider a classic children's book for the young person on your list?
One reason I love books for gift giving is that a nice book with an inscription detailing the occasion, giver and date will continue to remind of the love and thoughtfulness behind the gift. I have dozens of books which my mother did this with over the years that mean more to me than the book itself because she pick each with care.
Recently, my brother told me that his wife had read the copy of The Secret of Nimh I gave James for Christmas in 1994. I'm touched that it has been enjoyed all these years later, and that I'm forever linked with such a wonderful story for the two of them. Someday, I hope, my nieces and nephews (yet unborn) will read that same book.
A paperback is an meaningful and inexpensive stocking stuffer that might even become an heirloom. Come on, buy a book, encourage a child to read.
I've read each one, so I can personally recommend.
The full list of Newberry Books since 1922 from the American Library Association.
1. Blue Willow
. Honor 1941. Touching story of a family struggling to survive as migrant workers. I read it in sixth grade.
2. Charlotte's Web
Honor 1953. The story of Wilbur and his spider friend is an American classic. Mom read us the book years before I read it in fourth grade. Fourth grade is notable for me and Charlotte because a group of us put on a small play based on the book. I was a duckling, but also the director/producer.
3. A Wrinkle in Time
Medal Winner 1963. This is my favorite book. My mom would have read for the first time it only a few years after it won the award. I've read it at least once a year since fifth grade.
4. The Egypt Game
Honor 1968. The story of a group of kids who's pretend play center's around Egyptian culture and religion. My copy was a Christmas present from Mom with a lovely note in the front cover. Perfect for the young history buff.
5. The Black Cauldron
. Honor 1966. 6. The High King
. Medal Winner 1969. Author Lloyd Alexander, of both 5 and 6, is a masterful fantasy writer who happens to write children's books. I read this one along with every other of his books the library at Ridgetop Junior High owned. Both of the titles above are part of The Chronicles of Prydain. These are my pick for the kid who is is heartbroken that the Potter series is finished.
7. A Ring of Endless Light
Honor 1981. Another book by Wrinkle in Time author Madeleine L'Engle. I read the books involving the family in this book during the summer between sixth and seventh grade. I bought them with my birthday money from my thirteenth birthday.
8. The Giver
Honor 1994. A novel about a culture that is not anything like our own and a boy coming of age within it. My introduction to the book was that my junior year English teacher read it aloud in class.
9. Johnny Tremain
Honor 1944. Johnny's story takes place in the Revolutionary War. It's an adventure while being true to history. I read it in eight grade English. This one would be more suitable for boys than many of my picks.
10. Frog and Toad Together
Honor 1973. A little younger than the other books on this list. We had multiple Frog and Toad books read on countless occasions throughout my childhood. I consider it my personal responsibility to make sure the children I love have this book to read.
11. Hatchet
Honor 1988. A thirteen year old boy is stranded in the wilderness after the pilot of the tiny plane has a heart attack. There is not category of children's stories so vast as the kids-without-parents stories. This is one most in my age group have read. Good one, again, for the boys or outdoor types.
12. Island of the Blue Dolphins
Medal Winner 1961. Based on the true store of a twelve year old Native American girl who stays behind when her people leave the island to relocate. My friend Renee loved this book when were were in junior high.
13. Last but not least, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM
. Medal Winner 1973. Intelligent rats. I saw the movie, The Secret of NIHM, at school in second grade. Read the book in fifth grade and created a board game based on it as a project.
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I don't read nearly as much as I should, thanks for the recommendations.
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I hope you enjoy even one of those gems.
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hey thats a nice collection...And I can vividly remeber the books read to me during my childhood rather than the recent books I read
Thanks for sharing and yes dropping by.
Happy TT!
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I'm sick over kids I know that don't get read to at home. My mother read to my brother and I so much. There are so many books she could still recite from memory. Frog and Toad Together and Frog and Toad are Friends are certainly on that list.
I'm happy to report my sweet little niece is a bookworm supreme.
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I have read most of those. What a great list!
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Thanks. Although I've read countless books, I was suprised how few Newberry Award books I've read. Darn, just have to get reading.
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Those are all such great books.
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*Smile* Happy reading
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Super list for the Thursday Thirteen. As a retired teacher, I consider books the Ultimate Gift. You have some great titles here!
Thank you for visiting my blog!
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Books are the Ultimate Gift!
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A Wrinkle in Time is STILL one of my very favorite books of all time. this year, with the whole toxic toys thing out there, I hope parents will be consulting lists like this very excellent one!
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I won't complain if I get search engine hits off it. I did a list a few weeks back of all picture books for the little guys, too.
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Excellent choices, we own almost all of them.
We always give the gift of books to our own kids and others.
Please pop by the Cafe for my T13 this week...http://cafeendofuniverse.blogspot.com/
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Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad to hear the kids you love have plenty of books to read.
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What a fabulous list - I read a lot of these in my long ago and forgotten childhood (ok, not so long ago, and DEFINITELY not forgotten) and have taken great pleasure in the past few years in buying new copies to send to my niece, who also loves reading. You do have a few listed that I haven't experienced yet, but I think they're now on the horizon! Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!
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Welcome. One of my primary blog topics is books. I love to hook someone on a book I love.
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Oh, I loved many of these! I can't wait until my kiddos are old enough to read them.
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One thing I love about good books is that they do hold over the generations.
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Hi there, thank you so much for stopping by. I love your blog, talk about being a creative soul! Your list is awesome as well. I'm ashamed to say I have some catching up to do on many of your titles but I'm a huge Frog and Toad fan. Good job! Toodles, Maryanne
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*Blush* Thanks.
Another wonderful thing about books is that there are always many, many unread.
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They're all wonderful--and I've read them all. But I'd be careful before giving any book to a child unless you know them well. The saddest thing to me is when someone donates a book to the library with a gift inscription--and it's obviously never been read. We get a lot of kids donations that way.
I'd also recommend looking beyond the award winners to the honor books--often they're far better than the winners.
I love to give kids book gift CARDS--then they can pick books they'll love.
Oh, and I'd recommend talking to your friendly local librarian for recommendations as well
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I'm so happy that you've found my little list. You are right, I think, that books are best given with some knowledge of the person. I forget, because I read everything.
At least some good comes from those donated books. I'm sure they are not unread for long under your care.
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Great list! I always forget that Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series is one of my favorite reads. Thanks for the reminder!
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I haven't read them in years and years. I've got to find a set to read again.
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Oh, I love The Island of Blue Dolphins! I read it as a child but had all but forgotten it. Thank you so much for reminding me of it, so now I can try and get a copy for my daughter.
Oh, and sorry I'm only getting round to responding to your TT today. Been so busy with xmas prep!
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Your comment was a lovely Sunday surprise. I hope your daughter loves the book.
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Terrific list! And a great idea. A book stays with you forever, which is why I still won't kill a spider. Johnny Tremain has stayed with me, too. His hand! There was a Lincoln biography that won a Newberry, too, I believe. An oversized book for very young readers. Lots of rail splitting, I recall … Anyway, thanks for sharing.
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I saw the Lincoln one on the list. I wonder if it was the one I had as a little kid. Didn't get to the brooding, toothless Lincoln I think of today.
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