The John Newbery Medal has celebrated the finest works of American children’s literature since 1922. Named after 18th century British bookseller John Newbery, the Newbery Medal, or Newbery for short, was introduced in 1921 by Frederic G. Melcher, editor of Publisher’s Weekly magazine, to encourage original, creative storytelling in children’s literature. He wanted to emphasize that children’s books deserved the same recognition as poetry, plays, and novels. He wanted to help librarians who spend their lives trying to give the best books to the children
The Newbery Medal was the world’s first children’s book award, and it is still awarded annually. In 1922, the first was won by Hendrik Willem van Loon for his book The Story of Mankind, and in 2026, Renée Watson received the award for her novel All the Blues in the Sky.
