Newbery Winners From The Nineteen Fourties
Every book on this list is a treasure in its own right. Each is unique, lovable, different. But if you only read two of them, don't miss Johnny Tremain and The Twenty-One Balloons. They are my two favorites for quality and originality. Of course, I'm a sucker for great historical fiction (using the term loosely in the case of The Twenty-One Balloons!)
What you'll find here:
1949 Newbery Medal Winner
King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian
Marguerite Henry's specialty was in writing books about horses for children, and this was one of the best though Misty of Chincoteage is better known. I've read them both, and honestly, preferred this one. It was a quick and compelling read about a well-known horse, the Godolphin Arabian who fathered many of the best racehorses of the last few centuries. The Godolphin Arabian lived from 1729 to 1759.
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/14/2009) 
King of the Wind
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King of the Wind
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King of the Wind, a children's novel that won the Newbery Medal in 1949, is a retelling of the classic story of the Godolphin Arabian, the renowned horse that fathered a line of outstanding race horses. Among those whose ancestry is traced back to th...
1949 Newbery Honor Books
Daughter of the Mountains (Newbery Library, Puffin)
A young girl is devastated when thieves take her beloved Lhasa Apso from her home in a Tibetian mountain village. In grief she sets out after them, walking all the way to India.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
My Father's Dragon
This is a much-loved story for the younger set (I'd say, under age 8.) In it, Elmer Elevator runs off to Wild Island and rescues a baby dragon. The story is illustrated in black and white by Ruth Chrisman.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Seabird
In this classic illustrated children's book by Holling C. Holling, we follow the travels of a carved ivory seagull as it serves as a decoration on a series of ships.
Amazon Price: $8.60 (as of 12/15/2009)
Story of the Negro
This gives the history of the black race starting in Egypt. It was written by celebrated negro author, Arna Bontemps, and also won the Jane Addams Children's Book Award for 1956.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1949 Newbery Information
- Marguerite Henry
- Marguerite Henry's Wikipedia page.
- King of the Wind
- Short review.
- Holling C. Holling
- Holling C. Holling's Wikipedia page.
- Ruth Stiles Gannett
- Ruth Stiles Gannett's Wikipedia page.
- My Father's Dragon
- A short review of My Father's Dragon
- Arna Bontemps
- Arna Bontemps' Wikipedia page.
- Arna Bontemps' Life and Career
- Short biography of Arna Bontemps, by Charles L. James.
- Arna Bontemps (1902-1973)
- Research and reference guide by Paul P. Reuben.
- The Newbery Project: King of the Wind
- Sandy D's review of King of the Wind.
1948 Newbery Medal Winner
The Twenty-One Balloons
Whimsical, daring historical fantasy about an inspired professor who decides to fly across the Pacific in a balloon and becomes stranded on the island of Krakatoa just before the big volcanic eruption. A clever mixture of fact and lunacy.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
1948 Newbery Honor Books
Li Lun, Lad of Courage (The Newbery Honor Roll)
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 12/14/2009)
Misty of Chincoteague
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/14/2009)
Pancakes-Paris
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
The Cow-Tail Switch: And Other West African Stories
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot, the Shoe-King's Son
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Links to 1948 Newbery Book Information
- William Pene du Bois
- William Pene du Bois' Wikipedia page.
- The Twenty-One Balloons
- Warning - this plot summary contains spoilers.
- Marguerite Henry
- Marguerite Henry's Wikipedia page.
- Misty of Chincoteague
- Misty of Chincoteague
- Harold Courlander
- Harold Courlander's Wikipedia page.
- Claire Huchet Bishop
- Claire Huchet Bishop's Wikipedia page.
1947 Newbery Medal Winner
Miss Hickory
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
1947 Newbery Honor Books
Big Tree
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
The Avion My Uncle Flew
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
The Heavenly Tenants
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
The Hidden Treasure of Glaston (Living History Library)
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Wonderful Year
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1947 Newbery Book Information
- Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
- Carolyn Sherwin Bailey's Wikipedia page.
- Miss Hickory
- A short review.
1946 Newbery Medal Winner
Strawberry Girl 60th Anniversary Edition (Trophy Newbery)
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
1946 Newbery Honor Books
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/14/2009)
The Moved-Outers (Newbery Honor Roll)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Bhimsa, the Dancing Bear
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
New Found World
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Links to 1946 Newbery Book Information
- Lois Lenski
- A site honoring Lois Lenski, author of Strawberry Girl.
1945 Newbery Medal Winner
Rabbit Hill (Puffin Modern Classics)
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Rabbit Hill (Novel units) (Teacher Guide)
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
1945 Newbery Honor Books
Abraham Lincoln's World, Expanded Edition
Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 12/14/2009)
The Hundred Dresses
Amazon Price: $7.00 (as of 12/14/2009)
The Silver Pencil (Newbery Library, Puffin)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Lone Journey: The Life of Roger Williams
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Links to 1945 Newbery Book Information
- Guide to the Genevieve Foster Papers 1937-1978
- The Genevieve Foster Papers are at the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR.
1944 Newbery Medal Winner
Johnny Tremain
I had to read this in 7th grade... it was a good introduction to quality children's literature, and an education on the Revolutionary War. It started slowly, but after Johnny was injured while working as a silver smith's apprentice, the story picked up because I cared about him, and had to read the rest of the story.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
A Guide for Using Johnny Tremain in the Classroom
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Johnny Tremain : A Unit Plan (LitPlans)
Amazon Price: $16.95 (as of 12/15/2009)
Johnny Tremain Study Guide
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
1944 Newbery Honor Books
Fog Magic
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Mountain Born
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Rufus M.
Amazon Price: $6.00 (as of 12/15/2009)
These Happy Golden Years (Little House)
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1944 Newbery Book Information
- Johnny Tremain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- A Wikipedia page for the novel, Johnny Tremain.
1943 Newbery Medal Winner
Adam of the Road (Newbery Library, Puffin)
Adam was a minstrel's son during the middle ages in England. His dog was stolen, then he becomes separated from his father during a search for the dog. He spends most of the book alone, looking for them.
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
1943 Newbery Honor Books
Have You Seen Tom Thumb (Illustrated By Fritz Eichenberg)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
The Middle Moffat
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1943 Newbery Book Information
- Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
- Adam of the Road, by Elizabeth Janet Gray, review on Perspectives on Writing.
1942 Newbery Medal Winner
The Matchlock Gun
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
1942 Newbery Honor Books
George Washington's World
Amazon Price: $11.48 (as of 12/15/2009)
Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison
This is adapted from the true story of Mary Jemison, a young girl who was captured by natives after her family was massacred.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Down Ryton Water
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Little Town on the Prarie
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1942 Newbery Book Information
- Lois Lenski Collection, Special Collections & Rare Books - UNC Greensboro
- The Lois Lenski collection is in Greensboro, North Carolina.
1941 Newbery Medal Winner
Call It Courage
This is one of the books I've read. It is a short novel about an very young boy who becomes stranded alone on an island.
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
A Guide for Using Call It Courage in the Classroom
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry: A Novel Teaching Pack
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
1941 Newbery Honor Books
Blue Willow (Newbery Library, Puffin)
I've read this one twice because it took place in an area where I lived for a long time: the San Joaquin Valley, which is the southern half of the great central valley of California. The main character is a girl who grows up in poverty as the child of farm workers.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Long Winter
This is one of the very famous and popular "Little House" series and is an enjoyable read, especially for young girls.
Amazon Price: $12.23 (as of 12/15/2009)
Nansen
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Young Mac of Fort Vancouver
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1941 Newbery Book Information
- Teacher Guide--Blue Willow
- This supplemental unit to Blue Willow was developed as part of the Schools of California Online Resources for Education.
- Doris Gates
- Born on November 26, 1901, Doris Gates, author of Blue Willow, grew up in Mountain View, California on a ranch with all sorts of animals. She attended Fresno State Teachers College, Los Angeles Library School, and Western Reserve University.
1940 Newbery Medal Winner
Daniel Boone: 2
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Daniel Boone with Original Lithographs in Color by the Author
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
1940 Newbery Honor Books
By the Shores of Silver Lake (Little House)
Amazon Price: $12.23 (as of 12/15/2009)
Runner Of The Mountain Tops - The Life Of Louis Agassiz
Amazon Price: $32.45 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Singing Tree (Newbery Library, Puffin)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Links to 1940 Newbery Book Information
- Kate Seredy
- A short biography of Kate Seredy.
- USM de Grummond Collection - KATE SEREDY PAPERS
- The Kate Seredy Papers are in Mississippi.
- Kate Seredy quotes
- Quotations from Kate Seredy, author of The Singing Tree.
- Kate Seredy
- Kate Seredy's Wikipedia page.
Your comments are welcome.
Let me know what you think.
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Reply
- mosaic mosaic Nov 7, 2009 @ 10:28 pm
- I remember that I had a hard time reading Johnny Tremain, which made me not like it at the time. But looking back now, I really like that book!
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1950-1959
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At the beginning of this decade, children's books were still fairly simplistic, but by the end, we're favored with an outstanding historical novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, that sets a precedent for the increased quality of children's books in th...
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Newbery Award Winning Books
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Winning the Newbery Medal is the greatest thrill and honor for an author of middle grade or young adult literature. It means that the chosen book has been read and enjoyed by experts in the field of children's literature, and that the book has lastin...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1922-1929
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Early Newbery Medal winners included short story collections, non-fiction, and novels. Many are out of print, difficult to locate, and rare. Books older than 1927 may now be in the public domain. This lens has links to Amazon pages for all the Newbe...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1930-1939
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During the 1930s, Newbery winners were mainly fiction, with a few fictionalized biographies and non-fiction titles. The quality of children's literature started to improve though it was nowhere near the high standards expected of writers today. Still...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1960-1969
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There are some excellent novels in this, plus at least one great non-fiction reference book. My picks for best children's novels from this decade are From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, I, Juan de Pareja, A Wrinkle in Time, and Isla...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1990-1999
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Writers are under a lot of pressure these days to produce high quality novels. The competition is enormous. Consequently the cream of the crop books on this list are excellent. My favorite novels from this list are Holes and Walk Two Moons. I'm als...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1980-1989
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This was an amazing decade for Newbery Medal and Honor Books. During this period two of the winners were poetic. A non-fiction book won the medal for the first time in many years, and two others were honor books. Plus there were many excellent novels...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 1970-1979
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There are some outstanding novels in this collection of Newbery books, and I get excited when I remember reading and enjoying them. Some of my favorites are Sing Down the Moon, The Westing Game, and The Periolous Gard. There are other excellent novel...
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Newbery Medal Winners, 2000-2009
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Amazing things are happening in the world of children's literature. Authors are striving to write outstanding novels and non-fiction for children. This can be directly attributed to award programs like the Newbery Medal. My favorite from this decade...
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