How Many of the Last 10 Newbery Medal Winners Have You Read?

2018 Winner: Hello, Universe, by Erin Entrada Kelly and Isabel Roxas
Four sixth-graders form an unlikely friendship one summer after a neighborhood bully pulls a prank on one of them. When Virgil and his pet guinea pig go missing, it’s up to three others to find him. Valencia is deaf, loves nature, and is very lonely. Kaori believes she is psychic and has a little sister sidekick, Gen. Add in the character of Chet, who thinks all the other kids are weird, and you have a diverse cast that tells the story from four different points of view. Although each unique in their own ways, there are some qualities they share, which help bring them together.

2017 Winner: The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill
A coming of age tale featuring a witch, sacrificial babies, and magic! Xan lives in the woods and many residents fear her as a witch, offering up a baby once a year as a sacrifice. She rescues the children, feeding the infants with starlight as she journeys to find each baby a new home. On one such annual journey, she accidentally nourishes a child with moonlight, filling the girl with magic. This girl, Luna, is raised by Xan and just before her 13th birthday, her unanticipated magic appears, with unintended consequences.

2016 Winner: Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
Urban life comes alive in this memorable picture book. CJ asks his Nana a lot of questions as they wait for the bus after church on Sundays. He wants to know why they don’t have a car, why they must go certain places, and why parts of their San Francisco hometown are so rundown. Nana offers up questions and astute observations to CJ’s inquisitiveness, giving him the opportunity to observe the details around him and appreciate what is beautiful. As they arrive at the soup kitchen to volunteer, you’ll appreciate this authentic picture book, with its simple illustrations and characters that represent multiple races, different generations, and various social classes.

2015 Winner: The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander
This novel written in verse is a slam dunk, no pun intended. Josh is a confident player on and off the basketball court. He is sure he and his twin brother JB will go pro, just like their father did. As he weaves in and out of the court, he weaves in the family’s story off the court with poetic rhythm. Author Alexander captures a coming-of-age story with a unique opportunity to get a glimpse into the mind of a teenage boy. The book is cleverly broken up into four quarters, and the father’s 10 rules for basketball are incorporated into the storyline.

2014 Winner: Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, by Kate DiCamillo and K. G. Campbell
Flora rescues a squirrel from her mother’s vacuum and names him Ulysses. Flora believes he has superpowers, including being an adept typist with an ability to fly. The only problem? Flora’s mom wants the squirrel gone. The squirrel escapes Flora’s mom, Flora escapes to find her squirrel, and they ultimately discover forgiveness and love. Filled with action-packed graphics and illustrations, readers of all ages will appreciate this tender and funny novel.

2013 Winner: The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate and Patricia Castelao
This amazing book captures the relationship between humans and animals with eloquence. Inspired by a true story, the book unfolds from the point of view of a gorilla named Ivan. Captive for more than twenty years, he’s confined to an enclosure with just a television, paints, and a couple friends named Stella and Bob. Humans watch Ivan every day, but it isn’t until a baby elephant named Ruby joins them that he begins to re-examine his own surroundings. Poignant, transformative, and a must-read for every family.

2012 Winner: Dead End in Norvelt (Norvelt Series #1), by Jack Gantos
Jack Gantos is expecting a summer full of adventure, but then he’s grounded by his feuding parents and forced to help his elderly neighbor type up obituaries for the people who founded his utopian town. Set in the 1960’s, with historical fiction woven into the story line, there are twists and turns along the way. Some would classify it as a middle school murder mystery. Some would call it proof utopia just can’t exist. Prepare to be surprised and delighted as you read this weirdly fascinating book. And yes, Girl Scout cookies (among many other things) make an appearance.

2011 Winner: Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool
This historical debut features a 12-year-old girl names Abilene, sent to live with a family friend during the summer of 1936 as her father works for the railroad. Determined to find out more about her father’s past, Abilene ventures to his hometown of Manifest. Dusty and dried-up upon first sight, she soon discovers the town holds secrets, starting with items in a cigar box alluding to a spy. The mystery leads Abilene on an adventure into the past of one community and into a journey of her own story.

2010 Winner: When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, but she doesn’t know who they’re from. And she certainly doesn’t understand how the notes can predict the future. Set in 1970’s Manhattan, Miranda addresses the writer of the letters, while revealing bits about her everyday life. While she is grounded in her routine as a latchkey kid, the concept of the story twists time ever so slightly. This winning mystery unfolds like a puzzle and will leave you deciphering right up until the twisty end.

2009 Winner: The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
Set in a graveyard, this tale is equally chilling and captivating. Bod tottered into the cemetery at just 18-months old after his family was murdered. It is there he was raised by ghosts and other lurking creatures. Over the years, he has learned tricks from his ghostly caretakers, such as how to fade from the sight of mortal beings and haunt other ghouls. As the killer continues to hunt him down, Bod must learn how to safely navigate the ways of both the living and non-living worlds.