Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is awarded each year to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. First given in 1922, it is the oldest children's book award in the world. It is named for John Newbery, the eighteenth-century English bookseller who made publishing for children a business of its own, and it is awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.

The medal honors the writing, not the illustration or the design. The committee considers the book's theme, plot, characters, setting and style, and how well it is presented for a child audience. Fiction, non-fiction and poetry are all eligible. The committee also names Newbery Honor books each year. Winners are announced every January at the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards.

The author must be a citizen or resident of the United States. The book must be an original work, not a reprint, compilation or abridgement, written in English and published in the United States during the preceding calendar year. It must be intended for children, defined as readers up to and including age fourteen. Fiction, non-fiction and poetry are eligible. The medal may be shared by co-authors, and may be awarded posthumously.