Criteria | January Reading List | Mock Winners

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in the United States during the preceding year. The Award is restricted to authors who are citizens or residents of the United States.

The final session was held on Wednesday, January 3, 7:00-9:00, at the Oak Lawn Branch Library, Cranston. Voting for a Rhode Island winner and honor books followed the balloting procedures of the real committee.

The official Newbery Medal will be awarded on January 22 by the American Library Association.

Criteria

• In identifying "Distinguished Writing" in a book for children, 
  
  1. Committee members need to consider the following: 
     
     • Interpretation of the theme or concept 
     • Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity, and organization 
     • Development of a plot 
     • Delineation of characters 
     • Delineation of setting 
     • Appropriateness of style
       
       
     Note: Because the literary qualities to be considered will vary depending on content, the committee need not expect to find excellence in each of the named elements. The book should, however, have distinguished qualities in all of the elements pertinent to it.
     
     
  2. Committee members must consider excellence of presentation for a child audience.

Reading List

Note that outstanding informational books appear on the Mock Sibert list and outstanding picture books appear on the Mock Caldecott list. For Rhode Island’s Mock Newbery only fiction is considered even though distinguished writing could appear in any genre.

Print January List