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Mock Newbery Award

Co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Educational Media Association
and the Rhode Island Library Association.

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 7, 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 14 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:  For Rhode Island’s Mock Newbery only fiction is considered even though distinguished writing in any genre could be recognized by the Newbery Award Committee. Titles with asterisks have been added since the last meeting. Books can still be added if anyone thinks that a vital book has been missed. Please contact Kathleen O'Dean if you have any final suggestions.

  1. Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains.
  2. Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared.
  3. *Booream, Ellen.  The Unnameables.
  4. *Broach, Elise.  Masterpiece.
  5. Bryant, Jennifer.  Ringside, 1925:  Views from the Scopes Trial : A Novel.
  6. Collins, Suzanne.  The Hunger Games.
  7. Connor, Leslie.  Waiting for Normal.
  8. Dowell, Frances O'Roark.  Shooting the Moon.
  9. Erdrich, Louise.  The Porcupine Year.
  10. Freitas, Donna.  The Possibilities of Sainthood.
  11. Frost, Helen.  Diamond Willow.
  12. Hesse, Karen.  Brooklyn Bridge.
  13. Horvath, Polly.  My One Hundred Adventures.
  14. Kadohata, Cynthia.  Outside Beauty.
  15. Law, Ingrid.  Savvy.
  16. *Levine, Gail.  Ever.
  17. Look, Lenore.  Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things.
  18. *O’Connor, Barbara.  Greetings from Nowhere.
  19. Park, Linda Sue.  Keeping Score.
  20. Rodman, Mary Ann.  Jimmy’s Stars.
  21. Smith, Hope Anita.  Keeping the Night Watch.
  22. Staples, Suzanne Fisher.  The House of Djinn.
  23. *Venkatraman, Padma.  Climbing the Stairs.

Books removed at the last meeting:

Appelt, Kathi. The Underneath.

White, Ruth.  Little Audrey.

Directions to Oak Lawn Branch Library, Cranston:

Take Rt. 95 or Rt. 295 to Rt. 37 West.  Go to the end and turn left at the light onto Phoenix Avenue.  Continue to the next light and turn left onto Wilbur Avenue.  The library is on the right opposite a church.  Turn right onto the side street for parking.

Previous Mock Newbery Winners

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