The 33%: 2014 Books from Newbery Winners
A while back I ran the numbers and, aside from fooling people into thinking I liked math, was fairly surprised to find that about 33% of Newbery authors win more than once. Since that post, what happened? Kate DiCamillo took home her second gold seal. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 2014 releases from those who have already received Newbery medals or honors. If you noticed that I missed one, let me know in the comments.
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Note: I excluded picture books from this list.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (August 28, 2014)
I’ve been hearing many a good thing about Woodson’s latest.
The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage (February 4, 2014)
Not only a new book by a Newbery honor winner, but a sequel to a Newbery honor winning book (Three Times Lucky). There’s been plenty of talk about this one being better than the first.
Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord (February 25, 2014)
Cynthia Lord won an honor in 2007 for Rules. The wonderful For Those About to Mock reviewed this book back in February.
Fly Away by Patricia MacLachlan (April 8, 2014)
It’s coming up on thirty years since Patricia MacLachlan won a Newbery medal for Sarah, Plain and Tall and the woman is as prolific as ever.
The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis (September 30, 2014)
Did you know about this one? I didn’t until I started snooping around. This book is a companion to 2008 honor Elijah of Buxton.
Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin (January 21, 2014)
After BOMB, Steve Sheinkin is a member of the Newbery club. His latest book has received plenty of positive press, including a star from Publishers Weekly.
Dash by Kirby Larson (August 26, 2014)
This book comes on the heels of Larson’s Duke in 2013.
Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick (February 25, 2014)
Philbrick’s last book, The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, won a Newbery honor. This book about Hurricane Katrina has already received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jenni Holm (August 26, 2014)
Chances are, you’ve heard about this book. A science fiction-y departure for multiple honor winner Holm.
Nuts to You by Lynn Rae Perkins (August 6, 2014)
I can’t help but think of The True Blue Scouts of Sugarman Swamp when I see this book touted as The Incredible Journey with squirrels. Michigander Perkins won a Newbery Medal in 2006 for Criss Cross.
Ice Whale by Jean Craighead George (April 3, 2014)
It isn’t often you get a posthumous novel, especially one from a Newbery medalist. That’s what we have here from the author of Julie of the Wolves.
Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin (October 7, 2014)
Martin won a Newbery honor in 2003 for A Corner of the Universe.
Mister Max: The Book of Secrets by Cynthia Voigt (September 23, 2014)
Cynthia Voigt has won both a Newbery medal (Dicey’s Song) and honor (A Solitary Blue).
How I discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson (January 14, 2014)
Nelson won a Newbery honor in 2002 for Carver: A Life in Poems.
Arcady’s Goal by Eugene Yelchin (October 14, 2014)
Last we saw Yelchin, he was winning a Newbery for Breaking Stalin’s Nose. He’s back in 2014 (and back in Russia) with this book about the Red Army Soccer Club.
Family Ties by Gary Paulsen (July 22, 2014)
Gary Paulsen’s racked up three Newbery honors. Family Ties continues his string of recent releases with Wendy Lamb books.
Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain by Russell Freedman (January 7, 2014)
Freedman has three honors and a medal to his name. This book about Angel Island (the Ellis Island of the West Coast) has received stars from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.
The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos (September 2, 2014)
Gantos brings the Joey Pigza series to a close with this book.
Edited to add:
Skink – No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen (September 23, 2014)
This one is touted as Hiaasen’s first book for teens, which puts it at the upper end of the Newbery’s 14 year-old cutoff.
Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal (March 25, 2014)
Engle (who won a Newbery honor in 2009 for Surrender Tree) has her timing down. This book comes at the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal.
Dangerous by Shannon Hale (March 4, 2014)
Similar to the Hiaasen book mentioned earlier, this is a foray into YA territory for the Newbery honor winning author of Princess Academy.
West of the Moon by Margi Preus (April 1, 2014)
Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata (September 2, 2014)
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About Travis Jonker
Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.
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That’s a great bunch of books to look forward to! I’ve had the pleasure of reading three of them already and they are mighty fine. Of course, with four on the list being sequels we have to have the discussion about whether they can stand on their own. I thought Ghosts of Tupelo Landing did so very nicely and I thought it was even better than the first as well although I did hear from one naysayer.
When I saw the cover of Ice Whale, I immediately thought of Heart of a Samurai. So much is different – the colors, the whales, the boats, even the orientation of the covers, but that’s what came to mind. Same artist perhaps?
Thanks for the list!
brenda
I can see the cover comparison with Heart of a Samurai! Ice Whale is illustrated by John Hendrix and Samurai is done by Jillian Tamaki. Add Ice Whale to the evidence supporting 2014 as The Year of the Whale.
That Holm book looks good.
You know about it?
I couldn’t find the like button for this exchange. Like, favorite, thumbs up, all of it, here.
I have.
The Silver People by Margarita Engle
Skink: No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen
Dangerous by Shannon Hale
Thanks MJ – I added your suggestions to the post!
Huh! Carl Hiaasen is adding words to his titles! I kind of like the way Hoot, Flush, Scat and Chomp look together on the shelf. The color scheme is different as well. Intriguing.
brenda
That Holm book is good! Glad to see that Kirby is doing another WW2 dog book. I loved DUKE.
I’m looking forward to Goldfish – it looks like an interesting curveball from the author
I saw Goldfish at Midwinter – looks intriguing!
I hadn’t heard about that new Joey Pigza. Sneaky Gantos.
Polly Horvath has a new book out this year: Lord and Lady Bunny — Almost Royalty.
Margi Preus has a new book coming out in April: West of the Moon and Cynthia Kadohata has a new one coming out in September: Half a World Away. So many books to look forward to reading!
I’ll be teaching a literature class based on the Newberys this fall. We always read a selection of prior Newbery winners and a selection of contenders for the current year. Now I’m tempted to restructure it around this list with students reading the prior Newbery of each author along with this year’s book. I can’t tell if you’ve made life easier or more complicated! 🙂 Thanks! Great list!
Joey!
Please add Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781611763492,00.html?Brown_Girl_Dreaming_Jacqueline_Woodson
Will do!