John Newbery Medal Winning and Honored Books

First awarded in 1922, The John Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year. Virginia Hamilton, in 1975, was the first African American writer to win the medal. Learn more about this award at the ALA Website.

Below are the Newbery Winning and Honored books which were written by, or about, people of African descent.

Select Year202320212020201820172016201520112010200920082006200520022000199619931989198319771976197519721970196919491948

2 Books Honored with The Newbery Medal or Honor in 1989

1989 – Newbery Honor

Book Description: 

Now with extra material to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Scorpions!

Everyone is getting on Jamal’ss case. The kids at school are bugging him, his teachers won’st leave him alone, and the principal’ss always giving him a hard time. Even his mama yells at him, upset because Jamal’ss brother, Randy, is in jail. The only person he can count on now is his best friend, Tito.

But Crazy Mack wants Jamal to take over as the Scorpions’s leader and run crack. Jamal doesn’st want anything to do with gang life, but he doesn’st have a choice—it’ss the only way to get money for Randy’ss appeal. And as long as he’ss got Tito on his side, Jamal knows everything will be okay… .

When it was first published in 1988, Scorpions blew readers away. It continues to do so today. This special 25th anniversary edition contains the original Scorpions story, plus an extra Q&A with New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers.

1989 – Newbery Honor

Book Description: 
A thought-provoking collection of twenty-five stories that reflect the wonder and glory of the origins of the world and humankind. With commentary by the author. “A must for mythology shelves.”—Booklist