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Our Video Interviews with Newbery Medal Winners

Children’s Books

Our Video Interviews with Newbery Medal Winners

Over the years, Reading Rockets has had the opportunity to interview many beloved children’s authors and illustrators. Here, we share our video interviews with winners of the prestigious Newbery Medal and Honor Awards. 

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The Newbery Medal and Honor books are awarded annually by the American Library Association to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. In January 2022, the Newbery celebrated a true milestone — 100 years of recognizing stellar children’s books. To learn more about the history of the Newbery and find all of the past Medal and Honor winners, visit ALA’s John Newbery Medal (opens in a new window) page.

In addition to the Newbery Medal, there are many other awards that recognize diverse voices and stories and the best in children’s and YA books. Please visit our Award-Winners page to see the current winners of the Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, and Pura Belpré Illustrator Award — as well as other children’s book awards from the American Library Association and other literacy organizations. 

Erin Entrada Kelly: Winning the Newbery

Newbery Medal winners (1976–present)

Kwame Alexander
The Undefeated (2020, Honor)
The Crossover (2015)

Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ivan (2013)

Avi
Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2003)
Nothing But The Truth (1992, Honor)
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1991, Honor)

Kelly Barnhill
The Girl Who Drank the Moon (2017)

Cece Bell
El Deafo (2015, Honor)

Ashley Bryan
Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams (2017, Honor)

Gennifer Choldenko
Al Capone Does My Shirts (2005, Honor) 

Beverly Cleary
Dear Mr. Henshaw (1984)
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (1982, Honor)

Susan Cooper
The Dark Is Rising (1974, Honor)
The Grey King (1976)

Christopher Paul Curtis
Elijah of Buxton (2008, Honor)
Bud, Not Buddy (2000)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963 (1996, Honor)

Matt de la Peña
Last Stop on Market Street (2016)

Tomie dePaola
26 Fairmount Avenue (2000, Honor)  

Kate DiCamillo
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures (2014)
The Tale of Despereaux (2004)
Because of Winn-Dixie (2001, Honor)

Erin Entrada Kelly
We Dream of Space (2020, Honor)
Hello, Universe (2018)

Sid Fleischman
The Whipping Boy (1987)

Jack Gantos
Dead End in Norvelt (2012)
Joey Pigza Loses Control (2001, Honor)

Grace Lin
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2010, Honor)

Lois Lowry
The Giver (1994)
Number the Stars (1990)

Meg Medina 
Merci Suárez Changes Gears (2019)

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Shiloh (1992)

Lynne Rae Perkins
Criss Cross (2006)

Linda Sue Park
A Single Shard (2002)

Katherine Paterson
Jacob Have I Loved (1981)
The Great Gilly Hopkins (1979, Honor)
Bridge to Terabithia (1978)

Pam Muñoz Ryan
Echo (2017, Honor)

Christina Soontornvat
The Last Mapmaker (2023, Honor)
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team (2021, Honor)
A Wish in the Dark  (2021, Honor)

Renée Watson
Piecing Me Together (2018, Honor)

Carole Boston Weatherford
BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom (2021, Honor)

Rita Williams-Garcia
One Crazy Summer (2011 Honor)

Jacqueline Woodson
Brown Girl Dreaming (2015, Honor)
Feathers (2008, Honor)
Show Way (2006, Honor)

Laurence Yep
Dragon’s Gate (1994, Honor) 

More interviews with authors and illustrators

To see all of our author interviews, visit Video Interviews with Top Children’s Authors and Illustrators.

Reprints
You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact [email protected].

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