What's New in Children's Literature

The results are in. This year's John Newbery Medal award winner is "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool. The story is about a 12-year-old girl in Manifest, Kansas in 1936 who discovers a mystery from 1917, bringing a great deal of Great War history to readers around the ages of 9 to 12. (www.boston.com, www.washingtonpost.com)

Clare Vanderpool is from Witchita, Kansas and says on her website that she has a "very strong connection to place." Among the books she read growing up are Harold and the Purple Crayon, Anne of Green Gables and Island of the Blue Dolphins - and she read them wherever she could, whether in the bathroom or during church. She is married with kids and loves the TV show Monk, and good indication she's a mystery lover.(www.clarevanderpool.com)

Previous winners of the award include "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread" by Kate DiCamillo in 2004, "Holes" by Louis Sachar in 1999, and "The Giver" by Lois Lowry in 1994. Last year's winner was "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead. (www.ala.org)

The Newbery is awarded by the American Library Association (ALA). While the ALA was formed at the American Centennial in 1876, the Newbery award was not created until 1922. It was named after 18th century English bookseller John Newbery, a successful publisher of children's books. He posthumously won the honor of having an award named after him by embracing philosopher John Locke's assertion that children should be considered "reasoning beings" and advancing literature for them accordingly. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JohnNewbery)

So early in the year, it is difficult to forecast who the winner of the 2012 Newbery Medal might be. Publishers Weekly has given us a preview of what's coming this Spring, however. Among the most interesting stories coming to market are "Waddles" by David McPhail, about a raccoon who loves to eat so much he waddles; "Sean Griswold's Head" by Lindsey Leavitt, about a girl dealing with her father's illness and her changing feelings for a boy in her art class; "Traveling Instructions" by Kim Culbertson, about a girl who takes a tour of Italy to mend her broken heart; and "Okay, So Maybe I Don't Have Superpowers" by Jim Benton, an addition to the Dear Dumb Diary series about the musings of character Jamie Kelly who insists in the story that getting kicked in the face isn't that big a deal. (www.publishersweekly.com, www.bentonbooks.com)

Children's lit fans have much to look forward to in 2011. The Newbery Award has long honored stories that soon became classics, motion pictures and beloved additions to home libraries. This year ought to be no exception.