Newbery Winners
1987 - 1991

1991 Medal Winner

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli j NEWBERY SPI 

After his parents die, Jeffrey Lionel Magee's life becomes legendary, as he accomplishes athletic and other feats which awe his contemporaries

Honor Book

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi j AVI

Gr 5-8--On a long, grueling journey from England to Rhode Island in 1802, a 12 year old changes from a prim and proper girl to a swashbuckling mate of a mutinous crew and is accused of murder by the captain. Awash with shipboard activity, intense feelings, and a keen sense of time and place, the story is a throwback to good old-fashioned adventure yarns on the high seas.

1990 Medal Winner

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry j NEWBERY LOW 

In 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis.

Honor Books

Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle j LIS

This enchanting story reveals the beauty, wonder and mystery that lies within the imagination....Ultimately, the book suggests that friendship is as eternal as magic.

Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples YA Staples, S. 

Set against the backdrop of desert life in present-day Pakistan, this book offers a passionate and deeply personal portrait of a young girl's struggle for identity in a culture that forbids even token expressions of independence by women.  ALA Notable Book; ALA Best Book for Young Adults; A Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book; IRA Teachers' Choice. 

The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen YA Paulsen, G. 

The winter room is where Eldon, his brother Wayne, old Uncle David, and the rest of the family gather on cold nights. There the boys listen to all of Uncle David's tales of superheroes. One night he tells the story, "The Woodcutter", and what happens next is terrible--then wonderful.

1989 Medal Winner

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman j NEWBERY 811.54 FLE
'Booming / boisterous / joyful noise' of insects. The poems resound with the pulse of the cicada and the drone of the honeybee. Eric Beddows's vibrant drawings send each insect soaring, spinning, or creeping off the page in its own unique way.

Honor Books

In The Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton j 291.2 HAM

Selected from the vast treasure of myths from around the world, these narratives based on the theme of origin reflect the diverse people who made them and their feeling for the wonder and glory of the universe. 42 full-color illustrations.

Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers YA Myers, W. 

In this tragic and utterly authentic 1989 Newbery Honor Book about two friends in contemporary Harlem, "Myers has captured the street milieu well, and the characters and the events ring all too true. . . . A dishearteningly effective tale of poverty and inverted values."--"Booklist." ALA Notable Children's Book.

1988 Medal Winner

Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman - YA NEWBERY 921 LINCOLN, A., Fre

In this 1988 Newbery Medal Book, Freedman tells the story of Abraham Lincoln with photographs and prints, providing a vivid look at the life and times of one of our nation's great leaders. 90 black-and-white photos and prints.

Honor Books

After The Rain by Norma Fox Mazer - YA Mazer, N.

Rachel feels she should talk more to Izzy, but every conversation with him is a trial. Then Izzy falls in the street, and the doctors discover he has cancer. He can no longer go on his beloved walks alone, and Rachel becomes his reluctant companion. The after-school visits begin as a chore, but gradually Izzy becomes the most important thing in Rachel's life--even more important than her friendship with Lewis Olswanger.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen - YA AWARD Paulsen, G.

This Newbery Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits. Ages 12-up.

1987 Medal Winner

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman - j NEWBERY FLE

A bratty prince and his whipping boy inadvertently change places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws. The award-winning author of "The Midnight Horse" blends the comic with the compassionate in this highly memorable novel. 

Honor Books

A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant - YA Rylant, C.

A heartbreakingly human story of a boy on the brink of self-discovery, and his mesmerizing acquaintance, the Preacher Man.  Ages 8-12. 

On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer - j BAU 

When his best friend drowns while they are both swimming in a treacherous river that they had promised never to go near, Joel is devastated and terrified at having to tell both sets of parents the terrible consequences of their disobedience.

Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens by Patricia Lauber - j 551.21 LAU

"This is a spectacular book; Lauber's narrative describing the eruption, aftermath, and gradual return of life to the Mount St. Helens slopes devastated by the 1980 eruption is anchored with stellar color photographs that show each phase of the destruction and the healing. . . . This is a substantive explanation set off by superb book design".--Booklist, starred review.  80 full-color photos.