Newbery challenge

I recently (somewhat) lamented my uncertainty in what I *should* be reading. There are so many books that I haven’t even heard of that are considered “classic” or just plain good youth literature. Should I play catch up?

Keeping that internal dialog in mine, I have decided to challenge myself to read at least one Newbery winner or honor a month. Additionally, I want to read one winner or honor from each decade of the award’s existence. These challenges can – and, I’m betting will – overlap.

With that in mind, I pulled up a complete list of winners and honors. I was a little amazed by how many I’ve actually read – mostly not realizing they were Newbery books at the time I read them. There might be a few more that I’ve read, but have forgotten the author and title.

These are the books I’ve read.

2010 Stead,Rebecca When You Reach Me Winner
2010 Hoose,Phillip Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice Honor
2010 Kelly,Jacqueline The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Honor
2010 Lin,Grace Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Honor
2010 Philbrick,Rodman The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg Honor
2000 Curtis,Christopher Paul Bud, Not Buddy Winner
2001 Peck,Richard A Year Down Yonder Winner
2003 Avi Crispin: The Cross of Lead Winner
2003 Farmer,Nancy The House of the Scorpion Honor
2003 Martin,Ann M. A Corner of the Universe Honor
2003 Tolan,Stephanie S. Surviving the Applewhites Honor
2004 DiCamillo,Kate The Tale of Despereaux Winner
2004 Henkes,Kevin Olive's Ocean Honor
2005 Choldenko,Gennifer Al Capone Does My Shirts Honor
2005 Schmidt,Gary D. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy Honor
2008 Schlitz,Laura Amy Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village Winner
2008 Schmidt,Gary D. The Wednesday Wars Honor
2009 Gaiman,Neil The Graveyard Book Winner
2009 Engle,Margarita The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom Honor
1991 Avi True The Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Honor
1994 Lowry,Lois The Giver Winner
1995 Cushman,Karen Catherine, Called Birdy Honor
1996 Cushman,Karen The Midwife's Apprentice Winner
1996 Coman,Carolyn What Jamie Saw Honor
1996 Curtis,Christopher Paul The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963 Honor
1997 Konigsburg,E. L The View from Saturday Winner
1997 McGraw,Eloise The Moorchild Honor
1997 White,Ruth Belle Prater's Boy Honor
1998 Hesse,Karen Out of the Dust Winner
1998 Levine,Gail Carson Ella Enchanted Honor
1998 Giff,Patricia Reilly Lily's Crossing Honor
1999 Sachar,Louis Holes Winner
1999 Peck,Richard A Long Way from Chicago Honor
1981 Paterson,Katherine Jacob Have I Loved Winner
1982 Cleary,Beverly Ramona Quimby, Age 8 Honor
1984 Cleary, Beverly Dear Mr. Henshaw Winner
1986 MacLachlan,Patricia Sarah, Plain and Tall Winner
1988 Paulsen,Gary Hatchet Honor
1989 Fleischman,Paul Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices Winner
1977 Taylor,Mildred Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Winner
1978 Paterson,Katherine Bridge to Terabithia Winner
1978 Cleary,Beverly Ramona and Her Father Honor
1979 Paterson,Katherine The Great Gilly Hopkins Honor
1963 L'Engle,Madeleine A Wrinkle in Time Winner
1959 Speare,Elizabeth George The Witch of Blackbird Pond Winner

And now it looks like I’ll be adding more books to my ever-growing pile! Thank goodness I can read more than one book at a time!