Book List of Best Newberry Books According to Readers

Looking for some good Newberry Books to read? The Newberry Medal goes to books that are significant contributions to children’s literature. The books should show excellence in writing, storytelling, and overall contribution to children’s literature. Each year, a committee of librarians reviews and selects the book they believe is the most distinguished in these aspects. The runners up get the Newberry Honor Award. 

I have found that books with this notoriety are almost always good books, but because society is always changing, often books that were written fifty years ago that were well received in their day, would not necessarily receive the same praise in the current social climate, and vice versa. Also, just because an author did an excellent job in the quality of their writing doesn’t always mean that the general public will enjoy their writing. 

Of course, the fact that the book wins this very significant award is noteworthy, but it is not a foolproof way of finding a book you will definitely enjoy. For example, the Newberry Book Onion John, by Joseph Krumgold, received a mundane average review of 3.4 out of 5 on Goodreads. So, although the Newberry committee of 1960 deemed it to be the most significant contribution to children’s literature, many apparently do not agree. So, here are twenty Newberry winners that have great reviews from Goodreads readers (4 stars and up).

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