From: Julie Ranelli <jranelli>
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:27:13 -0400

The oldest Newbery winner that I can say kids around here still read is the 1931 winner, The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth. The next, and even more commonly read, would be Caddie Woodlawn from 1936. (I know I read both as a child and liked them, but I tried to listen to Caddie Woodlawn just last month and couldn't
"get into it" anymore.)

I read the 1922 (Story of Mankind) and 1925 (Tales from Silver Lands) winners a couple years ago. I was writing for a Newbery encyclopedia, the publication of which was later cancelled. I honestly cannot say I know any child to whom I would recommend those books for pleasure reading.

I read the 1934 winner, Invincible Louisa, when I was about 10. I had no idea that it was a 50+-year-old book (at that time). I had a nice, new paperback copy and absolutely loved it (and Louisa May Alcott) at that time.

Looking forward to hearing more thoughts! Julie

At 01:06 PM 9/7/2007, you wrote:
>I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the very first winner of
>the Newbery Award, "The Story of Mankind" by Hendrik Willem van Loon, is
>not flying off the shelves of libraries today. Then again, when I look
>in the state of Wisconsin's resource-sharing catalog, I see a number of
>school and public libraries own it, so perhaps there are readers still.
>
>A complete list of Newbery winner and honor books is available on the
>American Library Association web site at:
>
>http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal.htm
>
>I'd be curious to hear from members of the CCBC-Net community regarding
>the oldest book they can find on the list that they've seen children or
>teens today read and enjoy.
>
>And to find out why you think that particular book continues to find an
>audience among contemporary readers?
>
>Megan
>
>--
>Megan Schliesman, Librarian
>Cooperative Children's Book Center
>School of Education
>University of Wisconsin-Madison
>600 N. Park Street, Room 4290
>Madison, WI 53706
>
>608-262-9503
>608-262-4933 (fax)
>
>schliesman at education.wisc.edu
>
>www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>CCBC-Net mailing list
>CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
>http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net

Julie Ranelli Children's/Young Adult Librarian Queen Anne's County Free Library Kent Island Branch Stevensville, MD jranelli at quan.lib.md.us
Received on Fri 07 Sep 2007 12:27:13 PM CDT