Author Spotlight: Newbery Powerhouses

STEVEN: Last month we introduced our three-part series on Notable Newbery Authors and talked about some of our Newbery memories. We also introduced our Newbery Authors Poll,  which is still open and will help guide our series. Today we look at “Newbery powerhouses”: Writers that have multiple Newbery wins (Medals and/or Honors). We’ll try to explore what makes them so special? What is your definition of a Newbery powerhouse, Emily?

EMILY: I think there’s some amazing authors  out there that really craft phenomenal titles consistently. Kate DiCamillo writes so many books, and some may resonate with you more than others, but you can guarantee that it’s going to be a quality read for some reader. She’s an author you can consistently recommend. Same for Jason Reynolds, Lois Lowry, E.L. Konigsberg…. These are authors you can trust to write compelling narratives with endearing characters, excellent presentation, strong plot development, beautiful settings and appropriate style. (Do you see what I did there?)

What about you Steven, what makes a powerhouse author?

STEVEN: I think part of it is being able to write at a high level but in different styles or genres. I think about Christine Soontornvat, who’s won three Honors in a short time, and they’re all so different: two distinct fantasies plus a nonfiction. Or Lois Lowry with a historical fiction for slightly younger readers and a dystopian science fiction for older ones. Avi too, who has three way different Newberys on his resume (two Honors and a Medal). More recently, Erin Entrada Kelly and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley also have shown that versatility, which makes me think they could have more Newbery glory in their future. 

EMILY: Looking at our poll, when we asked readers who the most prolific Newbery author was and Kate DiCamillo won by a landslide. Her Newbery books: FLORA & ULYSSES (2013 Medal), THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (2004 Medal), and BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (2001 Honor). 

Tied in second are E.L. Konigsburg: THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY (1997 Medal), FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER (1968 Medal), and JENNIFER, HECATE, MACBETH…. (1968 Honor) and Lois Lowry with THE GIVER (1994 Medal) and NUMBER THE STARS 1990 Medal). Then comes Katherine Paterson: JACOB HAVE I LOVED (1981 Medal), BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA (1978 Medal), and THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS (1979 Honor).

Other than that there’s just a bunch of one vote mentions, no multiple nods. So.. what is it that specifically makes these authors prolific?

STEVEN: One common quality they have is two Medals. We have to back a little further to find the only other two double Medalists: Elizabeth George Speare for THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND (1959) and THE BRONZE BOW (1962)) and Joseph Krumgold for AND NOW MIGUEL (1954) and ONION JOHN (1960). So in 100+ years we’ve only had the six mentioned above that have won two Medals! A good reminder that it’s really hard to win a Newbery! 

EMILY: I was curious how many books these authors wrote… so I took a look- 

• Kate DiCamillo is 60 years old, still actively writing and currently has 38 published titles (17 early chapter, 15 novels, six picture books)
• E.L. Konigsburg passed away in 2013 at the age of 83 and published 21 titles.
• Lois Lowry is 87 years old and has published 50 books, and is still writing.
• Katherine Paterson is 91 years old and wrote 46 books and is seemingly retired from writing.

I think what’s interesting here is how long these authors have been writing and that they all have a large amount of works. Obviously not everything was Newbery quality and obviously they learned and grew from their titles throughout the years.

STEVEN: I also think it’s fair to say that they didn’t write trying to win awards. Like I’m sure many of Lois Lowry books must have been looked at hard by Newbery committees, but she also had some excellent, but less unique books, like BLESS THIS MOUSE and the GOONEY BIRD GREENE books that were less likely contenders. So I think it’s just really good authors, writing each book with as much thought and creativity as they can. And then see what happens in January…

EMILY: I was searching the internet for advice on winning multiple Newberys from Kate DiCamillo and what resonated me the most was this random Facebook post-

“I get asked (a lot) for writing tips and I’ll always give the same answer: read (as much as you can, as widely as you can), write (find a routine; a way to commit to doing the work), rewrite (again and again and again and again and again), keep a notebook (and take the notebook with you everywhere. For me the notebook is a reminder to keep everything open: my eyes, my ears, my brain, my heart).” 

I thought this was interesting and good to think of. Maybe that’s really what makes a Newbery powerhouse. Someone who never quits and keeps reading and writing and rewriting. Again and again and again.

STEVEN: That’s a good way to think of it. And because winning a Newbery is such a rare thing (I mean, even Kate D. has 35 books that didn’t), maybe you have to think about striving for a Newbery-quality book as a writer, but understand that the odds are still very long.

For our next Author Spotlight in late November we’ll look at the authors who haven’t won a Newbery (but maybe someday…) Meanwhile, please share your own thoughts on “the “”Newbery Powerhouses” in the comments…

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