Newbery Week

If you could get any award in the whole world, what would it be?  Now, don’t get confused between an AWARD and a REWARD.  If we were choosing REWARDS, likely you would all think of Doctrine and Covenants 59:23 – “But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.”  I can’t think of a better reward than that.  But what AWARD would you choose?

There are thousands of noteworthy awards—the Heisman, Miss America, Academy Awards, Triple Crown, Purple Heart, to name only a few. I remember one conversation we had at the Gardner dinner table when I was growing up where we all agreed that the most prestigious athletic award was definitely the gold medal in the decathlon at the Olympic Games.  We’re all probably rethinking that statement. 

And then there are awards that you may not even know about:  the Florence Nightingale Medal (humanitarianism); the Ron Brown Award (corporate leadership); Effie Awards (advertising); Webby Awards (internet); Golden Tap Awards (beer); the Horton Medal (geophysics); Bald Archy Prizes (mocking Australian celebrities); the Ridler Award (automobiles); Harry Sunderland Trophy (rugby—maybe Jared should go for that).   

I asked a two of you (because several of you don’t answer your phones on busy Saturday mornings) what award you would be most honored with.  Here are those two replies:

Whitney – a healthy baby  

Lyndon – the Nobel Peace Prize

PLEASE MAKE A COMMENT AND TELL US WHAT AWARD YOU WOULD LIKE MOST

So why am I even writing about awards?  What does this have to do with Newbery Week?  Because the Newbery Medal would be my award of choice!

The John Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.”  Bear in mind that that does not mean it is the best book of the year.  It is a book that contributes something innovative/excellent to children’s literature.  Also it is an award only for American literature.  Years ago, a group of people were up in arms because the Harry Potter books did not win.  Well, there’s a good reason for that.  The medal is named for John Newbery, an 18^th-century English publisher of children’s books.  (British, I know—it doesn’t make a lot of sense.)  It began in 1921 and is the oldest children’s book award in the world.  The medal itself shows an author giving his book to a boy and a girl to read.

As you may or may not know, I have a lifetime goal to read all of the Newbery winners of my lifetime.  Right now I am 52 for 57. 

Congratulations to all of you who have read a Newbery this week.