Newbery Medal

The Newbery Medal was first offered in 1921 by Frederic G. Melcher (1879—1963) as an incentive for better quality in children’s books. It was named after John Newbery, famous 18th century publisher and seller of children’s books. The award is now donated annually by the Melcher family to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published during the preceding year.

The 2007 Newbery Medal winner is The Higher Power of Lucky written by Susan Patron.

In “The Higher Power of Lucky,” Patron takes us to the California desert community of Hard Pan (population 43). Ten-year-old Lucky Trimble eavesdrops on 12-step program meetings from her hiding place behind Hard Pan’s Found Object Wind Chime Museum & Visitor Center. Eccentric characters and quirky details spice up Lucky’s life just as her guardian Brigitte’s fresh parsley embellishes her French cuisine.

“‘Lucky’ is a perfectly nuanced blend of adventure, survival (emotional and physical) and hilarious character study... as well as a blueprint for a self-examined life,” said Newbery Medal Committee Chair Jeri Kladder. “Through Lucky’s experiences, we are reminded that children support one another just as needy adults do.”