Newbery Award Books

Gantos, J. (2000). Joey Pigza loses control. New York. Scholastic.

This is the sequel to Joey Pigza swallowed a key. Joey and his doctors have a found a patch that slowly releases the meds he needs to stay in control. He always wondered about his father, and since there is nothing for Joey to do at home by himself besides get into trouble, his mom agrees for him to go and live with his father and grandmother for the summer. Once he gets there, Joey realizes that his dad really is like him before medicine. His father is trying to turn over a new leaf with Joey and encourages him to join the baseball team. Joey’s father thinks that things are going great and that Joey doesn’t really need his medicine, so he gets rid of it. Joey has to use the skills taught in school to get through the week. Slowly day by day as the medicine leaves his system, Joey feels himself losing control and has to figure out how to get out of his situation.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Interest Level: 5-8
Reading Level: 5.9
Awards: Newbery Honor Book (2001), ALA Notable Book (2001)

Park, L. (2001). A single shard. New York. Dell Yearling Books.

As an orphan who lives under a bridge, Tree-ear goes in search of work so that he and his friend Crane-man may eat. He comes upon the talented potter Min. At first Min would only let him do jobs like fetching wood for the kiln in town and then cutting clay out of the river’s edge. Tree-ear’s dream is to become a potter. One day the royal emissary comes to commission a potter. Min is such a perfectionist that he doesn’t have a lot to show the emissary. Since they have heard of his work from others, they invite him to come to Solang to show his work. Min is too old to make the journey, so Tree-ear offers to take the pottery for him. Along the way Tree-ear runs into trouble and learns about himself and finding the courage to do the right thing.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Interest Level: 5-8
Reading Level: 6.7
Awards: Newbery Medal Winner (2002), Notable Book Award (2002)

Peck, R. (2000). A year down yonder. New York. Scholastic.

Mary Alice has been sent to live with her with her grandmother until her father could find a new job and get the family back on their feet. She was going to have to go to school in the “hick-town” where everyone thought she was rich, coming from Chicago and all. Mary Alice soon realizes that her grandmother is a feisty lady who goes out during the middle of the night to collect fox fur and doesn’t really care what the down says about her or her tactics. Throughout the school year, Mary Alice realizes that she is going to miss her grandmother and considers her a role model.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Interest Level: 5-8
Reading Level: 5.2
Awards: Newbery Medal Winner (1999), ALA Notable Book (2001)