In 1923 and 1924, the second and third years that the Newbery Medal for Distinguished Children’s Literature was awarded, only one book was named for the award, no honor books or runners up as they were called at first.
1923 Medal Winner: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (Stokes)
1924 Medal Winner: The Dark Frigate by Charles Hawes (Little, Brown)
Since I’ve already read The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle (it was OK, not my favorite kind of story), I thought I’d try to find a copy of The Dark Frigate by Charles Hawes. I looked it up, and it’s available from several libraries in my area. But the most interesting thing I found was the subtitle. Get a load of this subtitle: wherein is told the story of Philip Marsham who lived in the time of King Charles and was bred a sailor but came home to England after many hazards by sea and land and fought for the King at Newbury and lost a great inheritance and departed for Barbados in the same ship, by curious chance, in which he had long before adventured with the pirates.
King Charles I? What was Newbury?
I read a book recently (From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children’s Books by Kathleen T. Horning) that gave this information about the early history of the Newbery Award:
The proponents and producers of formula series books launched a verbal attack on children’s librarians, claiming that since they were mere women (and spinsters at that), they had no right to judge what was fit reading for red-blooded American boys. Librarians, in alliance with the Boy Scouts of America, countered by emphasizing “good books for boys” in their early recommendations, thus advancing the notion of gender-specific reading tastes.
The first several winners of the Newbery Medal are a case in point. They are for the most part titles that would be touted as books for boys.
p. 151, From Cover to Cover by K.T. Horning.
So I’m thinking that Colum’s tales of ancient Greece, and Dr. Doolittle, and the adventure tales of Mr. Hawes are all books that were chosen to appeal to those red-blooded American boys who would otherwise have been reading Tom Swift or Horatio Alger’s stories or . . . what? What series were those spinster librarians trying to outclass in the early to mid-1920’s? Do the Newbery award committee members still try to choose books that will apppeal to boys or has the pendulum swung in other direction, to choosing books that will appeal to feminist girls? Or is gender appeal something that award committees should not discuss or consider?
Attitudes about “fit reading” have changed since the 1920’s. Most librarians (and parents) that I know of are perfectly content to not only allow, but positively encourage, boys and girls to read series books that are of very little literary value. I mean by this rather slippery term “literary” that the books that aren’t literary are books that won’t even make children laugh fifty years from now, much less make them think. They still don’t award the Newbery to Captain Underpants or to Garfield Takes the Cake, but nowadays, as long as they’re reading something . . .
Do you think children should be encouraged to read whatever attracts their interest, or should they be required to read books that will make them think, books that have literary value? Or is it a false dichotomy? Should they be allowed/encouraged/required to read both?
So, anyway, next week I’ll be reading The Dark Frigate, and on Sunday I’ll tell you how I liked Padraic Colum’s The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles.
Hmmm. I read both as a child (and still continue to do so as an adult) and my children read both. Some books with literary value still have disgusting content.
So I guess my answer is that I allow them to do both.
What an interesting reading project! I am looking forward to when you reach the 1925 winner which was written by my great-grandfather. 🙂
I was very fortunate to grow up in a home with the classics and when I married my husband we inherited his parents and grandparents libraries and they were full of the classics. Often we had 2-3 copies of each book, which I strongly encouraged my children to read or read to them. I still have most of the books to this day and plan to pass them on to my grandchildren.
Excellent post and reminder to teach our kids the importance of great literature.
Interesting topic. Children should be encouraged to read good literature. I don’t think Underpants and such belong in the home. You will find a lot of this twaddle in public schools. Just another good reason to homeschool. I plan to read the Dark Frigate someday. I look forward to your review. Have you read Michael Dirda’s newest book, Book by Book, Notes on Reading and Life. Much of this book would support and inspire your argument.
I am rgateful for a mom who let me read whatever I wanted – of course she kept a good pulse on wat I had my nose in but as a teacher and Children’s Lit fanatic I have found that the important part is to just keep them reading. We all discover the great books, the joys, and the classics at our own speed. It’s just like getting your baby teeth and learning to walk. No one dictates it – so just get the kiddos reading and help them develop the love for the written word – the rest will come with exposure and nurture.
I have also done the Newbery list and now have my grown son doing it and collecting all the books for his personal library. My, my, how kid’s lit has changed~!
Thanks for the great blog – I tap in regularly and share it with my husband and even the holidays with my little first graders. Thanks for your efforts!
Gaye
I’m so glad I’ve happened on your reading project as I’ve made a New Year’s Resolution to read my way through the Newbery medalists this year. I look forward to further comments.
md