Not what the award citation says, though — it’s supposed to go to a distinguished work of “literature,” which can include nonfiction. So it seems to me that if the Newbery is going to go to fiction year after year, it would make sense for the ALA to change the awards citation to read “most distinguished work of fiction” to prevent confusion. Suspect it will never happen, but I’d support the ALA if it ever decided to do that.

As for the fiction versus nonfiction question: You’ve got the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, tbe Printz award “for excellence in young adult literature,” the Newbery, and the Sibert Medal “for most distunguished informational [nonfiction] book for children.” Because of the existence of the awards for the nonfiction books, children and young adult, I think the Newbery and Printz tend to go to children’s and young adult’s fiction respectively.

CHARLES AND EMMA, besides winning the YALSA nonfiction award, was a Printz honor book. CLAUDETTE COLVIN was a Newbery honor book, a Sibert honor book, and a finalist for the YALSA nonfiction award.

And for what it’s worth, I’m really not all that impressed with A WRINKLE IN TIME, although it seems to have stood the test of time, and its fans really love it.

An issue the novel raises for me (still unresolved in my mind) is that the Newbery is supposed to go to the “most distinguished” work of American literature for children. WHEN YOU REACH ME is enjoyable, but is it “distinguished” (especially when compared to, for example, A WRINKLE IN TIME)?
And the Newbery seems to tilt more and more toward fiction now that there are awards for nonfiction like the new YALSA nonfiction prize. But this year there was great nonfiction, including both CLAUDETTE COLVIN and CHARLES AND EMMA. Is WHEN YOU REACH ME more “distinguished” than those two?

Can’t answer until I finish, but I wonder. If you’ve read any of this year’s really good nonfiction books, I’d love to know what you think. Thanks!
Jan