Eighteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Reading a highly acclaimed Newbery Award-winning book is similar to watching a high profile movie for all ages. Novels that have achieved Newbery Award status are considered the most distinguished. The Newbery Award is a high honor to give a novel and are awarded every year. Our children use the world around them to learn expectations as well as acceptable behaviors. They use novels to reaffirm these beliefs and assumptions. “Within the school setting, children are exposed to reading materials which contribute to their knowledge of, and attitudes about, gender.” (Witt, 1996). With increasing changes to gender identities, our literature should consider its outdated practices of gender misrepresentations as well as bias towards gender. “Teachers and students must become cognizant of the gender bias in children’s literature, especially books that receive prestigious awards and are thus highly recommended.” (Wantuck, 1997). Our children are growing up in a time in which gender bias is apparent and yet less straight-forward. This paper describes a comparative critical analysis of Newbery Award-winning novels from the first thirty years beginning in 1922 to the most recent thirty years ending in 2019. After reading the literature, the research will likely show authors learned behaviors and assumptions in regards to gender would reflect in their novel.