Which author won the Newbery Medal in 1987 for 'The Whipping Boy'?

Sid Fleischman won the 1987 Newbery Medal for The Whipping Boy. The historical adventure novel centers on Jemmy, an orphan forced to serve as the whipping boy for Prince Brat, a spoiled royal child who is punished by proxy whenever the prince misbehaves.

Their relationship changes when the two boys are kidnapped and must escape together. The reversal creates the book’s central humor and suspense: Jemmy, who has practical knowledge and survival skills, becomes the capable one, while the prince must learn responsibility outside the palace. Fleischman’s lively prose combines adventure, comic danger, and a critique of privilege.

Fleischman had an unusually varied career. Born Avron Zalmon Fleischman, he wrote children’s books, adult novels, screenplays, and nonfiction about stage magic. He also became part of a rare literary family distinction: his son Paul Fleischman later won the Newbery Medal, making them the only parent and child pair to do so.