Which Kelly Barnhill fantasy novel won the 2017 Newbery Medal?

The Kelly Barnhill fantasy novel that won the 2017 Newbery Medal is The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

Published in 2016, the novel follows a baby accidentally fed moonlight and transformed by magic, along with a witch, a swamp monster, and a tiny dragon. Its fairy-tale structure combines an intricate plot with themes of sacrifice, memory, love, and the danger of stories controlled by powerful authorities.

The Association for Library Service to Children announced Barnhill as the 2017 medalist in January 2017. The award recognizes books published during the preceding year, so the 2017 medal does not mean the novel was published in 2017.

A common mix-up is Echo, Pam Muñoz Ryan’s 2015 novel, which was a Newbery Honor book. Doll Bones and Wolf Hollow were also recognized in other Newbery years, but neither won the 2017 medal.