Who won the first Newbery Medal in 1922?

Who won the first Newbery Medal in 1922? The answer is Hendrik Willem van Loon, author of The Story of Mankind.

Van Loon was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, illustrator, and author. The Story of Mankind, published in 1921, presents a broad history of human civilization for younger readers. Rather than focusing only on rulers and wars, van Loon also discussed inventions, religion, art, and the development of ideas, using an accessible, conversational style.

The Newbery Medal was established by the American Library Association in honor of English bookseller and publisher John Newbery. Its first award was announced in 1922, making van Loon the inaugural recipient. The medal recognized The Story of Mankind as the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children for that award cycle.

Van Loon also illustrated many of his own books and later revised The Story of Mankind; his son and other historians updated it in subsequent editions. Readers sometimes confuse the award year with the book’s publication year: the book appeared in 1921, while van Loon received the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The medal is awarded to an author, while the separate Caldecott Medal honors distinguished American picture-book illustration.