Newbery Medal 1933: Complete list of winners

The 1933 Newbery Medal went to Elizabeth Foreman Lewis for Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze, a novel that transported young readers far beyond American shores and into the heart of 1920s China. Lewis’s richly detailed narrative follows a country boy navigating life in the bustling city of Chungking, where he apprentices as a coppersmith and discovers both opportunity and danger in a rapidly changing world. The award recognized Lewis’s remarkable ability to create an authentic, immersive portrait of Chinese life and culture at a time when such nuanced international perspectives in children’s literature were comparatively rare.

The 1933 Newbery Medal selection reflected the growing recognition that children’s books need not be confined to familiar domestic settings to captivate young audiences. By choosing a work centered on a Chinese protagonist and infused with local customs, language, and philosophy, the Newbery committee signaled an appreciation for literature that could broaden children’s horizons and foster cross-cultural understanding. Lewis herself was a seasoned observer of Chinese society, having spent considerable time in China, and her firsthand knowledge brought an authenticity to her storytelling that resonated with the award’s judges.

Below, discover more about this significant Newbery selection and its place in the award’s distinguished history.

Children’s Literature

• Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis