Newbery Medal 1987: Complete list of winners

The 1987 Newbery Medal went to Sid Fleischman for The Whipping Boy, a novel that proved adventure stories could be both rollicking entertainment and thoughtfully crafted literature. Fleischman’s tale of a street urchin and a pampered prince swapping places captured the hearts of the award committee with its wit, historical texture, and genuine emotional stakes. The book stands as a testament to what the Newbery Medal—America’s most prestigious award for children’s literature since 1922—has always championed: stories that respect young readers’ intelligence while delivering genuine page-turning pleasure.

What makes Fleischman’s win particularly noteworthy is how The Whipping Boy blended historical fiction with pure adventure narrative. Rather than opting for the more earnest, message-driven books that sometimes dominate children’s literature conversations, the Newbery committee recognized a work that understood how compelling storytelling could be its own form of merit. The novel’s exploration of class, friendship, and identity emerges naturally from the propulsive plot rather than feeling grafted on for educational value. This balance—between entertainment and substance—is exactly what keeps the Newbery Medal relevant to readers and educators decades after a book’s publication.

Here’s what you need to know about this year’s honorees:

Children’s Literature

• The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman