annual award given to the author of the most distinguished American children's book of the previous year. It was established by Frederic G. Melcher of the R.R. Bowker Publishing Company and named for John Newbery, the 18th-century English publisher who was among the first to publish books exclusively for children. The first award was given in 1922. It is presented at the annual conference of the American Library Association along with the Caldecott Medal, an award to an artist for the best illustrations for a children's book. Winners of the award include Hugh Lofting (Lofting, Hugh), Madeleine L'Engle (L'Engle, Madeleine), and William Pène du Bois (du Bois, William Pène).