Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 12 (1933) Winner
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis
エリザベス・フォアマン・ルイス
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis
Aliases:
Elizabeth Foreman
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1892-05-24 （Baltimore, Maryland, USA）
- Died
- 1958-08-07 （Baltimore, Maryland, USA） age 66
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Methodist
- Residence History
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA → Shanghai, China → Nanjing, China → Chongqing (Chungking), Upper Yangtze region, China
Career
- Occupations
- Children's author, Missionary, Teacher
- Active Years
- 1917-1958
- Affiliations
- Women's Foreign Missionary Society, Methodist Church
- Memberships
- Affiliated with Women's Foreign Missionary Society
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland Institute of Fine Arts | — | Art | — | 1909–1910 | United States |
| Secretarial school in Baltimore (name unspecified) | — | Secretarial studies | — | 1916–1917 | United States |
| Bible Seminary (New York, name unspecified) | — | Religious studies / Missionary training | — | 1917 | United States |
Maryland Institute of Fine Arts
Art
Period:
1909–1910
Year of Graduation:
1910
Country:
United States
Brief study of art; attended Maryland Institute of Fine Arts 1909–1910.
Secretarial school in Baltimore (name unspecified)
Secretarial studies
Period:
1916–1917
Year of Graduation:
1917
Country:
United States
Preparatory training for travel to China as a missionary.
Bible Seminary (New York, name unspecified)
Religious studies / Missionary training
Period:
1917
Year of Graduation:
1917
Country:
United States
Religious instruction and missionary preparation.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Newbery Medal | Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze | — | American Library Association | Winner |
| 1960 | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award | Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze | — | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (awarding organization) | Winner (posthumous) |
Newbery Medal
1933
Work:
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
Organization:
American Library Association
Result:
Winner
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
1960
Work:
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
Organization:
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (awarding organization)
Result:
Winner (posthumous)
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
1932 Children's literature, historical fictionA children's novel drawing on Lewis's experience in Chungking, portraying daily life in China and the coming-of-age of Young Fu, with rich descriptions of culture, mentorship, and community.
Coming-of-ageCross-cultural understandingChinese community life
Ho-Ming, Girl of New China
1934 Children's literatureThe story of Ho-Ming, a girl growing up in a changing China, conveying contemporary customs and values through her life.
Girl's perspectiveSocial changeCultural understanding
China Quest
1937 Children's literatureA collection of stories and essays set in China, written from the author's perspective based on her time there.
Travelogue elementsChinese customs
Portraits from a Chinese Scroll
1938 Children's literature, short storiesA book of short stories and vignettes portraying various people and scenes in China, focusing on cultural sketches.
Character sketchesCultural vignettes
Test Tubes and Dragon Scales
1940 Children's science/culture (co-authored)Co-authored with Dr. George C. Basil; likely a children's book addressing intersections of science and Chinese culture.
Science educationCultural comparison
When the Typhoon Blows
1942 Children's literatureA children's work likely dealing with natural disasters and their effects, symbolizing hardship and communal cooperation.
Nature and humansCooperation
To Beat a Tiger, One Needs a Brother's Help
1956 Children's literatureA children's story emphasizing cooperation and familial help; the title may be used metaphorically.
FamilyCooperation
Bibliography
- Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze (1932)
- Ho-Ming, Girl of New China (1934)
- China Quest (1937)
- Portraits from a Chinese Scroll (1938)
- Test Tubes and Dragon Scales (co-authored, 1940)
- When the Typhoon Blows (1942)
- To Beat a Tiger, One Needs a Brother's Help (1956)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear, descriptive proseExpository style rich in cultural detail
- Recurring Motifs
- Details of everyday Chinese lifeMentorship and coming-of-ageFood culture and family
Health
-
Illness (unspecified; required return from China)1920年代初期Returned from China because of illness; subsequently used her Chinese experiences as material for her writing.
Legacy
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis used her experiences in China to produce children's literature that fostered cross-cultural understanding. She was acclaimed with the 1933 Newbery Medal. Her notable work Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze is regarded as a classic of children's literature and her works are accessible via Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive.
Academic Societies
- American Library Association (associated via Newbery Medal)
Archives
- Project Gutenberg (works available)
- Internet Archive (holdings)
Quotes
-
“My sister and I grew up in a world of books, country life, horses, dogs, and a variety of other pets, a background threaded by colorful strands of wit, hearty laughter, singing, hospitality, and naturally in Maryland, good food. Our chief instruction, beside that of school and church, came from the proverbs in the home.”
Source: Newbery Medal Books: 1922–1955, eds. Bertha Mahony Miller and Elinor Whitney Field (1955) (1955)
Trivia
- Won the 1933 Newbery Medal for Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze.
- Young Fu received the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1960 (posthumous).
- Married to missionary John Abraham Lewis; son John Fulton Lewis became a newspaper editor and author.
- Some works are available on Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive.