Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 23 (1944) Honor
Julia Sauer
ジュリア・リナ・サウアー
Julia Lina Sauer
Pen Names:
Julia L. Sauer（Used in publications and library credits）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1891-04-08 （Rochester, New York, United States）
- Died
- 1983-06-26 （Rochester, New York, United States） age 92
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Rochester, New York (primary residence) → Little River, Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada (summer home, 1930s–1960s)
Career
- Occupations
- Children's writer, Librarian
- Active Years
- 1921-1958
- Affiliations
- Rochester Public Library (Head of Children's Department, 1921–1958)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rochester | — | — | — | — | United States |
| New York State Library School at Albany | — | Library Science | — | — | United States |
University of Rochester
Country:
United States
New York State Library School at Albany
Library Science
Country:
United States
Professional training for a career as a librarian
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Newbery Honor (runner-up) | Fog Magic | — | American Library Association (ALSC) | ニューべりー名誉賞（ランナーアップ） |
| 1952 | Newbery Honor (runner-up) | The Light at Tern Rock | — | American Library Association (ALSC) | ニューべりー名誉賞（ランナーアップ） |
Newbery Honor (runner-up)
1944
Work:
Fog Magic
Organization:
American Library Association (ALSC)
Result:
ニューべりー名誉賞（ランナーアップ）
Newbery Honor (runner-up)
1952
Work:
The Light at Tern Rock
Organization:
American Library Association (ALSC)
Result:
ニューべりー名誉賞（ランナーアップ）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Fog Magic
1943 Children's fantasyA lyrical fantasy set in coastal Nova Scotia in which a girl discovers an old village that appears only in fog and moves between present reality and a conjured past, exploring the boundary between imagination and reality.
Imagination vs. realityChildhood and coming-of-ageMemory and the past
The Light at Tern Rock
1951 Children's realistic fiction / maritimeSet off the coast of Nova Scotia, this novel centers on a small lighthouse community and sensitively portrays responsibility, community bonds, and a strong sense of place.
Sense of placeResponsibility and communityChild's perspective
Mike's House
1954 Children's realistic fictionA short, affectionate story about a small boy who checks out 'Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel' so often that he calls the library 'Mike's House', celebrating libraries and a child's love of books.
Love of libraries and readingEveryday joysChildhood observation
Bibliography
- Fog Magic, Viking Press, 1943
- The Light at Tern Rock, Viking Press, 1951
- Mike's House, Viking Press, 1954
- Radio Roads to Reading: Library Book Talks Broadcast to Boys and Girls (editor), Wilson, 1939
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Narration that moves between reality and imaginationQuiet, restrained proseDelicate depiction from a child's perspective
- Recurring Motifs
- FogCoastal and lighthouse landscapesLibraries and books
Legacy
Sauer left a lasting mark on both children's librarianship and children's literature through her long career and advocacy for works that balance imagination and realism. Fog Magic and The Light at Tern Rock earned Newbery Honors and continue to be cherished by later authors. Her papers are held at the Rochester Public Library and the University of Minnesota.
Academic Societies
- Committees related to the American Library Association
Archives
- Rochester Public Library (Julia Lina Sauer papers)
- University of Minnesota Kerlan Collection
In Popular Culture
- Mentioned and recommended by contemporary authors such as Rebecca Stead
Quotes
-
“Before a world can be made safe even for nightingales, it must be made safe for the Janey Larkins.” She argued that children need both realism and imagination in their books.
Source: Library Journal article "Making the World Safe for the Janey Larkins", 1941 (1941) -
“The children’s librarian’s first obligation is always, I believe, to lead a child to the best there is for him, to help him... to appreciate the better and finally the best, and to keep him reading at the highest possible level.”
Source: Statement on librarianship (reported in biographical sources)
Trivia
- At age nine she witnessed a fatal shooting outside her home and later testified at the trial.
- She wrote three children's books, two of which became Newbery Honor runners-up.
- She kept a summer home in Little River, Nova Scotia from the 1930s to the 1960s, which served as the setting for some works.
- Her papers are held at the Rochester Public Library and the University of Minnesota.
- All three of her children's books received starred reviews from Kirkus.