Awards and Honors

• Newbery Honor Book, Phebe Fairchild: Her Book, 1937
• Newbery Honor Book, Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison. Stokes, 1942
• Martha Kinney Cooper Ohioana Medal (best juvenile book of the year by an Ohio author) for Bayou Suzette, 1944
• Newbery Medal, American Library Association, for Strawberry Girl, 1946
• Children’s Book Award, Child Study Association of America, for Judy’s Journey, 1947
• Honorary doctorate in literature from Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, 1959
• Honorary doctor of humane letters, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1962
• Honorary doctor of literature, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, 1966
• Children’s Collection Medallion from University of Southern Mississippi, 1969

The medallion is inscribed, “Out of her riches, she gives gifts to the children of all time.”

In her acceptance speech, Lois Lenski said the medallion should read: “Out of their riches, they gave freely, abundantly, and lovingly to her to make her books possible.” [meaning the children]

• Regina Medal for a lifetime of distinguished service, the highest award of the Catholic Library Association, 1969

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