These books have been runners-up for the Newbery Medal from the American Library Association, which recognizes the previous year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children". From 1971 they have been called Honor Books and their authors have been awarded Newbery Honor citations.

For biographies of cited writers see Category:Newbery Honor winners.

The Medal was inaugurated in 1922. As few as zero and as many as eight runners-up have been named but from 1938 there have been one to five annual Honors.