John Newbery (9 July 1713 – 22 December 1767), considered "The Father of Children's Literature", was an English publisher of books who first made children's literature a sustainable and profitable part of the literary market. He also supported and published the works of Christopher Smart, Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Johnson. In recognition of his achievements the Newbery Medal was named after him in 1922.

Early life

Newbery was born in 1713 to Robert Newbery, a farmer, in Waltham St Lawrence, Berkshire, England, and an unknown mother. When he was younger he gave himself an education. He was apprenticed to a local printer, William Ayers, at the age of sixteen. The business was later sold to William Carnan. In 1737 Carnan died, leaving the business to his brother, Charles Carnan, and Newbery. Two years later, Newbery married William Carnan's widow, Jordan Mary. He adopted Mary's three children, John, Thomas and Anna-Maria. In 1740 their daughter Mary was born. John, born in 1741, died at age 11. Their son Francis was born in 1743.

Newbery, like John Locke, believed that play was a better enticement to children's good behaviour than physical discipline, and the child was to record their behaviour by either sticking a pin in the red side for good behaviour or the black side if they were bad. A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, though it would seem didactic today, was well received. Promising to "infallibly make Tommy a good boy and Polly a good girl", In developing his particular brand of children's literature, Newbery borrowed techniques from other publishers, such as binding his books in Dutch floral paper and advertising his other products and books within the stories he wrote or commissioned. This improvement in the quality of books for children, as well as the diversity of topics he published, helped make Newbery the leading producer of children's books in his time.

About one-fifth of the five hundred books Newbery produced were children's stories, including ABC books, children's novels and children's magazines. or Giles and Griffith Jones wrote The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes, Newbery's most popular book. It had 29 editions between 1765 and 1800. but others now say the book may have been planned, but was never actually produced. Newbery also published a series of books written by "Tom Telescope" that were wildly popular, going through seven editions between 1761 and 1787 alone. He is buried in his birthplace of Waltham Saint Lawrence. Some of his fortunes came from the patent and sales of Dr Robert James's Fever Powder, a medicine which claimed to cure gout, rheumatism, scrofula, scurvy, leprosy, and distemper in cattle.

Newbery used his fortune to help writers through financial difficulties. Those he is known to have assisted include Johnson, who called him "Jack Whirler" for his constant activity and inability to sit still; and Goldsmith, who portrayed Newbery in The Vicar of Wakefield as Dr Primrose, "the friend of all mankind".

Newbery's themes

Locke had written that "children may be cozened [tricked] into a knowledge of the letters; be taught to read, without perceiving it to be anything but a sport, and play themselves into that which others are whipped for." He also suggested that picture books be created for children. Locke also argued that children should be considered "reasoning beings." Newbery acted upon these suggestions. A Pretty Little Pocket-Book was a hodge-podge of information and games, including riddles and advice on a proper diet, but its primary message was "learn your lessons ... and one day you will ride in a coach and six."

Bestselling Newbery books

According to the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL 2.120), Newbery "wrote, wholly or partly" and "edited or materially influenced" the following works:

  • Mother Goose's Melody

References

Further reading

  • Darton, F. J. Harvey. Children's Books in England. 3rd ed. Rev. Brian Alderson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.
  • Granahan, Shirley. "John Newbery: Father of Children's Literature". ABDO Publishing, 2010.
  • Jackson, Mary V. Engines of Instruction, Mischief, and Magic: Children's Literature in England from Its Beginnings to 1839. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1989.
  • Maxted, Ian. "John Newbery". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 22 April 2007.
  • Roscoe, S. John Newbery and His Successors 1740–1814: a Bibliography. Wormley: Five Owls Press Ltd., 1973.
  • Rose, Jonathan. "John Newbery". The British Literary Book Trade, 1700–1820. Eds. J. K. Bracken and J. Silver. Dictionary of Literary Biography. Vol. 154. 1995.
  • Townsend, John Rowe. John Newbery and His Books: Trade and Plumb-cake for ever, huzza! Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1994.
  • Welsh, Charles. A Bookseller of the Last Century, being Some Account of the Life of John Newbery. First published in 1885. Clifton, N.J.: Augustus M. Kelley, 1972. .
  • Historical survey of children's literature in the British Library