New-York Historical Society’s Annual Children’s History Book Prize Awarded to We Own the Sky by Rodman Philbrick

Prize Celebrates the Best American History Book for Middle Readers, Ages 9–12

The New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum, has announced that this year’s Children’s History Book Prize has been awarded to author Rodman Philbrick for We Own the Sky (Scholastic Press, 2022). The prize of $10,000 is awarded annually to the best American history book for middle readers ages 9–12, fiction or nonfiction.

We Own the Sky is set in 1920 Maine and focuses on two orphans who connect with their dare-devil circus performing aunt. The story touches on themes of community, early 20th-century traveling performers, and anti-immigrant sentiment. New to most readers is the story’s plot about how the Ku Klux Klan’s white supremacist ideology found popularity in the Northeast, specifically in Maine where there is a strong French–Canadian presence.

“We’re pleased to present Rodman Philbrick with this year’s Children’s History Book Prize, especially as he’s brought to light a little known portion of history,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of New-York Historical. “The themes of found family and community created within the context of the book are powerful and an important reminder that we are stronger together, particularly when facing extreme ideologies and hateful rhetoric.” 

“I am absolutely delighted that my book—in many ways a personal story tied to my family—has won such a prestigious award,” said Rodman Philbrick. “It will certainly help the story reach a wider audience, and that’s every writer’s dream come true.” 

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick grew up on the coast of New England and has been writing novels since the age of 16. Freak the Mighty, Philbrick’s first book for young readers, is considered a classic and was made into a movie, The Mighty. Philbrick’s rip-roaring historical novel The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, about an inveterate teller of tall tales, was set during the Civil War and was chosen as a 2010 Newbery Honor Book. The Kennedy Center commissioned a theatrical production, which premiered in 2012. The author divides his time between Kittery, Maine, and the Florida Keys.

We Own the Sky was selected by a jury comprising librarians, educators, historians, and families with middle schoolers. Finalists for this year’s Children’s History Book Prize were The Other Side of the River by Alda P. Dobbs, The Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson, and The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson.

Past winners of the Children’s History Book Prize include How to Find What You’re Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani; NeverCaught, The Story of Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleve; Out of Left Field by Ellen Klages; Fred Korematsu Speaks Up by Laura Atkins and‎ Stan Yogi (authors) and‎ Yutaka Houlette (illustrator); Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg; Echo by Pam Muñoz; Salt: A Story of Friendship in a Time of War by Helen Frost; and The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine.

The Children’s History Book Prize is part of New-York Historical’s larger efforts on behalf of children and families. DiMenna Children’s History Museum regularly presents programs where families explore history together. At its popular monthly family book club reading into History, families discuss a historical fiction or nonfiction book they previously read at home, share their reactions, discover related artifacts and documents, and meet historians and authors. New-York Historical’s work with middle school readers and their families is grounded in the belief that offering creative opportunities to engage the entire family helps young readers grow and thrive. 

About the New-York Historical Society
Experience 400 years of history through groundbreaking exhibitions, immersive films, and thought-provoking conversations among renowned historians and public figures at the New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum. A great destination for history since 1804, the Museum and the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library convey the stories of the city and nation’s diverse populations, expanding our understanding of who we are as Americans and how we came to be. Ever-rising to the challenge of bringing little or unknown histories to light, New-York Historical will soon inaugurate a new wing housing its Tang Academy for American Democracy as well as the American LGBTQ+ Museum. These latest efforts to help forge the future by documenting the past join New-York Historical’s DiMenna Children’s History Museum and Center for Women’s History. Digital exhibitions, apps, and our For the Ages podcast make it possible for visitors everywhere to dive more deeply into history. Connect with us at nyhistory.org or at @nyhistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Tumblr.