John Newbery (9 July 1713 – 22 December 1767), called “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.

By 1740 Newbery had started his publishing business in Reading. His first two publications were an edition of Richard Allestree’s The Whole Duty of Man and Miscellaneous Works Serious and Humerous [sic] In Verse and Prose. In 1743, Newbery left Reading, putting his stepson John Carnan in charge of his business there, and established a shop in London, first at the sign of the Bible and Crown near Devereux Court. He published several adult books, but became interested in expanding his business to children’s books. His first children’s book, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, appeared 18 July 1744. :201 A Little Pretty Pocket-Book is the first in Newbery’s successful line of children’s books. The book cost six pence but for an extra two the purchaser received a red and black ball or pincushion. 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”,:xiv it had poems, proverbs and an alphabet song. The book was child sized with a brightly coloured cover that appealed to children—something new in the publishing industry. Known as gift books, these early books became the precursor to the toy books popular in the nineteenth century. 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.

More info at: John Newbery – Wikipedia

Additional Articles associated with this person’s firsts:

• Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes
• First Children’s Fiction Book Published
• Child Book Marketing of A Little Pretty Pocket Book

Name(s):
      John Newbery
Birth:
      July 9, 1713, Waltham St Lawrence, United Kingdom
Death:
      December 22, 1767, Canonbury, London, United Kingdom
Children:
      Francis Newbery

Additional Information:

• John Newbery – Wikipedia
  John Newbery (9 July 1713 – 22 December 1767), called “The Father of Children’s Literature”, was an English publisher of books who first made children’s …
• John Newbery | English publisher | Britannica.com
  John Newbery, (born 1713, Waltham St. Lawrence, Berkshire, Eng.—died Dec. 22, 1767, London), English publisher. … In 1781 his firm published the first collection of nursery rhymes associated with Mother Goose. He is commemorated by the Newbery Medal, awarded annually since 1922 by …
• John Newbery | Encyclopedia.com
  English publisher John Newbery (1713-1767) was the first person to create books specifically for children. His work reflected the changes in attitudes about children during the eighteenth century and aimed to present entertaining and educational materials designed for a child’s …
• John Newbery – First Edition Identification and Publisher Information
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  A brief history of ALSC’s John Newbery Medal, awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
• John Newbery – The Development of British Children’s Literature in the …
  Literary Biography: the first author and publisher to specialize in children’s literature and to make it sustainably profitable, John Newbery is also notable for his …
• John Newbery Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com
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• John Newbery–father of children’s literature | fsu.digital.flvc.org
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• John Newbery – Wikisource, the free online library
  Jun 27, 2018 – Author:John Newbery … ←Author Index: Ne, John Newbery … In honor of his achievements in children’s publishing, the Newbery Medal was …
• John Newbery – Through The Looking Glass Children’s Book Review
  John Newbery is considered to be the father of children’s literature. He was born a farmer’s son on July 9th, 1713 in Waltham St. Lawrence, Berkshire, England.