Newbery Medal Winner

A Visit to William Blake's Inn

by Nancy Willard

Summary

Nancy Willard offers a whimsical collection of poems imagining a fantastical inn run by the poet William Blake, where travelers, animals, and dreamlike characters gather under one roof. The verses play with sound, wonder, and gentle humor, paying tribute to Blake's own visionary imagination and his Songs of Innocence and of Experience. The book pairs the poetry with richly detailed illustrations by Alice and Martin Provensen that bring the magical lodging to life.

Historical Context & Significance

It remains the only book to win the Newbery Medal and earn a Caldecott Honor in the same year.