Award winning book list for kids:
American Indian Youth Literature Award Winners: The American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the American Library Association recognize excellence in books by and about American Indians. By identifying and honoring outstanding writing and illustrations in the field of children’s literature, AILA encourages authors, illustrators, editors, publishers and tribal entities to create materials that present Native Americans in the fullness of their humanity in present and past contexts. Past Winners.
Americas Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature: The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. By combining both and linking the Americas, the award reaches beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural-international boundaries, focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere. The award is sponsored by the national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP).
Arab American Book Award: The Arab American Book Award encourages the publication and excellence of books that preserve and advance the understanding, knowledge, and resources of the Arab American community by celebrating the thoughts and lives of Arab Americans. The purpose of the Award is to inspire authors, educate readers and foster a respect and understanding of the Arab American culture.
Asian Pacific American Award for Literature: The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) announces the following titles as winner and honor books in the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature. The awards promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage, based on literary and artistic merit. The books were chosen from titles by or about Asian Pacific Americans published in 2009.
Batchelder Award: This award honors Mildred L. Batchelder, a former executive director of the Association for Library Service to Children, a believer in the importance of good books for children in translation from all parts of the world. Batchelder spent 30 years with ALA, working as an ambassador to the world on behalf of children and books, encouraging and promoting the translation of the world’s best children’s literature. Her life’s work was “to eliminate barriers to understanding between people of different cultures, races, nations, and languages.” This award, established in her honor in 1966, is a citation awarded to an American publisher for a children’s book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States. ALSC gives the award to encourage American publishers to seek out superior children’s books abroad and to promote communication among the peoples of the world. As of 1979 the award has been given annually to a publisher for a book published in the preceding year. In a year that the committee is of the opinion that no book of that year is worthy of the award, none is given. Past winners.
Boston Globe- Horn Book Awards: First presented in 1967 and customarily announced in June, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the field of children’s and young adult literature. Winners are selected in three categories: Picture Book, Fiction and Poetry, and Nonfiction. Two Honor Books may be named in each category. On occasion, a book will receive a special citation for its high quality and overall creative excellence. The winning titles must be published in the United States but they may be written or illustrated by citizens of any country. The awards are chosen by an independent panel of three judges who are annually appointed by the Editor of the Horn Book.
Buckeye Children’s Book Award: The Buckeye Children’s Book Award program is designed to encourage children in Ohio to read literature critically, to promote teacher and librarian involvement in children’s literature programs, and to commend authors of such literature. The Buckeye Children’s Book Award program was established in 1981. The Council’s primary job is to prepare the master voting list and post it on the website after nominations are in, and then tabulate and announce the results.
Caldecott Medal: The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Caldecott Winners since 1938.
California Young Reader Medal: Primary The first Primary Award was given in 1976. Primary books were not included in the voting in 1977, 1979 and 1981. Beginning in 1987, the illustrator of the winning book was given full recognition along with the author.
California Young Reader Medal: Intermediate Intermediate books were not included in the 1976, 1978, or 1980 voting. After the 1977 voting, it was decided the intermediate category was too broad and a Middle School/Junior High School category was added.
California Young Reader Medal: Middle School The Middle School/Junior High award began in 1980; it was not included in the voting in 1981.
Carnegie Medal: The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually to the writer of an outstanding book for children. It was established in 1936, in memory of the great Scottish-born philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). His experience of using a library as a child led him to resolve that “if ever wealth came to me that it should be used to establish free libraries.” Carnegie set up more than 2800 libraries across the English speaking world and, by the time of his death, over half the library authorities in Great Britain had Carnegie libraries. First awarded to Arthur Ransome for ‘Pigeon Post’, the winner receives a golden medal and £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice. The medal is awarded by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.
Carter G. Woodson Book Awards: In 1974, National Council for the Social Studies established the Carter G. Woodson Book Award for the most distinguished social science books appropriate for young readers that depict ethnicity in the United States. The purpose of this award is to encourage the writing, publishing, and dissemination of outstanding social science books for young readers that treat topics related to ethnic minorities and relations sensitively and accurately. Carter G. Woodson was a distinguished African American historian and educator who wrote books for adults and young people. Woodson founded and was the first editor of the Journal of Negro History. For his outstanding work in history, he was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1925 by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Charlotte Zolotow Award: The Charlotte Zolotow Award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year. Established in 1998, the award is named to honor the work of Charlotte Zolotow, a distinguished children’s book editor and author of more than 70 picture books. Ms. Zolotow attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison on a writing scholarship from 1933-36. Any picture book for young children (birth through age seven) originally written in English, and published the United States is eligible for consideration. The book may be fiction, nonfiction or folklore, as long as it is presented in picture book form and aimed at the birth through seven age range. Translated books, poetry collections, and easy readers are not eligible.
Children’s Africana Book Awards: The Children’s African Book Awards were established to encourage the publication and use of accurate, balanced children’s books on Africa.
Children’s Book of the Year (Australia): Annual Australian book award given in four categories: Older Readers, Younger Readers, Early Childhood, and Picture Book. (Children’s Book Council of Australia)
Children’s Choices Reading List: A reading list with a twist! Children themselves evaluate the books and write reviews of their favorites. Since 1974, Children’s Choices have been a trusted source of book recommendations used by teachers, librarians, parents—and children themselves.
Coretta Scott King Award: In 1969, while attending the American Library Association Meeting in New Jersey, Mabel McKissick and Glyndon Greer, two school librarians, had a chance meeting at a booth when both were trying to get a poster of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was a time of great turmoil in the country. Both women loved children’s literature and were discussing that African American authors and illustrators had not been distinguished with awards for their work. John Carroll, publisher at the booth where the two were vying for the poster, asked them why they didn’t start an award to do so. From that seed of an idea, the Coretta Scott King Award was born. The Coretta Scott King Award has grown since its inception in the late 1960s. At its humble inception at the May 1970 dinner gala of the New Jersey Library Association, Lillie Patterson was honored for her biography, Martin Luther King, Jr. Man of Peace.
Costa Children’s Book Award (Formerly Whitbread Book Award): The Costa Book Awards is one of the most prestigious and popular literary prizes in the UK and recognises some of the most enjoyable books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland. The Costa Book Awards has five categories: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book. One of these five books is selected as the overall winner of the Book of the Year. It is the only prize which places children’s books alongside adult books in this way. The Costa Book Awards started life in 1971 as the Whitbread Literary Awards. Since 1971, the awards have rewarded a wide range of excellent books and authors across all genres. Since the introduction of the overall Book of the Year Award in 1985, it has been won seven times by a novel, three times by a first novel, five times by a biography, five times by a collection of poetry and once by a children’s book.
E. B. White Read-Aloud Awards: The E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, established in 2004, honor books that reflect the universal read aloud standards that were created by the work of the author E.B. White in his classic books for children: Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. In the first two years of the award, a single book was selected. In 2006, in recognition of the fact that reading aloud is a pleasure at any age, the award was expanded into two categories: Picture Books, and Older Readers.
Georgia Children’s Book Award– Chapter Books / Picture Books: The Georgia Children’s Book Award was established in 1968 by Sheldon Root, Professor of the Department of Language Education in the College of Education at the University of Georgia. The purpose of the award is to foster a love of reading in the children of Georgia, and to introduce them to books of literary excellence. The award is given in two categories – picture books and middle grade novels. Books are nominated for the awards by teachers and media specialists from the state of Georgia.
The Giverny Award: The Giverny Award is an annual children’s science picture book award established in 1998 by Dr. Jim Wandersee and Dr. Elisabeth E. Schussler who was at that time affiliated with the 15º Laboratory at Louisiana State University. This singular annual award is bestowed to the author and to the illustrator of the chosen book, which must be a children’s science picture book written in the English language and published within five years of the award date. The book must teach its young reader at least one important scientific principle well, or encourage the reader toward specific science-related attitudes, pursuits, or inquiries. The book’s artwork, illustrations, photographs, or graphics must work in harmony with the text.
Golden Kite Award: Fiction / Non-fiction / Picture Book Text / Book Illustration: Presented by the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators the Golden Kite Awards, given annually to recognize excellence in children’s literature, to author and illustrator winners in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book Text, and Picture Book Illustration. In addition to the four Golden Kite Award winners, four honor book recipients will also be named by the panel of judges which consists of children’s book writers and illustrators. Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. More than 1,000 books are entered each year. Eligible books must be written or illustrated by SCBWI members, and submitted either by publishers or individuals.
Hans Christian Andersen Awards: The Hans Christian Andersen Award, considered the most prestigious in international children’s literature, is given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made lasting contributions to children’s literature. The Author’s Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator’s Award since 1966.
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award: The Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards are given annually to the children’s books published the preceding year that effectively promote the cause of peace,social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence. The Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards have been presented annually since 1953 by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the Jane Addams Peace Association. Beginning in 1993, a Picture Book category was created. Honor books may be chosen in each category.
John & Patricia Beatty Award National Book Award for Young People’s Literature: honors the author of a distinguished book for children or young adults that best promotes an awareness of California and its people.
Kate Greenaway Medal: The Kate Greenaway Medal was established in 1955, for distinguished illustration in a book for children. It is named after the popular nineteenth century artist known for her fine children’s illustrations and designs. The winner receives a golden medal and £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice. Since 2000, the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal has also been awarded the £5000 Colin Mears Award. Colin Mears, a Worthing based accountant and children’s book collector, left a bequest providing every Greenaway winner with a cash award as well as the coveted Medal.
Newbery Medal: The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Newbery Medal and Honor Books from 1922.
Notable Children’s Books: Each year a committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) identifies the best of the best in children’s books. According to the Notables Criteria, “notable” is defined as: worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children’s books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children’s interests in exemplary ways.
Orbis Pictus Award: The world of children’s literature contains a variety of genres, all of which have appeal to the diverse interests of children as well as potential for classroom teaching. In recent years, however, nonfiction or information books have emerged as a very attractive, exciting, and popular genre. The Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, has established an annual award for promoting and recognizing excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children. The name Orbis Pictus, commemorates the work of Johannes Amos Comenius, Orbis Pictus—The World in Pictures (1657), considered to be the first book actually planned for children.
Outstanding International Books: United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) selects an annual list of Outstanding International Books for children and young adults, which is published each year in the February issue of School Library Journal and as a bookmark. The Outstanding International Books (OIB) committee is charged with selecting international books that are deemed most outstanding of those published during the calendar year. For the purposes of this honor list, the term “international book” is used to describe a book published or distributed in the United States that originated or was first published in a country other than the U.S.
Pura Belpre Award: The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking (REFORMA), an ALA affiliate. The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. As a children’s librarian, storyteller, and author, she enriched the lives of Puerto Rican children in the U.S.A. through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore. The award is now given annually. It was given as a biennial award from 1996 through 2008.
Rainbow List: The Rainbow Project is a joint project of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. The Rainbow Project presents an annual bibliography of quality books with significant and authentic GLBTQ content, which are recommended for people from birth through eighteen years of age.
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award: The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award was developed to encourage children and young adults to read for personal satisfaction. It is an Illinois award for outstanding literature for young people. Books are nominated by children in grades 4-8. Students read the books on the list and vote for their favorites.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal: The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois. ALSC administers the award.
Schneider Family Book Award: The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Three annual awards will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0–8), middle school (age 9–13) and teens (age 14–18). (Age groupings are approximations). The book must emphasize the artistic expression of the disability experience for children and or adolescent audiences and must portray some aspect of living with a disability or that of a friend or family member, whether the disability is physical, mental or emotional.
Science Book & Film Prize for Excellence in Science Books: The AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults. The prizes are meant to encourage the writing and publishing of high-quality science books for all age groups. SB&F believes that through good science books this generation, and the next, will have a better understanding and appreciation of science. The prizes began in 2005 by looking back on decades of outstanding science books and honoring five authors and one illustrator for their significant and lasting contribution to children’s and young adult science literature and illustration. Beginning in 2006, the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize began honoring recently published, individual science books.
Scott O’Dell Award for Historic Fiction: In 1982, Scott O’Dell established The Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The annual award of $5,000 goes to an author for a meritorious book published in the previous year for children or young adults. Scott O’Dell established this award to encourage other writers–particularly new authors–to focus on historical fiction. He hoped in this way to increase the interest of young readers in the historical background that has helped to shape their country and their world.
Sydney Taylor Book Awards: The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) since 1968, the Award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. Gold medals are presented in three categories: Younger Readers, Older Readers, and Teen Readers. Honor Books are awarded silver medals, and Notable Books are named in each category.
Teacher’s Choices: Since 1989, the Teachers’ Choices project has developed an annual annotated reading list of new books that will encourage young people to read. These are books that kids will enjoy—and that contribute to learning across the curriculum.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award: The Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year.
Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award: Texas State University College of Education developed the Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award to honor authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts the Mexican American experience. The award was established in 1995 and was named in honor of Dr. Tomas Rivera, a distinguished alumnus of Texas State University.
Young Hoosier Book Award: Middle / Picture Books: The purpose of the Young Hoosier Book Award Program is to stimulate recreational reading among elementary and middle school/junior high school children and to encourage cooperation between administrators, school media specialists, teachers, public libraries, and the community in providing reading experiences for Indiana school children. Student participation in pleasure reading was the thrust behind the creation of Young Hoosier Book Award (YHBA) Program in 1974-75. By allowing students to vote for their favorite books, media professionals hoped that more students could be motivated to read more newly published books. 4,681 students helped to chose E.B. White’s Trumpet of the Swan as the award’s first winner. Last year more than 73,000 students throughout the state voted for their favorite book.
Award winning book list for teens:
ALA Top Ten Young Adult Books: The list of 10 books, drawn from 203 official nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The books, recommended for those ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, including contemporary realistic fiction that reflects the diversity of the teen experience, nonfiction that brings to teens an awareness of the world they live in and its history, and fantastical stories told in both narrative and graphic formats.
ALA Top 90 Adult Books: Same as above but with the list of 90 books.
Alex Award Winners: The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year’s publishing. The Alex Awards were first given annually beginning in 1998 and became an official ALA award in 2002.
California Young Reader Medal: Middle School: The Middle School/Junior High award began in 1980; it was not included in the voting in 1981.
California Young Reader Medal: Young Adult: The California Young Reader Medal program encourages recreational reading of popular literature among the young people of our state. Since its inception in 1974, millions of California children have nominated, read, and voted for the winners of the California Young Reader Medal. Young people suggest the names of favorite books for nomination, or teachers and librarians note repeatedly read or requested titles, and these are submitted to the California Young Reader Medal Committee. Members of the committee read the suggested books, discuss their merits and appeal to children, and then decide upon a well-balanced list of nominees.
Great Graphic Novels for Teens: The list of 73 titles, drawn from 127 official nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The books, recommended for those ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens of both fiction and nonfiction. For the purpose of the committee, graphic novels are defined to include trade compilations and original works published in a sequential art format. Such titles should incorporate acceptable literary and artistic quality with effectiveness of presentation. Top 10 Great Graphic Novels for Teens.
Margaret A. Edwards Award Winners: The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award is administered by YALSA and sponsored by School Library Journal magazine. It recognizes an author’s work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world. Mildred L. Batchelder Awards Great Graphic Novels Printz Awards Schneider Family Book Award
Michael L. Printz Award: The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association.
National Book Award: In 1950, a consortium of book publishing groups sponsored the first annual National Book Awards Ceremony and Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Their goal was to enhance the public’s awareness of exceptional books written by fellow Americans, and to increase the popularity of reading in general. Today, the Awards are given to recognize achievements in four genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature. The Winners, selected by five-member, independent judging panels for each genre.
Notable (Social Studies) Trade Books for Young People: Books selected for this bibliography are written primarily for children in grades K-8. The selection committee looks for books that emphasize human relations, represent a diversity of groups and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences, present an original theme or a fresh slant on a traditional topic, are easily readable and of high literary quality, and have a pleasing format and, when appropriate, illustrations that enrich the text. Each book is read by several reviewers, and books are included on the list by committee assent; annotations do not necessarily reflect the judgment of the entire committee.
Notable Books for a Global Society: This program is a guide to multicultural literature for all of those seeking excellent selections for readers ranging from kindergarten through high school. The Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS) Committee selects each year, a list of outstanding trade books for enhancing student understanding of people and cultures throughout the world. Winning titles include fiction, nonfiction, and poetry written for students in grades K-12. The winning titles each year are announced at the International Reading Association Convention. The first list was published in 1996. Dr. Yvonne Siu-Runyan is the IRA CL/R SIG member who conceived the idea and shepherded the creation of this award list.
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers: The Quick Picks list, presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting suggests books that teens, ages 12-18, will pick up on their own and read for pleasure; it is geared to the teenager who, for whatever reason, does not like to read. The 2010 list includes 101 titles, both nonfiction and fiction, from a variety of genres, including biography, pop culture, fantasy, street lit, and more. Top 10 Quick Picks.
William C. Morris Young Adult Debut Award: The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first awarded in 2009, honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. The award’s namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults. He was beloved in the publishing field and the library profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children and teens. The work cited will illuminate the teen experience and enrich the lives of its readers through its excellence, demonstrated by: compelling, high quality writing and/or illustration; integrity of the work as a whole; its proven or potential appeal to a wide range of teen readers
Young Adult Choices Reading List: Since 1987, the Young Adults’ Choices project has developed an annual list of new books that will encourage adolescents to read. The books are selected by the readers themselves, so they are bound to be popular with middle and secondary school students. The reading list is a trusted source of book recommendations, used by adolescents, their parents, teachers, and librarians.
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award: The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1 – October 31 publishing year. The award winner will be announced annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting Youth Media Awards, with a shortlist of up to five titles named the first week of December. The award will be presented at ALA Annual Conference.
