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CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARDS



 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AWARDS

 

Alex Awards
Booklist and YALSA partner to honor the top 10 adult books for teenagers each year.

 

Andrew Carnegie Medal
The Andrew Carnegie Medal honors the most outstanding video productions for children released during the previous year.

 

Best Books for Young Adults
The Best Books for Young Adults committee each year selects and annotates a list of significant adult and young adult books, as well as chooses a list of top ten titles from the full list. It is a general list of fiction and nonfiction titles selected for their proven or potential appeal to the personal reading tastes of the young adult.

 

Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the ALA to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book.

 

Coretta Scott King Awards
Given to African American authors and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions, the Coretta Scott King Book Award titles promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream.
The award is designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.

 

John Steptoe New Talent Award
The award is established to affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force.

 

Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal is awarded biennially by the ALA to honor an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.

 

Margaret A. Edwards Award
The Margaret A. Edwards Award is awarded annually by the ALA to honor an author's lifetime achievement for writing books that have been popular over a period of time. 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.

 

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award
The May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award is awarded annually by the American Library Association (ALA) to an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children's literature, of any country, who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children's literature.

 

Michael L. Printz Award
The Michael L. Printz Award is awarded annually by the ALA for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.

 

Mildred L. Batchelder Award
The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is awarded annually by the ALA 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.

 

Newbery Medal
The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the ALA to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

 

Odyssey Award
This annual award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.

 

Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
Each year, the Popular Paperbacks committee creates lists of books to encourage young adults to read for pleasure The lists of popular or topical titles are widely available in paperback and represent a broad variety of accessible themes and genres.

 

Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
The YALSA committee annually prepares one to five annotated list(s) of at least ten and no more than twenty-five recommended paperback titles, selected from popular genres, topics or themes. The purpose of the list(s)is to encourage young adults to read for pleasure by presenting to them lists of popular or topical titles which are widely available in paperback and which represent a board variety of accessible themes and genres.

 

Pura Belpré Award
The Pura Belpré Award is awarded biennially by the ALA 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.

 

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, established by the Association for Library Service to Children in 2001, 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, and is sponsored by the company. 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.

 

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
This award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children's literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year. The award is to recognize the author(s) and illustrator(s) of a beginning reader book who demonstrate great creativity and imagination in his/her/their literary and artistic achievements to engage children in reading.

 

William C. Morris 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.

 

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
The award will honor 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.

 

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Other Children's Book Awards

 

AAAS/Suburu SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books
These awards, established in 2005, celebrate 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.

 

Aesop Prize and Accolades
The Aesop Prize and Aesop Accolades are conferred annually by the Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society upon English language books for children and young adults, both fiction and nonfiction.

 

Americas 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).

 

ASPCA Henry Bergh Awards
These three awards -- for children, young adults and illustration was established to honor books that promote the humane ethic of compassion and respect for all living things.

 

Book Sense Book of the Year Award -- see Indie Bound Choices

 

Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards
The Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards are warded annually by the Boston Globe and Horn Book Magazine to honor authors and illustrators of outstanding children's and young adult books in these three categories: Fiction and Poetry, Nonfiction, and Picture Book.

 

Capitol Choices
Capitol Choices includes librarians, teachers, booksellers, children's literature specialists, and magazine editors who work in cities, in suburbs, and in rural areas in and around Washington, D.C. Most of us work directly with young people, and all of us share a passion for books and a commitment to bringing children and books together.

 

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. The award is administered by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, a children's literature library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

Children's Crown Award
The Children's Gallery Award, the Children's Crown Award, and the Lamplighter Award are nominee lists of forty new titles each year. They encourage primary, intermediate, and middle school students to read and vote on wholesome and uplifting mainstream books that have been published within the last two years. All of the awards are endorsed by the National Christian School Association. At the present time schools in Hawaii, Kansas, Illinois, California, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Colorado, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Oklahoma are participating.

 

E.B. White Read Aloud Award
This award, established in 2004 by the American Booksellers for Children, honors a book that reflects the universal read aloud standards that were created by the work of the author E.B White in his classic books for children.This award encompasses both picture books and novels.

 

Edgar Allen Poe Award
Awarded annually by the Mystery Writers of America to the authors of the best juvenile and young adult mystery books.

 

Golden Duck Awards
The Golden Duck Awards, for excellence in children's science fiction literature, consist of three cash awards given annually in the categories of Picture Book, Middle Grades (Eleanor Cameron Award), and Young Adult (Hal Clement Award).

 

Golden Kite Award
The Golden Kite Award is awarded annually by the Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators to the most outstanding children's books published during that year and having been written or illustrated by members of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

 

Gryphon Award
The Gryphon Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding English language work of fiction or nonfiction for which the primary audience is children in Kindergarten through Grade 4. The title chosen best exemplifies those qualities that successfully bridge the gap in difficulty between books for reading aloud to children and books for practiced readers.

The award is sponsored by the Center for Children's Books at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and funded by the Center for Children's Books Outreach Endowment Fund.

 

Indies' Choice Book Awards
Best books chosen by independent booksellers.

 

IRA Children's and Young Adult Book Awards
The International Reading Association's group of three separate awards honor literature, poetry and short stories.

 

Irma S. Black and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature
This award goes to an outstanding book for young children, one in which the text and illustrations are seen as inseparable. Children are the final judges, choosing from a shortlist selected by writers, librarians and educators.

 

Jane Addams Children's Book Award
Presented annually by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the Jane Addams Peace Association to the children's book of the preceding year that most effectively promotes the cause of peace, social justice and world community.

 

National Book Award
The National Book Award for Young People's Literature is awarded annually by the National Book Foundation to enhance the public's awareness of exceptional books written by fellow Americans.

 

NCTE Award for Poetry for Children
The National Council of Teachers of English established this award in 1977 to honor a living American poet for his or her aggregate work for children ages 3-13. The award is given every other year. (2011 is the next award.)

 

NCTE Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Award
NCTE has established an annual award for promoting and recognizing excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children. Up to five honor books may also be selected.

 

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year
An annual "best books" list focusing on illustration. (Use the search function to access current year's awards.)

 

Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts
The Children's Literature Assembly promotes quality literature written for children and recognizes outstanding trade books for grades K-12 each year.

 

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Children
The books that appear in these annotated book lists were evaluated and selected by a Book Review Committee appointed by National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and assembled in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC). NCSS and CBC have cooperated on this annual bibliography since 1972. 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.

 

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12
The books that appear in these lists were selected as outstanding children's science trade books. They were selected by a book review panel appointed by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and assembled in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC). NSTA and CBC have cooperated on this bibliographic project since 1973.

 

Parent's Choice Awards
The Parents' Choice Awards are given to products that meet and exceed standards set by educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and yes, kids themselves.

 

Sydney Taylor Book Awards
Awarded annually to the authors of the most distinguished contributions to Jewish children's literature published in the preceding year.

 

Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award
The Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award honors an author or author-illustrator whose total work has contributed significantly to the quality of nonfiction for children.

 

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STATE BOOK AWARDS

 

Emphasis on Reading
Alabama
Booklists are available for download each year.

 

Young Reader's Choice Awards
Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington
The Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award is the oldest children's choice award in the U.S. and Canada. The award was established in 1940 by a Seattle bookseller, the late Harry Hartman, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure. Nominations are taken only from children, teachers, parents and librarians in the Pacific Northwest ~ Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Nominated titles are those published within the previous three years, printed in the U.S. or Canada, and are already favorites with readers. Only 4th to 12th graders in the Pacific Northwest are eligible to vote.

 

Arizona Young Readers Award -- see Grand Canyon Reader Award
Arizona

 

Grand Canyon Reader Award
Arizona
The Grand Canyon Reader Award (formerly the Arizona Young Reader Award) is a reader award program for students in Arizona. Students vote annually on their favorite book in the following categories: Picture Book, Non-Fiction, Intermediate and Teen. Beginning with the 2008 award the categories will be: Picture book, Non-Fiction, Intermediate, Tween and Teen (which will be a non-voting category).

 

Diamond Primary Book Award
Arkansas
This award has been presented annually since 1998 to an author whose book has been selected through a vote taken by Arkansas school children in Grades K - 3.

 

Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award
Arkansas
The Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award for children's literature has been presented annually since 1971 to an author whose book has been selected through a vote taken by Arkansas school children in grades four, five and six. The purpose of the award is to promote better reading for children and to recognize Mrs. John Gould Fletcher, an outstanding Arkansas author who wrote under the pen name Charlie May Simon.

 

California Young Reader Medal
California
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.

 

Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Award
Colorado
The Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award recognizes the most popular books among middle and high school students in the State of Colorado. Teens nominate their favorite titles and select the winner - adults do not vote.

 

Colorado Children's Book Award
Colorado
The Colorado Children's Book Award was established by Dr. Bill Curtis in 1975 to encourage children's active involvement with books and reading. The CCBA committee is sponsored by Colorado Council of the International Reading Association. The new nominations are Colorado children's choices.

 

Nutmeg Children's Book Award
Connecticut
The Nutmeg Children's Book Award encourages children in grades 4-6 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles. Jointly sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) and the Connecticut Educational Media Association (CEMA), the Nutmeg Committee is comprised of children's librarians, school library media specialists and teachers.

 

Blue Hen Book Award
Delaware
The Blue Hen Book Award is a children's choice award sponsored by the Children's Services Division of the Delaware Library Association. Each year children (aged 14 and under)have the opportunity to vote on selected picture or chapter books published in the last year. The book that receives the most votes in each category will win the Blue Hen Book Award.

 

Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
Florida
The Sunshine State Young Reader's Award Program is a statewide reading motivation program for students in grades 3-8. The program, cosponsored by the School Library Media Services Office of the Department of Education and the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME), began in 1983. In 2001-2002 there were over 1,000 public schools and 69 non-public schools participating. Over 82,000 students read enough books to qualify for voting in the statewide balloting for their favorite book for the year.

 

Georgia Children's Book Awards
Georgia
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 final lists of 20 nominees are selected by a committee of teachers and media specialists (chaired by a member of the faculty from the Department of Language and Literacy Education).

 

Nene Award
Hawaii
Each year, Hawaii's elementary and middle school children vote for their favorite fiction book and present the author with the prized Nene Award.

 

Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
Illinois
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 and is sponsored by the Illinois Reading Council, the Illinois School Library Media Association, and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English.

 

Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award
Indiana
The Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award) is chosen annually by students across Indiana in grades nine through twelve. The purpose of the Rosie Award is to encourage high school students to read for fun. It also promotes cooperation between school administrators, media specialists, teachers and public librarians in broadening reading programs.

 

Young Hoosier Book Award
Indiana
First begun in 1974, the Young Hoosier Book Award exists to encourage recreational reading in Indiana students. Since 1992, the Award has been divided into three categories based on grade level: Kindergarten-3rd grade, 4-6th grade and 6-8th grade.

 

Iowa Children's Choice Award
Iowa
The purposes of the Iowa Children's Choice Award are to encourage children to read more and better books; to discriminate in choosing worthwhile books; to provide an avenue for positive dialogue between teacher, parent, and children about books and authors; and to give recognition to those who write books for children.

 

William Allen White Children's Book Award
Kansas
The William Allen White Children's Book Award, established and directed by Emporia State University, was founded in 1952 by the late Ruth Garver Gagliardo, a specialist in Children's Literature, to honor the memory of one of the state's most distinguished citizens by encouraging the boys and girls of Kansas to read and enjoy good books. The White Awards Program is supported in part by the Trusler Foundation. There are two awards; one is presented to the author of the winning book selected by third through fifth graders, and the second medal is presented to the author of the winning book selected by sixth through eighth graders.

 

Kentucky Bluegrass Awards
Kentucky
The purpose of the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) is to encourage the students of Kentucky in grades K through 12 to read quality children's literature. The KBA is one of approximately 45 state children's choice awards nationwide. All Kentucky public and private schools, as well as public libraries, are welcome to participate in the program. There are 4 grade levels chosen.

 

Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award
Louisiana
The Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award is a reading enrichment program of the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana underwritten by Hibernia National Bank with additional support from Perma-Bound Books. The purpose of the program is to foster a love of reading in the children of Louisiana by motivating them to participate in the selection and recognition of outstanding books.
Since 1999 a committee of Louisiana librarians has compiled a list of fifteen books for students in grades 3-5. This year a list for grades 6-8 has been added. The lists are well-balanced selections of high-quality fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

 

Maine Student Book Award
Maine
The MSBA Book List for the upcoming school year is sent out to all Maine schools serving 4th through 8th grade students, as well as to others who have requested to be on the mailing list. Participating schools/groups add up their votes and submit their MSBA ballots for the statewide tally. The students' top choice from the previous year's reading list is announced at the Maine Libraries Conference.

 

Lupine Award
Maine
The Lupine Award is presented annually by the Youth Services Section Interest Group of the Maine Library Association, to recognize an outstanding contribution to children's literature of Maine. This award is granted to encourage the reading, writing and appreciation of children's books, and to foster pride in the state of Maine. The Lupine Award is designed to honor a living author or illustrator who is a resident of Maine, or who has created a work whose focus is Maine, as shown through the work's characterization, plot or setting. An author or artist will be considered a resident if he or she was born in this state, or is currently residing in Maine for all or part of the year. The award is chosen by a group of librarians and educators.

 

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
Maryland
The Black-Eyed Susan Book Award honors outstanding books, chosen annually by Maryland students. Committees of school library media specialists and other interested persons meet over the course of a year to determine which books will go on the lists; anyone is invited to suggest titles.

 

Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award
Maryland
The purpose of the award is to identify and promote the best fiction and nonfiction books published at the K-2nd grade reading level and at the 2nd-4th grade reading level, both for children reading at grade level and for reluctant older readers; to provide teachers, librarians, and caregivers with a resource list of excellent books for beginning readers and to encourage publishers, authors, and illustrators to create high quality books for beginning readers.

 

Massachusetts Children's Book Award
Massachusetts
Fourth, fifth and sixth graders who have read five books from the Master List vote for their favorite book. Participating teachers and librarians along with publishers nominate titles for the program. A selection committee works with the nominated list and selects twenty-five titles to appear on the Master List. The author of the winning book receives a plaque to commemorate the award. The award is sponsored by Salem State College.

 

Mitten Award
Michigan
The Mitten Award is an annual award presented through the Michigan Library Association's Children's Services Division. The mission of the Mitten Award is "To recognize one children's book published in the United States within the calendar year that has captured the attention of the children's librarians throughout the State of Michigan for its ability to communicate through literature to an intended audience."

 

Thumb's Up! Award
Michigan
The Thumbs Up! Award was established in 1986 to recognize the excellence, and to celebrate the uniqueness of, Teen/Young Adult literature. A committee, consisting of Young Adult and Teen Librarians, meets several times during the year to determine the winner. Beginning in 2001, the Thumbs Up! Committee has included a teen vote. (157 eligible teen votes were received by deadline for this years' vote!) Winners are selected from books published in the U.S. (or, published simultaneously in the U.S.) during the previous year.

 

Maud Hart Lovelace Award
Minnesota
The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award is a children's choice book award. Its purpose is to encourage recreational reading among school age children. The nominated titles each year are fiction works of recognized quality selected by independent regional reading groups. The nominated titles are divided into two divisions. Division One titles appeal mostly to students in grades 3-5 and Division Two titles appeal mostly to students in grades 6-8.

 

Show Me Readers Award
Missouri
The Show Me Readers Award is selected by students in grades one through three and presented annually. Nominations of titles of literary merit for the stated grade range to be considered for the award are invited. The Show Me Readers Award is a children's choice award sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Librarians.

 

Mark Twain Award
Missouri
The Mark Twain Award is selected by students in grades four through eight and presented annually. Nominations of titles of literary merit for the stated grade range to be considered for the award are invited. The Mark Twain Award is to provide the children of Missouri with their very own source to enrich their lives through reading.

 

Gateway Readers Award
Missouri
The winner of the Gateway Readers Award is selected by students in grades nine through twelve. Because reading is the gateway to knowledge and lifelong learning, because the teen years are the gateway to adulthood, and because Missouri was the gateway to the Old West, the Gateway Readers Award is for authors of books chosen by high school students in Missouri.

 

Building Block Award
Missouri
The Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award, administered by the Children's Services Round Table of MLA, is presented annually to the author and illustrator of the picture book voted most popular by preschool children in Missouri's public libraries. Designed to encourage reading aloud to children from birth through kindergarten age, the award was first given in 1996. Parents and other caregivers are encouraged to read aloud to children from a list of ten titles selected annually by a group of Missouri children's librarians.

 

Treasure State Award
Montana
Montana's picture book award, The Treasure State Award,was established in 1990. This award program is for younger children (K-3)as students in grades fourth through eighth participate in the Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award. The purpose is to foster reading for pleasure, encourage critical reading skills, and expose readers and listeners to a variety of authors and illustrators.

 

Golden Sower Award
Nebraska
The award's sponsors, the Nebraska Library Association, hope the program will sow seeds which stimulate children's thinking; introduce different types of literature; encourage independent reading; increase library skills; and foster an appreciation for excellence in writing and illustrating.

 

Nevada Young Readers Award
Nevada
The Nevada Young Reader's Award was first established in the fall of 1987 by the Nevada Department of Education with the generous support of librarians and teachers. In its first year there were only 4,106 student votes in 14 schools. Since then, the award has grown each year. The Nevada Young Reader's Award is sponsored by the Nevada Library Association and the Nevada Department of Education.

 

The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award
New Hampshire
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award was created in 2005 in response to a New Hampshire teens' request to have a book award geared towards high school students. This award is a state-wide venture led by a collaborative effort from school and public librarians.

 

Ladybug Award
New Hampshire
The Ladybug Picture Book Award is designed to promote early literacy and honor the best in recent children's picture books. A committee of children's librarians from around the state selects 10 picture book titles early in the year. Then, during Children's Book Week in November, New Hampshire children from preschoolers to those in third grade choose the award winner.

 

Great Stone Face Award
New Hampshire
The mission of the Great Stone Face Award is to encourage children to value the importance of recreational reading and to promote a life-long love of reading. Children in grades 4-6 vote from a list of 25 titles.

 

Garden State Children's Book Award
New Jersey
The Garden State Children's Book Awards were established in 1977 to honor books for younger readers. The Children's Services Section (CSS) of the New Jersey Library Association felt that books for the early and middle grades seldom received proper recognition. Yet it is at this age, more than any other, that the potential reader needs to be encouraged, stimulated and captivated by the printed work and good illustration. The winners are chosen by a committee of the Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association on the basis of literary merit and popularity with readers. The awards are given to both author and illustrator in four categories: "Easy to Read" as specifically designated by the publisher, "Easy to Read Series", Fiction and Non-fiction for younger children in grades 2-5.

 

Garden State Teen Book Award
New Jersey
The Garden State Teen Book Award is a project of the Adult/Young Adult Section of the New Jersey Library Association. Its awards committee, representing libraries from throughout the state, selected the nominees based on teen appeal and quality of writing from the previous year's "Best Books" list. Ballots have been distributed to New Jersey school and public librarians.

 

Land of Enchantment Book Award : Children and Teen
New Mexico
The Land of Enchantment Book Award is an exciting program designed to encourage the youth of New Mexico to read outstanding books of literary quality. A committee selects two lists of books -- children's and young adult. Then, New Mexicos young people read and vote for the winners.

 

Charlotte Award
New York
Named for the main character in E.B. White's CHARLOTTE'S WEB, the purpose of the Charlotte Award is to encourage students to read outstanding literature and ultimately become life-long readers. Additionally, the award recognizes the authors and illustrators of such literature. Students in New York State will read titles on the ballot and vote for their favorites.

 

Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature
New York
In 1991, SLMS/NYLA established the Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature. It recognizes a New York State author who has demonstrated, through a body of work, a consistently superior quality which supports the curriculum and the educational goals of New York State schools. The award is named for a group of 19th century New York State authors who wished to nurture a national literature. It is presented annually to a living author/illustrator currently residing in New York State.

 

North Carolina Children's Book Award
North Carolina
The North Carolina Children's Book Award began in 1992 and is administered by members of the North Carolina Library Association's children's committee. The awards are chosen by children selecting from two categories -- "Picture Book" and "Junior Book".

 

Flicker Tale Children's Book Award
North Dakota
Since 1990, this award has been sponsored by the NDLA School Library & Youth Services Section with partial funding from the North Dakota Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

 

Buckeye Children's Book Award
Ohio
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. Since its inception, there have been 36 award winners

 

Sequotah Book Awards
Oklahoma
The Sequoyah Book Awards program encourages the students of Oklahoma to read books of literary quality. The first Sequoyah Children's Book Award was given in April, 1959, making the award the third oldest children's choice award in the nation. There are categories for both children and young adults.

 

Oregon Book Awards (Young Readers)
Oregon
Awards are given to distinguished titles written by Oregon authors.

 

Carolyn W. Field Award
Pennslyvania
This award was established in 1983 by the Youth Services Division of the Pennsylvania Library Association and honors titles by Pennsylvania authors and illustrators.

 

Pennsylvania Reader's Choice Award
Pennsylvania
The purpose of the Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award is to promote reading of quality books by young people in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to promote teacher and librarian involvement in children's literature, and to honor authors whose work has been recognized by the children of Pennsylvania.

 

Rhode Island Children's Book Award
Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Children's Book Award started in 1990 as a joint project of the Rhode Island Chapter of the International Reading Association (IRA), the Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) and the Rhode Island Educational Media Association (RIEMA) under the coordinatorship of the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS). Each of the participating bodies selects three representatives who each serve three year terms on a revolving basis.

 

Book Awards and Honors
South Carolina
The purposes of the South Carolina book awards are to encourage our students to read good quality contemporary literature and to honor the authors of the books annually chosen the favorites by student vote. The four awards (Picture Book, Children's, Junior and Young Adult)are administered by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians.

 

Prairie Bud and Pasque Awards
South Dakota
The Prairie Bud & Pasque Children's Book Awards are sponsored by the South Dakota Library Association. Prairie Bud winners are determined by South Dakota kindergarten, first, second and third grade students. Prairie Pasque winners are determined by South Dakota fourth, fifth and sixth grade students. Students are encouraged to read and vote for their one favorite book of the year from the masterlists of fifteen titles. The books receiving the most votes from the students win the awards. A committee of educators and librarians select the books nominated for the awards.

 

Volunteer Children's Book Award
Tennessee
The Tennessee Association of School Librarians and the Tennessee Library Association administer the annual Volunteer State Book Award. The awards, launched in 1978, are divided into three categories: grades K-3, 4-6, and young adult.

 

June Franklin Naylor Award
Texas
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library Committee established the June Franklin Naylor Award for the Best Book for Children on Texas History. Beginning with books published in 2004, the award will be given annually to the author/illustrator of the most distinguished book for children and young adults, grades K-12, that accurately portrays the history of Texas, whether fiction or nonfiction.

 

TAYSHAS Reading List
Texas
The objective of the Tayshas project is to motivate young adults to become life-long readers and to participate in the community of readers in Texas.

Golden Spur Awards -- see TSRA Literature Award
Texas

 

Texas Lone Star Reading List
Texas
The Texas Lone Star Reading List is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6, 7, or 8 to explore a variety of current books. The Lone Star List is intended for recreational reading, not to support a specific curriculum. Due to the diversity of this age range, Texas librarians should purchase titles on this list according to their individual collection policies. Each book on the list has been favorably reviewed for grades 6, 7, or 8 in a professional review source.

 

Texas Bluebonnet Award
Texas
The Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) reading program was established in 1979 to encourage Texas children to read more books, explore a variety of current books, develop powers of discrimination, and identify their favorite books. The award process provides librarians, teachers, parents, and writers with insight into young students' reading preferences. It further affords an opportunity to honor and encourage imaginative authors who create books with high appeal to children. The award program is a project of the Texas Library Association and is cosponsored by the Children's Round Table and the Texas Association of School Librarians, two units within TLA.

 

2 X 2 Book Award
Texas
The 2 X 2 Reading List is a project of the Children's Round Table, a unit of the Texas Library Association. The reading list,for ages 2 - second grade is made available to Public libraries; School libraries; Primary care facilities; Day care centers; Early childhood centers; Hospitals; Women, Infant and Children (WIC) sites; Health Department Clinics; and Head Start locations.

 

TSRA Literature Award
Texas
Multiple awards for children, young adult and illustrator.

 

Beehive Awards
Utah
The Children's Literature Association of Utah sponsors book awards that motivate reading. CLAU annually sponsors awards in five categories: Utah Children's Picture Book Award, Utah Children's Fiction Book Award, Utah Children's Informational Book Award, Utah Young Adults' Book Award, and Utah Children's Poetry Book Award.Winners are chosen from the nominated books by the children of Utah, who vote for their favorite books.

 

Red Clover Award
Vermont
The Red Clover Award was created in 1995 by Vermont's Windham County Reads, a non-profit literacy organization dedicated to bringing families and books together. Conceived by Eileen Christelow and named for Vermont's state flower by Jessie Haas, this children's choice award was designed to help young children experience the unique genius of the picture book and develop a lasting appreciation for excellence in writing and illustraton.

 

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award
Vermont
The Dorothy Canfield Children's Book Award, first given in 1957, is co-sponsored by the Vermont State PTA and the Vermont Department of Libraries. These books, to be read during the school year, comprise the master list for the award to be made each spring.

 

Virginia Reader's Choice
Virginia
The purpose of the awards are to encourage young readers to become better acquainted with contemporary books with outstanding literary appeal, to broaden students'awareness of literature as a life-long pleasure,to encourage reading aloud in classrooms as a means of introducing reading for pleasure, and to honor favorite books and their authors. There are 4 age level categories.

 

Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award
Washington
The Washington Children's Choice Award is selected annually by K-3 students in Washington State. It is administered by the Washington State Medai Association.

 

West Virginia Children's Book Award
West Virginia
The West Virginia Children's Book Award Program is an effort to enrich the lives of students in grades three through six by "encouraging the reading of books of literary quality".

 

Golden Archer Award
Wisconsin
The Golden Archer Award is sponsored by the Wisconsin Educational Media Association and is presented to authors of books nominated by students. There are 3 age level categories.

 

Buckaroo Book Award
Wyoming
Sponsored by the Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Reading Council, the Buckaroo Book Award will provide the opportunity for Wyoming children in grades Kindergarten through third to select favorite books they have read or have listened to and to honor the authors of these books.

 

Indian Paintbrush Book Award
Wyoming
Sponsored by the Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Reading Council, the Indian Paintbrush Book Award provides the opportunity for Wyoming youth in grades 4-6 to select a favorite book and honor its author.

 

Soaring Eagle Book Award
Wyoming
Sponsored by the Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Reading Council, the Soaring Eagle Book Award will provide the opportunity for Wyoming youth in grades 7-12 to select a favorite book and honor its author.

 

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CANADIAN CHILDREN'S BOOKO AWARDS

 

Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Medal
Presented annually by the Canadian Association of Children's Librarians to the illustrator of an outstanding children's book published during the preceding calendar year.

 

Arthur Ellis Awards
Presented by the Crime Writers of Canada in six categories, including juvenile, in the crime genre by authors living in Canada.

 

CLA Book of the Year for Children
Presented annually by the Canadian Association of Children's Librarians to the author of an outstanding children's book published during the previous calendar year.

 

Governor General's Literary Awards
Given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in seven categories, including Children's Literature and Children's Illustration.

 

Josephine Nobisso

 

Marie Baillie Picture Book Award
The Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, established in 2006, honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format. The $10,000 prize is awarded annually. To be eligible, the book must be an original work in English, aimed at children ages three to eight, written and illustrated by Canadians and first published in Canada. Eligible genres include fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

 

Norma Fleck Award for Children's Non-Fiction
Established by the Fleck Family Foundation and The Canadian Children's Book Centre to recognize and raise the profile of these exceptional non-fiction books; the annual award is the largest of its kind in Canadian children's literature.

 

Sheila A. Egoff Children's Book Prize
Awarded annually as part of the British Columbia Book Prize program to the best children's book published in the previous year written by a writer who is a resident in British Columbia.

 

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

TD Canadian Childrens Literature Award for the most distinguished book of the year. Distinguished is defined as marked by conspicuous excellence and/or eminence, individually distinct and noted for significant achievement with excellence in quality.

 

Writing for Children Competition
Awarded annually by the Writers' Union of Canada to discover unpublished Canadian authors.

 

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INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARDS

 

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
When Astrid Lindgren died in 2002, the Swedish Government decided to establish an annual prize honor her memory and to generate international publicity about literature for children.

 

Aventis Prizes for Science Books
The Aventis Prizes for Science Books, presented annually, celebrate the very best in popular science writing for adults and children. (UK)

 

Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually to the writer of an outstanding book for children. It was established by The Library Association in 1936. (UK)

 

Costa Book Awards
The Costa Book Awards recognise the most enjoyable books of the last year by writers based in the UK and Ireland.

Formerly known as the Whitbread Book Awards, Costa announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK's most prestigious book prize in 2006.

 

Hans Christian Andersen Award
Every other the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) presents the Hans Christian Andersen Awards to an author and an illustrator, living at the time of the nomination, whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature. (International)

 

International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List
The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honouring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries

 

Kate Greenaway Medal
The Kate Greenaway Medal was established by The Library Association in 1955, for distinguished illustration in a book for children. (UK)

 

NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature
Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma and "World Literature Today", this is a lifetime achievement award given every other year to a living writer from any nation. The essential criterion is that the writer's work has a positive impact on the quality of children's literature.

Whitbread Book Awards -- see Costa Book Awards

 

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