U.S. Children's Book Awards

American Library Association Children's Literature Awards

Winners are announced each year on the Monday of the American Library Association Mid-Winter Meeting (January/February). The Award presentation takes place at the ALA Conference (June/July).

Summary of the 1999 ALA Awards - Announced February 1, 1999

Summary of the 1998 ALA Awards

Summary of the 1997 ALA Awards

Summary of the 1996 ALA Awards

Newbery Medal Books

Newbery Medal and Honor Books

Caldecott Medal Books - For illustration

Caldecott Medal and Honor Books

Coretta Scott King Award

Presented annually to a black author and a black illustrator.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award

For outstanding translated book for children.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal

Presented once every three years to an author or illustrator for a body of work.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for Outstanding Literature For Young Adults

For lifetime achievement in writing for teenagers.

The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award

Winners and Honor Books are announced each fall at the New England Library Association conference. One of the things that makes this list different from the Newbery and Caldecott lists is that books published in the U.S. but written by non-Americans are eligible. Since 1976, it has also included an award for nonfiction.

National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Presented each year in November. The Young People's category was added in 1996. This list also includes the Children's Books categories of the National Book Award/American Book Awards 1969-1983.

American Booksellers Book of the Year, Children's Prize

Presented annually in May/June. The Children's Award began in 1993.

Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College

Three awards: the Josette Frank Award (formerly the Child Study Committee Children's Book Award) for fiction, the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for nonfiction, and the Claudia Lewis Award for poetry. Presented to works for children or young people that "deal realistically and in a positive way with problems in their world."

The Christopher Award

Winners in the Books for Young People category of the Christopher Awards, which are presented each February to works which "which affirm the highest values of the human spirit."

The Golden Kite Award

Presented to members of the Society Of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators by their peers.

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

Presented by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Jane Addams Book Award

Presented to the book that most effectively promotes the cause of peace, social justice and world community. Announced each year on September 6, Jane Addams' birthdate.

Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

The Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP). Given in recognition of a U.S. work in English or Spanish which "authentically and engagingly presents the experience of individuals in Latin America or the Caribbean, or of Latinos in the United States."

Pura Belpre Award

First awarded in 1996. Honors Latino writers and illustrators whose work best exemplify authentic cultural experiences in children's works of literature.

Aesop Prize Winners and Aesop Accolade Lists

The Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society. For outstanding books incorporating folklore.

Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children

National Council of Teachers of English. Presented once every three years to a poet in recognition of an entire body of work.

Giverny Award

First presented in April 1998 to the "Best Children's Science Picture Book."

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

Awarded to a book published in the U.S. and set in the New World. Awarded in the first quarter of each year.

Edgar Allan Poe Awards

Mystery Writers of America. Awarded each Spring. Bookwire's Edgar Awards page includes information on the other (non-juvenile) categories.
1997 Nominees (Juvenile and Young Adult categories)
Best Juvenile Mystery
Best Young Adult Mystery

Georgia Children's Book Award

The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award

Chosen by grade 4-8 students in Illinois schools, from a list of nominees.

The Young Hoosier Book Awards

Children's choice awards in three categories (K-3, 4-6, and 6-8), sponsored by the Association for Indiana Media Educators.

William Allen White Book Award

Selected by Kansas young people in the 4th to 8th grades.

Massachusetts Children's Book Award

Selected by students in grades 4-6.

Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature

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.

Texas Bluebonnet Awards

Honors a U.S. book selected by the students of Texas.

Children's Literature Association of Utah

The website lists the winners of the Utah's Children's Choice Awards, and includes teaching ideas for next year's nominated titles.

The Dorothy Canfield Book Award

Vermont's Students' Choice Award.

South Carolina Children's Book Awards: 1996-97 Nominees