Award-Winning Children's Literature: Primary Awards

The American Indian Library Association (AILA) recognizes 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.

The Asian/Pacific Librarian Association honors and recognizes individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit through this award.

The Batchelder Award 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 language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States.

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.

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 of a pluralistic society. 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.

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal honors 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.

Awarded by the Coretta Scott King Task Force, the John Steptoe New Talent Award is intended 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.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.

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.

The Printz Award is awarded to a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latinx writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latinx cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

The Schneider Family Book Award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Three annual awards are presented for the best Teen, Middle School and Children’s Book. Honors were introduced in 2019.

The Sibert Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published for children during the preceding year.

The Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award honors LGBTQ* books for juvenile and young adult audiences. The award is sponsored by the ALA Rainbow Round Table.

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.

Honors the best informational texts for young adults (ages 12-18). Each year, five shortlisted titles are announced, of which one title is awarded the medal.

Awarded by the Arab American National Museum, the Arab American Book Award encourages the publication and excellence of books that preserve and advance understanding, knowledge, and resources of Arab Americans.

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.

The Buckeye Children’s and Teen Book Award program is designed to encourage students in Ohio to read literature critically, to promote teacher and librarian involvement in young adult literature programs, and to commend authors of such literature. The Teen category was added to the existing Buckeye Children’s Book Award in 2003.

Administered by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Charlotte Huck award commemorates exemplary fiction writing for children in grades K-8. In particular, the fiction should inspire compassion, inspiration, and wonder in the child reader.

The only children's literature prize entirely judged by peers, the Golden Kite Awards are given annually to recognize excellence in children’s literature in several categories, including: Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book Text, and Picture Book Illustration.

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 Mathical Book Prize cultivates a love of mathematics in the everyday world. Each year’s winners and honor books join a selective and ever-growing list of new and previously published fiction and non-fiction titles for kids of all ages.

The National Book Award is given to recognize literary achievements in American Literature. The CRC collects books that have won in the Young People's Literature category.

The Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children was established as 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.

Newbery winning author Scott O'Dell established this award to encourage other writers--particularly new authors--to focus on historical fiction.

Administered by We Need Diverse Books, the Walter Award, named after canonical Black author Walter Dean Myers, recognizes a diverse author whose story affirms the experience of a diverse character in a meaningful way. The award is given in two categories: Young Reader (ages 9-13) and Teen (13-18).