Award Winning Childrens Books

There are numerous awards for children's books. Each award tends to honor different qualities and age groups. For example, if you are looking for a childrens book that will challenge an accelerated reader, you might choose a Newbery award winner.

Childrens Book Awards
What to Look For...

• Know the qualities of an engaging children's book. If you are trying to turn a child on to reading, an award winner doesn't necessarily mean your child will love the book.

• Know what quality the award is honoring. Some honor illustrations, literary merit, or educational value.

• Know who is doing the judging. Sometimes it's librarians, or teachers. Other times it's the kids themselves.

• Know the age-group. Most children's book awards choose from among books written for anyone under 18! That means one year the winner may be appropriate for a 15 year-old and the next year it may be appropriate for a six year-old.

To help you find award winning children's books, I've listed numerous awards and a brief description of each. By clicking on the name of the Book Award, you'll open a new page with a list of the current and past winners.

Awards for Literary Merit

Charlotte Zolotow Award
This award is given to outstanding books for children birth to age seven. It is awarded by the Cooperative Children's Book Center which is part of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison. It's name honors a UWM alumus who worked as a children's book editor and wrote children's books herself. The winners are selected by a committee.

International Reading Association Children's Book Awards
This an award for an author's first or second published book. The books can be from any country and in any language. The books can be fiction or nonfiction and are awarded by age-group.

The Jefferson Cup
If you are looking for historical fiction or American history, this is the award to consider. It is awarded by the Virginia Library Association's Children's and Young Adult Round Table for distinguished books that are biography, historical fiction, or American history. These award winning childrens books tend to be for older readers.

National Book Awards
This award was established in 1950 to honor excellent books and is selected by an independent panel of five judges. Children's book awards were added in 1969 and briefly discontinued from 1984-1995. Books that receive this award tend to be for older (12+) readers.

John Newbery Medal
This is the oldest children's book award. It was named to honor a British Bookseller, John Newbery. The award is given to the author of that has given a distinguished contribution to children's literature. These award winning childrens books are chosen by members of the American Library Association.

Awards for Illustrations

Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott medal was named for and English illustrator, Randolph Caldecott. It is an award honoring the illustrations in a book. It is awarded by the American Library Association.

Other Book Awards

Parent's Choice Award
This award has been given since 1978 by the Parent's Choice Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit consumer guide to children's media from books, toys, video, audio and computer programs to television magazines, and music.

Take time to browse through the award winning childrens books and you will surely find a book that will delight your child.

Award Winning Childrens Books to Childrens Books