Welcome! Maddi' and I have four children seven and under and so children's literature plays a massive role in our lives- lucky us!
We believe that Children's and Young Adult literature is universal. Whilst we have noted country of origin on the list below we want to encourage everyone to travel through cyberspace to see which works are being recognised elsewhere. A major part of our motivation is to ensure that every award, how ever local, gets to share it's hard-thought through choices globally!
The list below contains over 70 awards. We are tracking another 200 awards and will add them as time permits. ! If you are interested in America's fine Children and Young Adults State Awards, you can find links to over eighty prizes here at Bookawardsonline. Enjoy your travels through the KidsTeenLitoSphere
Kevin & Maddi Parker - email us if you are involved in an award you would like added.
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 - more
Presented annually by Alberta Community Development, the Writers Guild of Alberta and the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, is given to the Alberta-based publisher producing thebest children’s or young adult book, including fiction, non-fiction and picture books - more
Since 1981 the Alcuin Society has sponsored the Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada. It is the only national competition that recognizes and celebrates fine book design in Canada. Each year, publishers submit books to a panel of expert judges, who give the Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada -more
The Alex Awards are given annually to the top ten books published during the previous year that were written for adults but which are judged to have "special appeal" for young adults. The first set of awards were presented in 1998.
It is sponsored by Booklist magazine and by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust from where theawards get their name, as Edwards preferred to be called "Alex". Since 2002 the awards have been administered by the American Library Association - moree 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.Association of Library Service to Children - USA -more
A highly regarded Canadian book award started in 1971 in honor of Amelia Frances Howard Gibbon who was the creator of the first Canadian children's picture book. Given by the, award is presented to the illustrator of an outstanding children's book published during the previous calendar year. The illustrator must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and the book must be suitable for children up to age fourteen and be published in Canada. Given by Canadian Association of Children's Librarians (CACL)- - more
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) - more
The Nova Scotia Library Association presents Ann Conner Brimer Book Award during Canadian Children's Book Week in November to recognize excellence in writing. The $1000 prize is given to the author of a children's book which has made an outstanding contribution to children's literature in Atlantic Canada. The winning author must be alive and residing in Atlantic Canada at time of nomination - more
Established in 1984 and named after the nom de travail of Canada's official hangman, Arthur Ellis Best Juvenile Crime Award are awarded annually by the Crime Writers of Canada. Crime Writers of Canada is Canada's national professional association of published authors of crime, detective, espionage, mystery, suspense and thriller fiction - both novels and short stories, true crime and genre. The book must be published within the preceding year by a Canadian resident, regardless of nationality, or a Canadian writer living abroad. In 1993, a category for best juvenile mystery was included -more
Bilbys- Queensland Children's Choice Award- Australia
Bilby stands for Books I Love Best Yearly.The Bilby Awards are Queensland's children's choice awards. They are run by the Children's Book Council of Australia (Queensland Branch) - more
The Blue Peter Book Awards are a series of literary prizes for children's literature awarded annually by the BBC television programme Blue Peter, and inaugurated in 2000. An overall award, The Blue Peter Book of the Year, is selected from the winners of three categories: "The Book I Couldn't Put Down", "The Best Book with Facts", and "The Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud" - more
The Blue Spruce is a provincial primary reading program developed by the Ontario Library Association. Originally designed for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 - more
Supported by Bookstart and the Unwin Foundation The Booktrust Early Years Awards aim to celebrate, publicise and reward the exciting range of books being published today for babies, toddlers and pre-school children
and to promote and make these books accessible to as wide an audience as possible - more
Launched in 2003 to recognise and celebrate contemporary fiction written for teenager, the prize (which is judged by a mixed panel of adults and teenagers) has in the words of former judge Matt Whyman 'fast become the benchmark for quality young people's fiction in the UK - more
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 -more
One of the worlds most highly regarded children's book awards, The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of theAmerican Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year - more
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. The book must be suitable for children up to age fourteen and have been published in Canada by an author who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. (Christopher Paul Curtis' , Elijah of Buxton, won in 2008) - more
Established in 1980 by the Young Adult Caucus of the Saskatchewan Library Association and is administered by the Young Adult Services Group (YASIG). This prize is awarded to the author of an outstanding English language book for young adults (ages 13-18) published in the preceding calendar year - more
The Carnegie Medal is awarded by children's librarians for an outstanding book for children and young people. The medal is now organized by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. (UK). It was established by The Library Association in 1936, in memory of the Scottish-born philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919 more-
The CBI Bisto Award Leabhar-Ghradaim CBI Bisto's are the leading annual Children's Book Awards in Ireland. Now in their 18th year, the awards have been sponsored since their inception by Bisto (Premier Foods). The Awards are made annually - more-
These annual prizes are for books with an implied readership under the age of eighteen. The Short List in each category is announced April. The winners are announced in August. They are presented in five categories - more-
The BC Chocolate Lily Young Readers’ Choice Award encourages grade school students to read some of the best fiction by British Columbia’s children’s authors and illustrators. There are two categories: Best Picture Book, as voted by students in kindergarten through grade 3, and Best Chapter Book/Novel, chosen by readers in grades 4 through 8. The winners of the Chocolate Lily are presented at a gala in May - more
A new award category that has been added to the British Columbia Book Prize Program. The prize is presented to the author and illustrator of the best children’s picture book by a British Columbia or Yukon resident. This new award creates two categories for children’s books - the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature prize will now cover only non-illustrated works - more
The COOL Awards are the children's choice book awards voted for by the younger people of the Canberra Region. The COOL Awards stands for Canberra's Own Outstanding List. It is a program run for children, allowing them to vote for their favourite book in the sections of Picture Story Book, Fiction for Younger Readers, and Fiction for Older Readers - more
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 - more
Aims to recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children's book illustration. It is administered by the Victorian Branch of the CBCA and the judging panel of three is nominated and elected by the executive of the Victorian Branch - more
The Cybils Awards are a children's and teen's literature lovers blogger led initiative. The review committee examines nominations put forward by the public awarding books based on a balance between literary merit and popularity - more
The Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Awards – the Willow Awards – are granted annually to the authors of Canadian children’s books voted by students as the best of those nominated in the designated categories for books suitable for grades 4-6 - more
Established in 1985 following the death of Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver, one of Canada's pre-eminent book illustrators. In her will, Cleaver left a fund of $10,000 dollars for an award to be given annually in recognition of outstanding artistic talent in a Canadian picture book. The recipient receives a cheque for $1,000 dollars and a certificate - more
Environment Award- Leading Childrens Environment Book Award- Australia
The Wilderness Society's Environment Award for Children’s Literature was set up to help promote a sense of caring and responsibility for nature through quality Australian children's books. The rationale for the Environment Award is to create positive attitudes towards and understanding of, the natural environment. It was established in 1995 -more
Awarded annually to reward excellence in the writing of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young readers, by a Canadian author, published in the previous calendar year. In 2008, the value of the prize was increased from $1,000 to $5,000.The award winner is decided by a jury selected by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. All books written by Canadian citizens or landed immigrants are eligible for consideration - more
given annually to an Alberta writer whose juvenile fiction book was selected by children in Grades 4 through 7 from schools in southern Alberta.The competing books are selected by a committee comprised of librarians from both schools and public libraries - more
The Golden Kite is one of five awards presented by The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) In this respect it's like a Players Player Award in sport. To be recognized by your peers; they who know just what is involved in producing a glorious illustrated and scripted children's book, for many this is surely a pinnacle award - more
Up to four Children's Prize awards can be given each year, one each to an English language writer, a French language writer, an illustrator of an English language book, and an illustrator of a French language book. In 2007, in honour of the Canada Council’s 50th anniversary, the award prize was increased from $15,000 to $25,000. In addition, publishers of winning titles receive $3,000 for the promotion of the prize-winning book. Non-winning finalists each receive $1,000. The panel of judges is appointed by The Canada Council and prizes are presented each year along with the other Governor General's Literary Awards - more-
Given annually in recognition of an English language work of fiction or non-fiction 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 (CCB) at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The Center also publishes The Bulletinwhich is devoted entirely to the review of current books for children - more
A program designed to promote reading among children in grades 4-6 and – like the Silver Birch, Red Cedar and other children’s choice awards – to recognize the reading preferences of young readers. Children read from a list of 10 fiction and 10 non-fiction English-language titles and cast their votes in April -more
The Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award is given to a book that arouses interest, stimulates curiosity, captures the imagination, and fosters concern for the world around us. The award's aim is to recognize excellence in Canadian publishing of non-fiction for children. The criteria include accuracy, clarity, imaginative approach, appropriateness of organization and format, and sensitivity to ethnocentric and gender biases - more-
Intended to encourage the publication of books for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. The award and accompanying cash prize of $1,000 are given annually to either an illustrator or an author of a book judged to contribute to children’s reading, and is chosen by a Committee set up by the Municipal Chapter of Toronto IODE. The award-winner must be a Canadian citizen, resident in Toronto or the surrounding area, and the book must be published in Canada. This award is announced in February, annually - more
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 - more
Established by The Library Association 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.
It was first Kate Greenaway Medal book award went to Edward Ardizzone for Tim All Alone (Little Tim). The medal is now awarded by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, which is a new organisation formed by the Unification of the Institute of Information Scientists and The Library Association on 1 April 2002 - more
The KOALA's, Kids Own Australian Literature Awards Inc. are annual awards made by young readers in NSW to the Australian books they have most enjoyed reading during that year.
Students are invited to nominate their favourite Australian book; a shortlist of 30 titles (10 picture books, 10 titles for younger readers and 10 titles for older readers) is drawn up from the nominations. Students then vote for their favourite shortlisted title. Winners are announced in the three categories Picture Book -more
Established in 1991 by the Manitoba School Library Association. It is presented to the Canadian children’s book that receives the most votes by children from grades 5-8 involved in the program. Participants must read at least 3 titles from a pre-selected list - more
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 six, written and illustrated by Canadians and first published in Canada. Eligible genres include fiction, non-fiction and poetry - more
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. The award is sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association.
Established in 1985,the National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award of $3,000 is given to the best English-language book published in the previous calendar year by a Canadian and published in Canada. The work must contain at least 500 words of text, be suitable for children aged 13 and under and may be in any category, with the exception of fairy tales, anthologies and adaptations. The winner will be chosen by a six-member panel of judges, which includes two recognized specialists in the field of children’s literature. The award may be divided between two people. The prize is generally announced in May - more
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 book award is one of the world's oldest book prizes having been established in 1922 - more
Originally awarded a single prize for the Picture Story Book of the Year. Over the year the awards were expanded and some categories experienced name changes -
The awards are supported by New Zealand Post and administered by BooksellersNew Zealand. Awards are currently offered in the following categories: Book of the Year, Picture Book, JuniorFiction, Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction, Best First Book,Children's Choice Award - more
Canada’s non-fiction books for young people are internationally renowned for the superb quality of their text, illustration and design. The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction was established by the Fleck Family Foundation and the Canadian Children's Book Centre on May 17, 1999 to recognize and raise the profile of these exceptional non-fiction books
The $10,000 Norma Fleck Award is the largest of its kind in Canadian children’s books and is considered to be one of Canada’s most prestigious literary prizes - more
Coordinated through the Office of Cultural Affairs. The awards recognize published books of literary excellence, written by local authors residing in Ottawa. From 1986 to 2003, the awards alternated annually between the categories of fiction and non-fiction. As of 2004, the awards will include submissions in both English and French. A prize of $2,500 will be awarded in each of the following four categories: English fiction, English non-fiction, French fiction and French non-fiction. Children’s books are eligible for submission - more
The oldest children’s choice award in Canada and the US. It is the only regional award chosen by children of the two countries. 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- more
Pura Belpré Award – Latino/Latina writer for Children/Youth Literature- USA
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 - more
This annual R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature competition, run-by the Writers Guild of Alberta, recognizes excellence in writing by an author who has been resident in Alberta for at least twelve of the previous eighteen months. The winner receives a leather-bound copy of his/her book and a $500 cash award. The award alternates yearly between picture and chapter books - more
Program encourages students in Grades 4 - 7 in British Columbia to read Canadian fiction and non-fiction titles. Each year, a Red Cedar Award is presented to one fiction and one non-fiction book which receive the most votes from children in the program. The first award was presented in May of 1998. To be included in the program, a book must have been: written by and illustrated by a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has lived in Canada for at least two years; published two calendar years before the nomination date; published by a recognized publisher and available in print; recognized by other reviewers of Canadian children’s literature; and recognized as being of general interest to students in grades 4 to 7. Winners are announced annually in May
- more
Founded in 1980 as The Children's Book Award by Pat Thomson, a member of the Federation of Children's Book Groups. It has been sponsored by Red House since 2001 when it became the Red House Children's Book Award. Prizes have been awarded rizes in three categories since 1992 the prize is judged entirely by children from shortlist to final overall winners - more
The Ontario Library Association’s annual Red Maple Award was first presented in 1998. This award is open to Canadian authors writing at the Grade 7-8 level, who have been published within the last two years. Originally established to honour fiction books, in 2005 the award was expanded to include a non-fiction category. The winner is selected by Ontario’s young readers. In 2008, the official sponsor of the Red Maple Award reading program will be S & B Books - more
Booktrust, in association with Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, has launched the inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize. This new prize has two categories –
The Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under
The Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen.
Fiction, non-fiction and poetry will be welcomed more
An Alberta-based readers’ choice program which invites students in grades 4-7 to choose the best book from a shortlist of exemplary Canadian literature. The books submitted must have been published in the last two years in Canada. The winner receives a Gold medal specially designed for the Rocky Mountain Book Award. The winning author is also asked to tour the province of Alberta - more
The Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) offers annually an award known as the Russell Clark Award. The award is for the artist who has produced the most distinguished pictures or illustrations for a children's book with, or without, text more
Prior to 2004, this award was known as the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award. It was established in 1976 by Sylvia Schwartz in honour of the late Ruth Schwartz, a respected Toronto bookseller. In 2004, the Schwartz family decided to rename the awards – the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards to honour Sylvia, a well-known photographer in Toronto from 1940s to the early 1960s, who specialized in children’s portraiture. This prize recognizes authors and illustrators who demonstrate artistic excellence in Canadian children’s literature- more
Established in 1993, Saskatchewan Children's Literature Book Award celebrates the achievements of Saskatchewan authors and publishers while helping to promote their books. Leading up to the awards, shortlist readings help promote nominated books. The awards gala is usually held in late November more
Administered by the Canadian Science Writers’ Association to honour outstanding contributions to science writing. Competitors must be Canadian citizens or residents of Canada and entries, in either French or English, must have been published in Canada during the current calendar year. A prize of $1,000 is awarded to the winner - more
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 has been resident in British Columbia (or the Yukon) for three of the previous five years, published anywhere in the world. Deadline for submissions is December 1st, annually. Funded by the BC government, the prize carries a cash value of $2,000- more
Established in 1994, the Silver Birch Award is part of a reading program developed by the Ontario Library Association’s Libraries Advance Ontario Project. Originally the program was for Ontario children in grades 4, 5 and 6 - more-
The aim of the Sydney Taylor Book Award is to encourage the publication of outstanding books of Jewish content for children and teens that, in their view, exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.
It is the hope of the sponsors, The Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL), that official recognition of such books will inspire authors, encourage publishers, inform parents and teachers, and intrigue young readers - more
On October 28, 2004 the Canadian Children’s Book Centre and the TD Bank Financial Group announced the establishment of a brand-new annual, children’s book award, the TD Canadian Children’s 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 - more
The award is for a work of narrative fiction appropriate for children between the ages of seven and thirteen years. It was established to honour the memory of Tom Fitzgibbon, the first chairman of the New Zealand Children's Book Foundation, and to recognise his unique contribution to children's literature in this country - more
Sponsored by the George Cedric Metcalf Foundation, was originally administered by the Canadian Authors Association and is now presented by the Writer’s Trust of Canada. The $15,000 cash prize is awarded to a Canadian writer (citizen or landed immigrant) who has produced a body of work (at least four books) that, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates the highest literary standards. The award is announced and presented at the Great Literary Awards held each Spring in Toronto- more
WAYRBA ( Western Australia Young Readers Book Awards-official site) is a readers' choice award, organised on a statewide basis for young readers throughout Western Australia. The Award operates on two levels, Younger Readers and Older Readers- more
A provincial reading program for high school students sponsored by the Ontario Library Association. Students read 10 nominated Canadian young adult books and vote for their favourite book. In 2008, the official sponsor of the White Pine Award reading program will be S & B Books. The award was previously sponsored by National Book Service (NBS) - more
The awards are a children's choice book from the Australian State of Victoria presented annually.Children nominate Australian children's fiction books that have been published in the last ten years to create a short list. Children vote for their favourite books by a specified date in October, (usually International Children's Day). The winners are announced at the award ceremony where authors and illustrators receive YABBA citations presented by children
Blue Peter Book Award
CBI Bisto- Irish Childrens Book Awards
New Zealand Post Awards for Children & Young Adults
