Newbery
Medal
- Frederic G. Melcher, editor of Publisher’s Weekly Magazine, donated
and named this award as a tribute to John Newbery (1713-1767), the first
English publisher of books for children.Beginning
in 1922 and every year since, the Medal has been given by an awards committee
of the Children’s Services Division of the American Library Association
(ALA) to the author of the most distinguished contribution to literature
for children published in the United States during the preceding year.The
author must be a citizen or resident of the U.S.Each
year since 1922 there have been varying numbers of honor books.
Caldecott
Medal
- Frederic G. Melcher, American editor and publisher who conceived the
Newbery Medal proposed the establishment of a similar award for picture
books, and since 1938 the Caldecott Medal has been awarded annually by
an awards committee of the American Library Association’s Children’s Services
Division...to the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book for
children published in the U.S. in the preceding year.The
award is named in honor of Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886), the English
illustrator whose picture still delight children.The
award is limited to residents or citizens of the U.S.
Boston
Globe-Horn Book Awards
- Awarded annually in three categories: outstanding fiction or poetry,
outstanding nonfiction and outstanding illustration.
Children’s
Book Award
- Presented annually by the International Reading Association (IRA) to
authors from any country whose first or second book shows unusual promise.It
was first presented in 1975.
Laura
Ingalls Wilder Medal
- Presented every five years by the Children’s Book Division of the American
Library Association to an author or illustrator whose books have made a
lasting contribution to children’s literature.It
was first awarded in 1954 to Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Scott
O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction
- Given annually since 1981, by the Advisory Committee of the Bulletin
of the Center for Children’s Books to honor distinguished historical fiction
for children.The setting for the
books must be in North, South or Central American.
Hans
Christian Anderson International Medal
- Given first in 1956, this award honors authors and illustrators from
around the world.They must be living,
it is presented every two years, and their total works have made an outstanding
contribution to children’s literature.
Coretta
Scott King Award
- Awarded
annually since 1970 to black authors and illustrators for outstanding,
inspirational, and educational contributions to children’s literature.These
awards are presented by the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the
American Library Association.
National
Jewish Book Awards
- Given since 1952 and sponsored by the Jewish Book council, the awards
are designed to promote American Jewish literary creativity and appreciation.Awards
are given for a specific book, a cumulative contribution, and to recognize
excellence in illustration.
Sequoyah
Children’s Book Award
- Named for the Native-American, Sequoyah, responsible for creating the
Cherokee alphabet.This award is
selected by votes of Oklahoma school children in grades 3-6, from a master
list of 20 titles, chosen by an award committee.Qualifying
books are by living authors whose nominated books were published in the
three year period prior to the award.
RESOURCES
FOR CHILDREN’S BOOK SELECTION
The
following materials focus on award-winning books.Some
are relatively inexpensive, others free, and some are available in your
school or public library.
Children’s
Books: Awards and Prizes.This
reference book is published and updated periodically by the Children’s
Book Council.It contains historical
lists of the major awards in the U. S. and internationally, including some
state awards.
The
Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books.Available
from the American Library Association and updated annually.
Catalog
of Books By and About People of Color.Lists
of children’s books in all genres, posters, music, art, audio books, curriculum
materials, etc.
Notable
Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies.The
list appears yearly in the April/May issue of Social Education.
Outstanding
Science Trade Books for Children.List
appears in the March issue of Science and Children.
American
Library Association Notable Children’s Books.List
of notable books of literary quality, originality of text or illustration,
found in the November issue of The Reading Teacher.
Children’s
Choice Awards. Each
year a joint committee from the International Reading Association (IRA)
and the Children’s Book Council (CBC) selects a groups of books to be made
available to children for their consideration and vote.The
list contains those books that received the most votes.A
list can be found in the November issue of The Reading Teacher.