Award-winning books for children and teens
Children’s, young adult, and teen books that have won literature awards, medals, or have been honored by leading children’s literature organizations. Hallmarks of these books are high-quality writing, richly evocative language that engages young imaginations, and distinctive authorial voices. This list contains over 50 titles that have been honored with major children’s and YA literature awards. We’ve selected titles that have lasting appeal, memorable storylines, relatable characters, and highly original writing. This list features books by Mordicai Gerstein, Deborah Underwood, Linda Sue Park, Jerry Craft, Pedro Martín, Rita Williams-Garcia, Kwame Alexander, Angie Thomas, Dean Atta, and Akwaeke Emezi.
Award-winning books for children and teens – our recommendations
Award-winning picture books
Bunny and Tree by Balint Zsako. A New York Public Library Best Children’s Book of 2023
Golem by David Wisniewski. Winner of the 1997 Caldecott Medal.
The House in the Night by Susan Maries Swanson and Beth Krommes. Caldecott Award Winner.
Moses by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. A Coretta Scott King Award Winner.
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe. A Caldecott Honor winning book.
More, more more Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams. Caldecott Honor-winning book.
We Are Starlings by Robert Furrow, Donna Jo Napoli and Marc Martin. A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. Winner of the 2004 Caldecott Medal.
Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault. Caldecott Honor Book.
Blackout by John Rocco. A Caldecott Honor book.
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat. Caldecott Medal Winner.
In Every Life by Marla Frazee. Caldecott Honor book.
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small. Caldecott Honor book.
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Collier. Caldecott Honor book.
Waiting by Kevin Henkes. Caldecott Honor book.
Outside In by Deborah Underwood and Cindy Derby. Caldecott Honor book.
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of 2012.
Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo. Caldecott Honor book.
Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue and Pamela Zagarenski. Caldecott Medal Winner.
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade. Caldecott Medal Winner.
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent by Irene Vasco and Juan Palomino. New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award.Award-winning chapter books for elementary and middle school students
Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas. National Book Award longlist.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. SLJ Best Books of the Year.
Sing Down the Moon by Scott O’Dell. Newbery Honor Award Winner.
Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff. Newbery Honor book.
New Kid by Jerry Craft. Winner of the Newbery Medal.
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani Larocca. Newbery Honor book.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary. Newbery Honor book.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. Newbery Honor book.
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow. National Book Award longlist.
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. Scott O’Dell Award.
Mexikid by Pedro Martín. Newbery Honor book.
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. Newbery Honor book.
The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow and Margaret Bloy Graham. Caldecott Honor book.
A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. National Book Award winner.
Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson. Newbery Honor book.Award-winning novels for teens and high school students
In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington. Stonewall Honor book.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Printz Honor book.
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. Newbery Honor Award Winner.
The Wall by Peter Sís. The Robert F Sibert Medal.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Printz Honor book.
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Coretta Scott King Award.
Wringer by Jerry Spinelli. Newbery Honor book.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Coretta Scott King Award.
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson. Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for new talent.
Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington. Stonewall Honor book.
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta. Stonewall Book Award.
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. Stonewall Book Award.
Picture Us In the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert. California Book Award.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. Stonewall Book Award.
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. National Book Award finalist.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston. Stonewall Book Award.
Who Am I Without Him? by Sharon Flake. Coretta Scott King Honor book.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. Printz Honor book.
Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. Printz Award winner.
Fire from the Sky by Moa Backe Åstot. Kirkus Best Book of the Year.
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert. Stonewall Book Award.Click the buttons below to purchase all of the books in this award-winning books for children and teens list, as well as classroom sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org. Or buy the 20 most popular titles from this list from Amazon – ideal for gifts or stocking your school library. If you are ordering from outside the US, have a look at our ‘worldwide orders’ page which makes this process easy.
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Books awards and prizes for children’s and teen fiction and nonfiction
- Caldecott Medal – awarded in honor of Randolph Caldecott, this annual award is presented by the ALSC to the “artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children“.
- Charlotte Zolotow Award – this prestigious award is presented annually to “the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year“.
- Coretta Scott King Book Awards – this award honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King by recognizing “outstanding books by African American authors and illustrators“.
- Geisel Award – Theodor Seuss Geisel Award recognizes and honors books for emerging and beginner readers. Tracking these books is a great way to source great books for grades 1-3.
- Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Awards – these awards are presented annually by The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator and honor “the best in children’s books and young adult fiction“.
- Newbery Medal – presented by the ALSC, this award recognizes “the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” each year.
- Odyssey Award – this award is presented each year to the “producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States“. It’s a great award to track to help stock your school or home library with great audiobook options.
- Printz Award – The Michael L Printz Award is award annually and celebrates “the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit“.
- Pura Belpré Award – is a children’s and youth literature award presented annually to “a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience“.
- Stonewall Book Award – this annual award, sponsored by the American Library Association’s Rainbow Round Table honors “exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience“.
- Sydney Taylor Book Awards – “presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience“.
BISAC JUV000000 & YAF000000 Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction | Thema YFB
