All Wellesley Free Libraries will be closed on Saturday May 24th, Sunday May 25th, and Monday May 26th.

Book Awards

Newbery Award 2025

Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Cover of "The First State of Being," by Erin Entrada Kelly. Image description: 3 kids walk to the right against a yellow-clouded golden-hour background.

The First State of Being

Written by Erin Entrada Kelly

Find it at WFL

 

Past Newbery Awards & Honors

Caldecott Medal 2025

The Caldecott is awarded annually by the ALSC to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Cover of "Chooch Helped," by Andrea Rogers. Image description: a girl and boy stand back-to-back in a yellow dress and red cape, respectively. The boy pours water from a watering can, making a mess.

Chooch Helped

Written by Andrea L. Rogers
Illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz

Find it at WFL

Past Caldecott Awards & Honors

Coretta Scott King Book Awards 2025

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards annually recognize outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience.

Coretta Scott King Author Winner:

Cover of Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds. Image desription: a woman, man, and dog all stand facing away from the viewer against a yellow background. The woman's braids and sweater wave in a breeze and the man's arm is around her shoulders while her hand is in his pocket.

Twenty-Four Seconds From Now…

by Jason Reynolds

Find it at WFL

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner:

Cover of "My Daddy is a Cowboy," by Stephanie Seales. Image description: boy and father in a mixture of cowboy hats and street fashion smile and pose with a brown and a black horse, in front of a cityscape

My Daddy is a Cowboy

Written by Stephanie Seales
Illustrated by C.G. Esparanza

Find it at WFL

 

Pura Belpré Awards 2025

The Pura Belpré Award is presented annually to a Latinx writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Pura Belpré Youth Illustrator Award:

Cover of the Dream Catcher by Marcelo Verdad. Image of a boy holding string dream catchers on a beach, with the book title in blue-green and purple at the top of the page

The Dream Catcher

Written and illustrated by Marcelo Verdad

Find it at WFL

Pura Belpré Youth Author Award:

Cover of the book "Lola" by Karla Valenti. Illustration of a kayaking girl docked at a tree with pink flowers.

Lola

Written and illustrated by Karla Valenti

Find it at WFL

Past Pura Belpre Awards & Honors

John Steptoe New Talent Author Award 2024

Cover of "There Goes the Neighborhood" by Jade Adia. Image description: collage of photos, with a girl with an afro and hoop earrings smiling, two boys (one smiling, one pensive), and 5 teens walking down a sidewalk in front of a street sign

There Goes the Neighborhood

Written by Jade Adia

Find it at WFL

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal 2024

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year.

Cover of "The Mona Lisa Vanishes," with title in red and blue covering a reproduction of the Mona Lisa's eyes and a drawing of a man hiding the Mona Lisa under his shirt

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

Written by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist

Find it at WFL

Robert F. Silbert Informational Book Medal Honorees:

“The Book of Turtles,” by Sy Montgomery
“Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes,” written by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright
“Jumper: A Day in the Life of the Backyard Jumping Spider,” written and illustrated by Jessica Lanan
“Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor,” written by Martin W. Sandler

Stonewall Children’s Book Awards 2024

The Stonewall book awards honor literature with exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience. The Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Award is the children’s and young adult arm of the Stonewall Book Awards.

Cover of "Cross My Heart and Never Lie," by Laura Dasnes. Image Description: illustration of girl wearing headphones, a backpack, and a sweatshirt, passing other kids in the background. A silver Stonewall Book Award medallion is on the right-hand side of the page.

Cross My Heart and Never Lie

Written by Nora Dåsnes

Find it at WFL
 

Cover of "Only This Beautiful Moment," by Abdi Nazeman. Image description: three men's/boys' faces facing in different directions, with plants illustrated around and between them

 

 

Only This Beautiful Moment

Written by Abdi Nazemian

Find it at WFL

 

 

 

 

Stonewall Children’s Book Award Honorees:

“Desert Queen” written by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Svabhu Kohli
“Not He or She, I’m Me” by A. M. Wild
“The Otherwoods” by Justine Pucella Winans
“Stars in Their Eyes” written by Jessica Walton, illustrated by Aśka

Sydney Taylor Book Awards 2024

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The award is intended to encourage the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature.

Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award:

Cover of "Two New Years" by Richard Ho. Image decriptio: Family with both Chinese New Year and Rosh Hashana imagery

Two New Years

Written by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield

Find it at WFL

Sydney Taylor Middle Grade Award:

Cover of "The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman," by Shaindy Goodman. Image description: Two girls with long skirts and roller skates skate in front of a teal background with dripping, painted clouds.

The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman

By Mari Lowe

Find it at WFL

 

Browse Section