Book Awards

Newbery Award 2026

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

Newbery Award 2026 Winner

Cover of "All the Blues in the Sky" by Renée Watson. Image description: Brown-skinned girl withcurly hair in twists and a ponytail in a green shirt stands against a blue-painted background, face turned to the side. Golden Newbery Medal seal takes up the bottom left corner.

All the Blues in the Sky

Written by Renée Watson

 

Past Newbery Awards & Honors

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Caldecott Medal 2026

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

Caldecott Medal 2026 Winner

Cover of "Fireworks" by Matthew Burgess. Image description: deep blue sky with light blue and pink glowing fireworks and pink text with the title and author information. Two children sit on the ground facing away from the viewer and looking up.

Fireworks

Written by Matthew Burgess

Illustrated by Cátia Chien

Past Caldecott Awards & Honors

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Coretta Scott King Book Awards 2026

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 "Will's Race for Home," by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Image description: Boy with brown skin and curly hair in western historical dress looks determinedly into the distance as he rides a black horse, tail flying in the wind against an orange sunset background. The book's title spans the left side of the page in a white-to-orange gradient, and the black and gold Coretta Scott King medal takes up the bottom right corner.

Will’s Race for Home

Written by Jewell Parker Rhodes

 

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner:

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

Cover of "The Library in the Woods," by Calvin Alexander Ramsey. Image description: a young boy with brown skin and curly hair in a red-striped t-shirt sits on a stump and reads a large red and green to two brown dogs. He sits in the shade across a green field from a farmhouse. The book's title is in red letter against the blue sky above the house. On the right side of the page, two black and gold and silver Coretta Scott King award medals shine.

The Library in the Woods

Written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey

Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Past Coretta Scott King Awards & Honors

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Pura Belpré Awards 2026

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 Illustrator Winner:

Cover of "Popo the Xolo" by Paloma Angelina Lopez. Image description: a figure in deep electric purple dress, holding a staff stands behind a small glowing dog, outlined by the sunset. They stand in the grass under a large, bare tree. The book title is in spiny white text along the top of the page.

Popo the Xolo

Written by Paloma Angelina Lopez

Illustrated by Abraham Matias

Pura Belpré Author Winner:

Cover of "A-Ztec: a Bilingual Alphabet Book," by Emmanuel Valtierra. Image description: Against a red background, the title is in big orange block letters inside a stepped yellow building shape, floating in the middle of sets of colorful Aztec mythical creatures and figures.

A-Ztec: A Bilingual Alphabet Book

Written and Illustrated by Emmanuel Valtierra

Past Pura Belpré Awards & Honors

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Stonewall Children’s Literature Award 2026

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.

Stonewall Award 2026 Winner

Cover of "Halfway to Somewhere by Jose Pimienta. Image Description: tween with brown skin and braided pigtails, wearing a green t-shirt with a sunflower on the front, grey shorts, and sneakers walks across the page, in front of slanted stripes depicting blue city, yellow desert, red embassy, and purple school.

Halfway to Somewhere

Written and Illustrated by Jose Pimienta

 

Past Stonewall Children’s Awards & Honors

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Sydney Taylor Book Awards 2026

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 Winner:

Cover of "Shabbat Shalom: Let's Rest and Reset," by Suzy Ultman. Image description: left half of the page is a sun and the right half is a moon, but they line up in the center and share a di-colored smiling face. The Sydney Taylor gold medal sits in the bottom right side.

Shabbat Shalom: Let’s Rest and Reset

Written and Illustrated by Suzy Ultman

Sydney Taylor Middle Grade Winners:

Cover of "Neshama," by Marcella Pixley. Image description: a girl with light skin and wavy purple hair holds a book out to a ghostly woman made of a stylized steamy substance. The purple=haired girl stands on a dock over water. The book's title rises above the two figures, and a Sydney Taylor gold medal sits at the bottom right of the page.

Neshama

Written by Marcella Pixley

Past Sydney Taylor Awards & Honors

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