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Children and Young Adult Literature Research Guide

Children's Book Awards

All of the books in the UVa children's book collection are award winning books.  Most people are familiar with the Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King book awards, but there are many more as you can see below.  While most of the award winning books in the UVa collection are from the United States, there are many international award winners included as well. From 1983-2011, awards were indicated on the title page of each book. Below are the acronyms that were used. Award Categories - Abbreviation List

4-letter Award Acronym

Award:
Click the link to get a list of books or other media  winning the award.
Country Category for Award
AESA Aesop Prize USA Aesop Award and Aesop Accolades are for outstanding illustrated children's publications utilizing folkloric themes in the English language. Awarded by the Children’s Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society.
AESH Aesop Accolades USA See above.
ALAN American Library Association Notables USA Chapter books and picture books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (through age 14) of especially commendable quality and creativity, and must be published in the United States during the year preceding the Midwinter Meeting (January). Around 68 books receive the award yearly.
ALAY American Library Association – Young Adult USA Young Adult Library Services Association compilation of the current year’s books with proven or potential appeal to teens
AMLA Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature USA 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.
AMLH Américas Award Honor for Children’s and Young Adult Literature USA See above.
ANCM ALA Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children’s Video USA The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video, supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, was awarded for the first time in 1991 to honor outstanding video productions for children released during the previous year.
APCA American Institute of Physics Children’s Science Writing Award USA

To promote effective science communication in print and broadcast media in order to improve the general public's appreciation of physics, astronomy, and allied science fields.

APLA Asian Pacific American Award for Literature – Children’s and YA USA

The goal is to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit. 

APLH Asian Pacific American honor for Literature – Children’s and Young Adults USA See above.
APSA  Formerly the Advantis Prizes for Science Books - now the  Royal Society Young People's Book Prize  British The Royal Society  Winton Prize for Science Books is an annual award for the previous year's best general science writing (adult).  The Royal Society Young People's Book Prize is the annual award for the previous year's best science writing for children. The nominees and winners are decided by the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science.
ASCA African Studies Association Children’s Book Award USA Since 1991, awards have been presented by the African Studies Association Outreach Council to authors and illustrators of outstanding children books about Africa published in the United States. The awards are presented in two categories: Best Book for Young Children and the Best Book for Older Readers.
ASCH African Studies Association Children’s Book Honors USA  See above.
AUBA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults USA Presents YALSA selected audiobooks released within the past two years that appeal to teens
AUDV Formerly ALA Selected DVDs and Video for Young Adults now Fabulous Films for Young Adults USA Presents YALSA selected films especially significant to young adults from those currently available for purchase based on a chosen theme.
AURA Aurealis Award Australia

The Aurealis Awards were established in 1995 by Chimaera Publications, the publishers of Aurealis Magazine, to recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writers.

BECU Booklist Editors’ Choice/Books for Youth USA Every January, Booklist editors select the previous year's top titles in adult books, books for youth, media, and reference.
BECY Booklist Editors’ Choice/Adult Books for Young Adults USA Every January, Booklist editors select the previous year's top titles in adult books, books for youth, media, and reference.
BGHA Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards USA Winners are selected in three categories from books published in the United States: Picture Book, Fiction and Poetry, and Nonfiction. Two Honor Books may be named in each category. The books may be written or illustrated by citizens of any country. First presented in 1967.
BGHH Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors USA See above.
BSTA CBI Book of the Year Awards, previously known as the Bisto Book of the Year Award Ireland The Bisto Book of the Year Awards, run by Children's Books Ireland (CBI),are the leading Annual Irish Book Awards for young people in Ireland
CALH Caldecott Honors USA  See below.
CALM Caldecott Medal USA Awarded by the American Library Association from 1938-present to the artist of the most distinguished U.S. Picture Book
CARM Carnegie Medal British Awarded by children's librarians for an outstanding book for children and young people.
CBYA Children’s Book of the Year Award Australia Awarded annually for books with an implied readership under the age of eighteen in five categories.
CBYH Children’s Book of the Year Honor Australia See above.
CCBA Costa Children's Book Award British These awards celebrate the most enjoyable books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland. Until 2006 the Awards were known as the Whitbread Book Awards. At that time Costa Coffee took over ownership of the awards.
CGWA  Carter G. Woodson Award USA Awarded by the National Council for the Social Studies for the most distinguished social science books appropriate for young readers that depict ethnicity in the United States.
CGWH Carter G. Woodson Honor USA See above.
CLAB Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award Canada Awarded to a book published in Canada and its author must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada
CLAG Canadian Library Association Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon  - Illustrator’s Award Canada Awarded annually to an outstanding illustrator of a children's book published in Canada.
CLAY Canadian Library Association Young Adult Canadian Book Award Canada Annual award to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant author of an outstanding English language fiction book which appeals to young adults between the ages of 13 and 18. The title must be a Canadian publication.
CSKA Coretta Scott King Award USA Awarded to African American authors and illustrators for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions that promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream.
CSKH Coretta Scott King Honors USA See above.
CSKN Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent USA Awarded to new African American authors and illustrators offering visibility to excellence in writing or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published book creator.
EAPA Edgar Allan Poe Awards USA Awarded by the Mystery Writers of America to authors of distinguished work in various categories of the genre including young adult and juvenile works.
GDKA Golden Kite Award USA Award for excellence in the field of children’s books presented by the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators
GDKH Golden Kite Honors USA See above.
GIVA Giverny Awards USA Given to the best science picture books published in the year.  The winning books capture not only the connection between art and science, but also of visual capture, visual explanation, and visual exemplification of botanical views of the world.
GODA Golden Duck Awards USA  Excellence in children's Science Fiction literature. There are three categories: Picture Books, Middle Grades, and Young Adult. Awards presented since 1992.  Website no longer being maintained.
HBFL Horn Book Fanfare List USA  Best children’s and young adult books of the year. Awards presented since 1938.
IRAA International Reading Association Children’s and Young Adults Book Awards USA  Children’s and Young Adult’s Book Awards are given for an author’s first or second published book written for children or young adults (ages birth to 17 years). Awards are given for fiction and nonfiction in each of three categories: primary, intermediate, and young adult. Books from any country and in any language published for the first time during the award calendar year will be considered.
IRAL International Reading Association Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet USA  The IRA Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award is given every three years to a promising new poet of children’s poetry (for children and young adults up to grade 12) who has published no more than two books of children’s poetry.
IJBA Irma S. and James H. Black Award USA Awarded to an outstanding book for young children--a book in which text and illustrations are inseparable, each enhancing and enlarging on the other to produce a singular whole.  The award is unusual because children are the final judges of the winning book. Given since 1973.
IJBH Irma S. and James H. Black Honors USA  See above.
JABA Jane Addams Book Award USA Awarded  annually since 1953 to the children's books published the preceding year that effectively promote the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence.
JABH Jane Addams Book Honors USA  See above.
KGRM Kate Greenaway Medal British  The Kate Greenaway Medal was established by The Library Association in 1955, for distinguished illustration in a book for children
MLBA Mildred L. Batchelder Award USA Awarded since 1966 to an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States.
MLBH Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Books USA  See above.
MLPA Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature USA Awarded since 2000 for books that exemplify literary excellence in young adult literature.
MLPH Michael L. Printz Honor for Excellence in Young Adult Literature USA  See above.
NEWH Newbery Honors USA  See below.
NEWM Newbery Medal USA Awarded by the American Library Association from 1938-present for the most distinguished American children's book
NCTS Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies USA Books selected are written primarily for children in grades K-8. The books should meet the following critera: emphasize human relations, represent a diversity of groups and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences, present an original theme or a fresh slant on a traditional topic, are easily readable and of high literary quality, and have a pleasing format and, when appropriate, illustrations that enrich the text
NJBA National Jewish Book Awards USA These awards, presented by category, are designed to give recognition to outstanding books, to stimulate writers to further literary creativity and to encourage the reading of worthwhile titles. One of the categories is Children and Young Adult books. The Jewish Book Council began this program in 1948.
NYTI New York Times Best Illustrated USA Since 1952, the New York Times Book Review has a panel of judges select a list of the best illustrated children's books of the year.
NZPA New Zealand Post Children’s Book Award New Zealand The awards were established in 1997 and are presented to New Zealand books in five categories plus a "Book of the Year." The awards are sponsored by the New Zealand Post. They were formerly the AIM Children's Book Awards.
NZPH New Zealand Post Children’s Book Honor New Zealand  See above.
OPOA Obis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children USA Award presented by the National Council of Teachers of English to promote and recognize excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children
OPOH Obis Pictus Honor for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children USA  See above.
OSTC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children USA Since 1973, the books in these lists were selected as outstanding children's science trade books by a book review panel appointed by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and assembled in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC).
PBEA Pura Belpre Awards USA   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.
PBEH Pura Belpre Honors USA See above.
PHEA Phoenix Award USA Awarded annually to a book orginally published in English twenty years previously which did not receive a major award at the time of its publication.
PHEH Phoenix Honor USA See above.
RAIA Reading Association of Ireland Award Ireland Awarded since 1985 on a biennial basis to encourage the publication of quality children's books in Ireland. It is presented for a book written by an Irish author and published in Ireland.
RFSA Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award USA Awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year.
RFSH Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor USA See above.
SLJY School Library Journal Best Adult Books for Young Adults USA Every fall the School Library Journal's Adult Books 4 Teens reviewers come together to nominate, discuss, and winnow the best titles of the year into a list that guarantees a combination of excellence and appeal to young adults. All of these books were originally reviewed on SLJ’s Adult Books 4 Teens blog.
SLJB School Library Journal Best Books USA Books  having distinctive voices, singular vision, and/or innovative approaches. They include books for toddlers and preschoolers, terrific picture books and easy readers, and some highly original novels. Fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, humor, mystery, affecting family stories, and adventure all make an appearance.
SODA Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction USA Established in 1982 by Scott O'Dell to encourage other writers--particularly new authors--to focus on historical fiction, the annual award goes to a meritorious book published in the previous year for children or young adults.
STBA Sydney Taylor Book Awards USA Annual award recognizing the best in Jewish children's literature
STBH Sydney Taylor Book Honors USA See above.
TRMA Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award USA In 1998 Texas State University College of Education developed the Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award to honor authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts the Mexican American experience.
TSGM Theodor Seuss Geisel Award USA Awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year.
TSGH Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award USA See above.
WASA Western Writers of America Spur Awards USA Annually awarded, since 1953 by the Western Writers of America, for distinguished writing about the American West.  Included in the long list of Spur Award genres are juvenile fiction, storyteller (children's picture book), and juvenile non-fiction.
WAPA Western Australian Premier’s Book Award Australia Biannual literary awards (formerly annual) were inaugurated by the Western Australian Government in 1982 to honour and celebrate the literary achievements of Western Australian writers. Until 1990 they were called the WA Week Literary Awards. They are now known as the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards.
WBYA Whitbread Books of the Year Award - Children’s Book Category British

Created in 1971 to celebrate the most enjoyable books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland. The Awards were first known as the Whitbread Literary Awards and later the Whitbread Book Awards until 2006 when Costa Coffee took over ownership and they are now known as the Costa Book Awards.

WEHA Western Heritage Awards - Juvenile Category USA

 First presented in 1961, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Western Heritage Awards were established to honor and encourage the legacy of those whose works in literature, music, film, and television reflect the significant stories of the American West.  Use the search box and search in the Literacy category -Juvenile Books to view a list of all the winners.

YRCA Young Reader’s Choice Award USA  The Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award is the oldest children's choice award in the U.S. and Canada. 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.
   Gryphon Award  USA Presented annually to the author of an outstanding English language work of fiction or non-fiction for which the primary audience is children in kindergarten through fourth grade. 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. 
  *Review   Since 2001, starred review information is no longer available.
*BLK Booklist    
*BUL Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books    
*HRN Hornbook Magazine    
*GLG Junior Library Guild    
*KIR Kirkus Review    
*SLJ School Library Journal