Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature: Celebrates Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage. The awards are based on literary and artistic merit within three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Young Adult Literature.
Chen Bochui Children's Literature Award (CICLA): (China) Since 2014, it has been reframed as an international competition encouraging the development of children’s books on a global scale. Two awards are given- Best Literary Work in Chinese Language and Best International Picture Book. An award is also given for Author of the Year and Special Contribution to recognize key figures in the children’s literature.
Freeman Book Awards: Honors East and Southeast Asian titles for children and young adults. This award emphasizes books that can be used in an educational setting and contribute meaningfully to an authentic understanding of East and Southeast Asia.
Scholastic Asian Book Award: A joint initiative between Singapore Book Council (SBC) and Scholastic Asia to promote Asian experiences and inspire more books and stories with Asian content. This award recognizes writers of Asian origin who “are taking the experiences of life, spirit, and thinking in different parts of Asia to the world at large.”
Brage Prize: (Norway) The most prestigious of the Norwegian Literature Prizes, this award features a category for children's books and an open category.
Guðrún Helgadóttir Children's Literature Prize: (Iceland) Awarded in honor of Guðrún Helgadóttir, one of Iceland’s most prominent children's book authors. The prize is awarded annually for an unprinted children's or youth book manuscript. The objective is to encourage new and ambitious writing for children in Iceland.
Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize: Awarded by the Nordic Adjudication Committee to a work of fiction written in one of the Nordic languages. The purpose of this award is to improve the quality and raise interest in Nordic literature for children and young people and to promote an affinity for the shared Nordic culture.
Peter Pan Award: (Sweden) Established in 2000 by IBBY Sweden, this prize is awarded annually to a book for children or young adults which meets one of the following criteria: by an author previously unpublished or little known in Sweden, from a country, language group or culture with limited representation in Sweden, or with “content concerning children or young adults in less familiar countries and cultures less familiar to Swedish readers”.
Reykjavík Children’s Book Award: (Iceland) recognizes outstanding contributions made to children’s literature in Iceland. The award is given out in three categories: for the best original Icelandic children's book; for an outstanding translation of a foreign children's book; and for the best illustrated children's book.
Disability in KidLit Honor Roll: While not an official award, this organization features book lists for young adult and middle grade novels that have been thoroughly vetted by disabled readers.
Dolly Gray Award: Honors books that feature effective, enlightened portrayals of individuals with developmental disabilities in children’s books. Awarded in two categories: picture and chapter books.
IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities: Every two years the most outstanding books written for and about young people with disabilities are added to a special collection at the Toronto Public Library. These books are recognized in three categories: specialized format, universal access, and portrayal of disability.
Schneider Family Book Award: Presented by the American Library Association (ALA), this award honors authors and illustrators for a book that embodies artistic excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth. Awarded in three categories: children’s books, books appealing to middle grade readers and for young adult literature.
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award: Awarded by the Swedish Arts Council to honor Swedish children’s author Astrid Lindgren. The award is given to a book that embodies imagination, bravery, respect, and empathy while maintaining the highest degree of artistic excellence.
Batchelder Award: Awarded by the Association of Library Service for Children (ALSC), a division of the Association for Library Services (AALS) to a United States publisher for an outstanding children’s book that originated in another county and was subsequently translated into English for publication in the US.
Bologna Children's Book Fair Awards: A global book fair honoring the best children’s literature from around the world. Awards include best publisher on a global level, best creations in digital publishing, best illustrated books, and best translated books.
Global Literature in Libraries Initiatives: Awarded to the most outstanding translated work that was originally written and published in a language other than English.
Hans Christian Andersen Award: Awarded by the International Board of Books for Young People (IBBY) to one illustrator and one author for their “lasting contribution to children’s literature”. Read the announcement of the 2022 Shortlist here.
IBBY Honor List: A biennial book list representing the best children’s literature from throughout the world. Selected books provide insight into the diverse cultural, political, and social settings in which children live and grow.
Notable Books for a Global Society: Recognizes outstanding trade books that help promote understanding across lines of culture, race, sexual orientation, values, and ethnicity.
USBBY Outstanding International Books list: An annual book list recognizing the most outstanding children’s books originally published outside the United States.
White Ravens List: An annual list compiled by the International Youth Library in Munich which honors books from around the world deemed “exceptionally noteworthy” for their use of universal theme and/or their exceptional, innovative artistic and literary style and design.
CBCA Children’s Book of the Year: (Australia) Awarded by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) to promote quality literature for young Australians, support and encourage Australian writers and illustrators of children’s books, and to celebrate contributions to Australian children’s literature. Books must be published and available in Australia and written in English. Awards are given in six categories:
Inky Awards: (Australia) This award gives young adults across Australia a chance to vote for their favorite YA release of the year. The awards are divided into two categories: the Gold Inky for Australian fiction and the Silver Inky for international fiction.
New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults: (New Zealand) Administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust, this award is given to a New Zealand author for the most distinguished contribution to literature for children or young adults published in the previous year.
Non-Fiction Elsie Locke Award: (New Zealand) This award is given to the book that is considered to be the most distinguished contribution to non-fiction for young adults in New Zealand. Books must be written by a New Zealand author.
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards: (Australia) This award was created to celebrate high quality literature and the contribution it makes to Australia’s cultural and intellectual life. While an expert judging panel makes recommendations, the Prime Minister makes the final decisions. Awards are given for young adult literature and children’s literature written by Australia citizens.
Russell Clark Award: (New Zealand) Decided by the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearo, this award is given to a New Zealand illustrator for the most distinguished illustrations for children’s or young adult’s books. Non-fiction and fiction titles are eligible.
Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards: (Australia) Made available by the Western Australian Government and managed by the State library of Western Australia, this award is given to a work of prose, poetry, or narrative nonfiction for children ages 12 and under, in any genre. Chosen works support, develop, and recognize excellence in Western Australian writing. Author or authors must reside in Western Australia.
Young Australian’s Best Book Awards: (Australia) Voted on by children across Australia. Books must have been published in Australia over the past 10 years. It was created to engage children to read Australian books. Awards are presented in four categories:
Bookbug Picture Book Prize:(Scotland) voted on by children across Scotland, this award celebrates Scottish picture books.
Carnegie Medal: (UK) Created by CILIP, this is the UK’s oldest and most prestigious book award for children’s writing. Works are judged for outstanding literary quality by a panel of librarians. Titles must be first published in the UK during the preceding year. All categories of books are eligible except for multiple-author anthologies.
Costa Children's Book Award: (Great Britain & Ireland) Annual literary awards recognizing books written in English by writers from Great Britain and Ireland.
Friday Prize: (France) Awarded by the National Publishing Union (SNE) to a French-language book intended for those 13 and older.
German Youth Literature Award (Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis): (Germany) Recognizes outstanding works of children's literature in five categories Best Picture Book, Best Children’s Book, Best Youth Book, Best Non-Fiction Book, and Choice of the Youth Jury.
Kate Greenaway Medal: (UK) A partner to the Carnegie Medal, this award recognizes an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people. Titles must be first published in the U.K. during the preceding year and English must be the language of any text, or one of dual languages. All categories of children’s literature are eligible.
KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards: (Ireland) Recognize outstanding writing and illustrations in children’s books whose authors and illustrators were either born in, are permanent residents of, or are citizens of Ireland.
Lubimyczytać.pl Books of the Year: (Poland) The best books from Poland voted on by children across Poland.
Mary Vaughan Jones Award: (Wales) Awarded every three years by the Books Council of Wales to an author who has made a substantial contribution to children’s literature in Wales over a number of years.
Swiss Children’s and Youth Book Award: (Switzerland) Awarded to authors and illustrators of either Swiss nationality or who have been a resident in Switzerland for at least two years, the aim of this award is to underline the importance of diverse and quality children’s literature and encourage Swiss children to read. Books are awarded in three categories- picture books, children’s and youth books, and non-fiction or comics.
Tir na n-Og Awards: (Wales) Translated means “the land of the young” this award is presented by the Books Council of Wales to honor outstanding literature that depicts authentic Welsh culture. There are three categories- Welsh-language Primary, Welsh-language Secondary, and the best English-language title with an authentic Welsh background.
The Royal Society Young People's Book Prize: (UK) Aims to inspire young people to read about science and promotes the writing of excellent, accessible STEM books for children. Science must be the main topic for all books submitted.
Americas Award: (Latin Americas) Presented annually that recognizes outstanding books published in English or Spanish that “authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States.” This award focus on raising multicultural-international awareness on books written and/or published in any language indigenous to the Americas. Judges consider potential for classroom use in their judging criteria.
Cervantes Chico Prize: (Spain) honors a Spanish-language writer whose creative career has stood out in the field of children's and youth literature. The use of the writer's work as an educational resource is taken into account.
Children's Literature Awards El Barco de Vapor and Juvenil Gran Angular: (Spain) Awarded to a book written in Spanish in order to promote the creation of literature for children and young people that fosters a taste for reading with literary quality, human, social, cultural or religious values.
FNLIJ Award: (Brazil) Administered by the Fundação Nacional do Livro Infantil e Juvenil (FNLIJ), the Brazilian section of IBBY, the FNLIJ Award is the highest distinction awarded to children’s and young adult literature in Brazil.
Lazarillo Award: (Spain) Awarded by OEPLI, the Spanish sect of IBBY, this prize is given for children’s and young people’s literature. The aim of the prize is to stimulate the creation of good Spanish books for children and young people. Awards are given in two categories- “Illustrated Album” and “Literary Creation”.
Pura Belpré Awards: (US & Puerto Rico) Presented in honor of Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library who is celebrated for translating hundreds of children’s books. This award is given to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work represents Latin heritage and cultural experience. Books must be published in the United States or Puerto Rico.
Tomás Rivera Book Award: (Mexican American) Given in honor of Thomas Rivera, the first Mexican American selected as a distinguished alumnus at Texas State University, this award honors authors and illustrators who depict the Mexican American experience through children’s books.
Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA): Presented annually to authors and illustrators of the best children’s and young adult books about Africa and available in the U.S. The award was created to encourage the publication and use of accurate, balanced children’s material about Africa.
Golden Baobab Prize- Created for the sole purpose of producing more African literature for children and young adults. The prize invites African citizens to submit unpublished stories about Africa to three categories: ages 8-11, ages 12-15, and the Rising Writer Prize for a young author under the age of 18.
Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature- A fairly new award with it’s first debut in 2019, the Wakini Kuria Prize recognizes quality children’s books written by an author of African descent. The award was created to empower Africa’s writers and promote African literature.
Atlantic Book Awards: celebrates outstanding contributions to writing for Atlantic Canadian young people. This annual award alternates between young adult (12-17) on even number years and children’s literature (11 and under) on odd numbered years.
Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize: Also part of the BC Book Prizes, this is awarded to the authors and illustrators of picture books, picture story books, graphic novels, and illustrated non-fiction books for children that promote the community in British Columbia and Yukon.
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People: Awarded annually to reward excellence in the writing of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young readers, by a Canadian author, published in the previous calendar year.
Governor General’s Literary Awards: Awarded by the Canada Council for the Arts, this award recognizes Canada’s best English and French children’s books. There is two categories- one for text and one for illustrations.
Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award: An annual Canadian literary award, presented to the year's best illustrated picture book for children. Books must be originally in English, aimed at children ages three to eight, written and illustrated by Canadians. Eligible genres include fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature- Awarded by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, this award recognizes outstanding picture books written by authors from Alberta.
Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards (The Willow Awards): Recognizes the best in Canadian and Saskatchewan children's books as voted by Saskatchewan students.
Sheila A. Egott Children’s Literature Prize: Part of the BC Book Prizes which recognizes outstanding literature from the British Columbia and Yukon, this prize is awarded to the author(s) of literary books, including novels, chapter books, and non-fiction books, aimed at juveniles and young adults, which have not been highly illustrated.
Big Little Book Award: Given by Parag, this award recognizes and honors Indian authors and illustrators who have made outstanding contributions to children’s literature.
Crossword Book Award: Awarded to an Indian author for an outstanding piece of literature that promotes Indian culture and values.
Neev Book Award: A relatively new award first started in 2019, the Neev Book Award is given to distinguished children’s literature from India that leads to a fuller understanding of India, Indian lives, and Indian stories.
Parag Honor List: A carefully curated list of outstanding books written in English and Hindi for children and young adults.
Publishing Next Industry Awards: Recognizes Indian publishing houses that have made major contributions towards the creation of high quality literature.
South Asia Book Award: Given by the South Asia National Outreach Consortium (SANOC), this award highlights outstanding literature for children and teens that portrays South Asia or South Asians. The books must be available in the US, well suited for classroom use, culturally authentic, and of high literary quality.
Arab American Book Awards: Awarded by the Arab American National Museum, this award honors books written by and about Arab Americans.
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature: Launched in 2009 and organized by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), this award recognizes Arabic children’s books that have not been translated to a language other than Arabic.
Middle East Book Award: The Middle East Outreach Council established the Middle East Book Award in 1999 to recognize books for children and young adults that contribute meaningfully to understanding of the Middle East. Categories include picture book, youth literature, and youth non-fiction. Books must be written in English, published in North America, and address in a substantive way any part of the Middle East region or culture.
Sheikh Zayed Book Award: Presented to high quality literature, written in Arabic that has enriched Arab cultural, literary, and social life. Features a category for children’s literature.
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