Social Studies Education: Book Award Lists

This page lists various book awards given out by professional organizations.

Buckeye Children's Book Award: The Buckeye Children's Book Award program is designed to encourage children in Ohio to read literature critically, to promote teacher and librarian involvement in children's literature programs, and to commend authors of such literature

Caldecott Medal: The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Carter G. woodson Book Award:The Carter G. Woodson award is given to the most distinguished social science books appropriate for young readers that depict ethnicity in the United States.

Margaret A. Edwards Award: The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. 

Michael L. Printz Award: The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.

NCSS Notabel Tradebooks for Young People: The books that appear in these annotated book lists were evaluated and selected by a Book Review Committee appointed by National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and assembled in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC). Books selected for this bibliography are written primarily for children in grades K-8. The selection committee looks for books that 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.

Newbery Medal: The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children

Pura Belpre Medal: The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually 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.

Sibert Medal: 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 English during the preceding year. 

Wilder Medal: The Wilder Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children