Award Winning Children's Literature

Caldecott Honor Books

 

 

 

2021 Honor Books:

• A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart, illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott
• The Cat Man of Aleppo, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham & Shamsi-Basha
• Me & Mama, illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera
• Outside In, illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood

2020 Honor Books:

• Bear Came Along, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, written by Richard T. Morris
• Double Bass Blues, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Andrea J. Loney
• Going Down Home with Daddy, illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons

2019 Honor Books:

• Alma and How She Got Her Name, illustrated and written by Juana Martinez-Neal
• A Big Mooncake for Little Star, illustrated and written by Grace Lin
• The Rough Patch, illustrated and written by Brian Lies
• Thank You Omu!: illustrated and written by Oge Mora

2018 Honor Books:

• Big Cat, Little Cat, illustrated and written by Elisha Cooper
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes
• A Different Pond, illustrated by Thi Bui, written by Bao Phi
• Grand Canyon, illustrated and written by Jason Chin

2017 Honor Books:

• Leave Me Alone!, illustrated and written by Vera Brosgol
• Freedom in Congo Square, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Carole Boston Weatherford
• Du Iz Tak?, illustrated and written by Carson Ellis
• They All Saw a Cat, illustrated and written by Brendan Wenzel

2016 Honor Books:

• Trombone Shorty, illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Troy Andrews and published by
• Waiting, illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes
• Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford
• Last Stop on Market Street, illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Matt de la Peña

2015 Honor Books:

• Nana in the City, written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo
• The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art, illustrated by Mary GrandPré, written by Barb Rosenstock
• Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett
• Viva Frida, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
• The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant
• This One Summer, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, written by Mariko Tamaki  

2014 Honor Books:

• Journey, written and illustrated by Aaron Becker
• Flora and the Flamingo, written and illustrated by Molly Idle
• Mr. Wuffles!, written and illustrated by David Wiesner

2013 Honor Books:

• Creepy Carrots!, illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds
• Extra Yarn, illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett
• Green, illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
• One Cool Friend, illustrated by David Small, written by Toni Buzzeo
• Sleep Like a Tiger, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue  

• 2012 Honor Books:
• Blackout, by John Rocco
• Grandpa Green, by Lane Smith
• Me...Jane, by Patrick McDonnell

2011 Honor Books:

• Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill  
• Interrupting Chicken, by David Ezra Stein

• 2010 Honor Books:
• All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon
• Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman

• 2009 Honor Books:
• A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, by Marla Frazee
• How I Learned Geography, by Uri Shulevitz
• A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant

• 2008 Honor Books:
• Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Ellen Levine
• First the Egg, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
• The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain, by Peter Sís
• Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, by Mo Willems

2007 Honor Books:

• Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet, by David McLimans
• Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Carole Boston Weatherford

2006 Honor Books:

• Rosa, illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Nikki Giovanni
• Zen Shorts, illustrated and written by Jon J. Muth
• Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride, illustrated and written by Marjorie Priceman
• Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems, illustrated by Beckie Prange, written by Joyce Sidman

2005 Honor Books:

• The Red Book, by Barbara Lehman
• Coming on Home Soon, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Jacqueline Woodson
• Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, illustrated and written by Mo Willems.  

2004 Honor Books:

• Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
• What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?, illustrated and written by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.
• Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems.

2003 Honor Books:

• The Spider and the Fly, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi, written by Mary Howitt  
• Hondo & Fabian, by Peter McCarty
• Noah's Ark, by Jerry Pinkney

2002 Honor Books:

• The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, illustrated by Brian Selznick, written by Barbara Kerley
• Martin's Big Words: the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Doreen Rappaport
• The Stray Dog, by Marc Simont

2001 Honor Books:

• Casey at the Bat, illustrated by Christopher Bing, written by Ernest Thayer
• Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type, illustrated by Betsy Lewin, written by Doreen Cronin
• Olivia, by Ian Falconer

2000 Honor Books:

• A Child's Calendar, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman Text: John Updike
• Sector 7, by David Wiesner
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry, by Molly Bang
• The Ugly Duckling, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Text: Hans Christian Andersen, adapted by Jerry Pinkney

       1999 Honor Books:

• Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra, illustrated by Brian Pinkney Text: Andrea Davis Pinkney
• No, David!, by David Shannon
• Snow, by Uri Shulevitz
• Tibet Through the Red Box, by Peter Sís

1998 Honor Books:

• The Gardener, illustrated by David Small Text: Sarah Stewart
• Harlem, illustrated by Christopher Myers Text: Walter Dean Myers
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, by Simms Taback

1997 Honor Books:

• Hush! A Thai Lullaby, illustrated by Holly Meade; text: Minfong Ho
• The Graphic Alphabet, by David Pelletier
• The Paperboy, by Dav Pilkey
• Starry Messenger, by Peter Sís

1996 Honor Books:

• Alphabet City, by Stephen T. Johnson
• Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman; text: Lloyd Moss
• The Faithful Friend, illustrated by Brian Pinkney; text: Robert D. San Souci
• Tops & Bottoms, adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens

1995 Honor Books:

• John Henry, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text: Julius Lester
• Swamp Angel, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky; text: Anne Issacs
• Time Flies, by Eric Rohmann

1994 Honor Books:

• Peppe the Lamplighter, illustrated by Ted Lewin; text: Elisa Bartone
• In the Small, Small Pond, by Denise Fleming
• Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, by Gerald McDermott
• Owen, by Kevin Henkes
• Yo! Yes?, illustrated by Chris Raschka; text: edited by Richard Jackson

1993 Honor Books:

• The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, illustrated by Lane Smith; text: Jon Scieszka
• Seven Blind Mice, by Ed Young
• Working Cotton, illustrated by Carole Byard; text: Sherley Anne Williams

1992 Honor Book:

• Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold

1991 Honor Books:

• Puss in Boots, illustrated by Fred Marcellino; text: Charles Perrault, trans. by Malcolm Arthur
• "More More More," Said the Baby: Three Love Stories, by Vera B. Williams  

1990 Honor Books:

• Bill Peet: An Autobiography, by Bill Peet
• Color Zoo, by Lois Ehlert
• The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text: Robert D. San Souci
• Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman; text: Eric Kimmel

1989 Honor Books:

• The Boy of the Three-Year Nap, illustrated by Allen Say; text: Diane Snyder
• Free Fall, by David Wiesner
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears, by James Marshall
• Mirandy and Brother Wind, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text: Patricia C. McKissack

1988 Honor Book:

• Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale, by John Steptoe

1987 Honor Books:

• The Village of Round and Square Houses, by Ann Grifalconi
• Alphabatics, by Suse MacDonald
• Rumpelstiltskin, by Paul O. Zelinsky

1986 Honor Books:

• The Relatives Came, illustrated by Stephen Gammell; text: Cynthia Rylant
• King Bidgood's in the Bathtub, illustrated by Don Wood; text: Audrey Wood

1985 Honor Books:

• Hansel and Gretel, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky; text: retold by Rika Lesser
• Have You Seen My Duckling?, by Nancy Tafuri
• The Story of Jumping Mouse: A Native American Legend, retold and illustrated by John Steptoe

1984 Honor Books:

• Little Red Riding Hood, retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
• Ten, Nine, Eight, by Molly Bang  

1983 Honor Books:

• A Chair for My Mother, by Vera B. Williams
• When I Was Young in the Mountains, illustrated by Diane Goode; text: Cynthia Rylant

1982 Honor Books:

• Where the Buffaloes Begin, illustrated by Stephen Gammell; text: Olaf Baker
• On Market Street, illustrated by Anita Lobel; text: Arnold Lobel
• Outside Over There, by Maurice Sendak
• A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen; text: Nancy Willard

1981 Honor Books:

• The Bremen-Town Musicians, retold and illustrated by Ilse Plume
• The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher, by Molly Bang
• Mice Twice, by Joseph Low
• Truck, by Donald Crews

1980 Honor Books:

• Ben's Trumpet, by Rachel Isadora 
• The Garden Of Abdul Gasazi, by Chris Van Allsburg
• The Treasure, by Uri Shulevitz

1979 Honor Books:

• Freight Train, by Donald Crews
• The Way to Start a Day, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor

1977 Honor Books:

• The Amazing Bone, by William Steig
• The Contest, retold and illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian
• Fish for Supper, by M. B. Goffstein  
• The Golem: A Jewish Legend, by Beverly Brodsky McDermott
• Hawk, I'm Your Brother, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor

1976 Honor Books:

• The Desert is Theirs, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor
• Strega Nona, by Tomie de Paola

1975 Honor Books:

• Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book, illustrated by Tom Feelings; text: Muriel Feelings

1974 Honor Books:

• Three Jovial Huntsmen, by Susan Jeffers
• Cathedral, by David Macaulay

1973 Honor Books:

• Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti, adapted and illustrated by Gerald McDermott
• Hosie's Alphabet, illustrated by Leonard Baskin; text: Hosea, Tobias & Lisa Baskin
• Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs, illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert; text: translated by Randall
• Jarrell, retold from the Brothers Grimm
• When Clay Sings, illustrated by Tom Bahti; text: Byrd Baylor

1972 Honor Books:

• Hildilid's Night, illustrated by Arnold Lobel; text: Cheli Durán Ryan
• If All the Seas Were One Sea, by Janina Domanska
• Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book, illustrated by Tom Feelings; text: Muriel Feelings

1971 Honor Books:

• The Angry Moon, illustrated by Blair Lent; text: retold by William Sleator
• Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel
• In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak

1970 Honor Books:

• Goggles!, by Ezra Jack Keats
• Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse, by Leo Lionni  
• Pop Corn & Ma Goodness, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker; text: Edna Mitchell Preston
• Thy Friend, Obadiah, by Brinton Turkle
• The Judge: An Untrue Tale, illustrated by Margot Zemach; text: Harve Zemach

1969 Honor Book:

• Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky, illustrated by Blair Lent; text: Elphinstone Dayrell

1968 Honor Books:

• Frederick, by Leo Lionni
• Seashore Story, by Taro Yashima
• The Emperor and the Kite, illustrated by Ed Young; text: Jane Yolen

1967 Honor Book:

• One Wide River to Cross, illustrated by Ed Emberley; text: adapted by Barbara Emberley

1966 Honor Books:

• Hide and Seek Fog, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; text: Alvin Tresselt
• Just Me, by Marie Hall Ets
• Tom Tit Tot, retold and illustrated by Evaline Ness

1965 Honor Books:

• Rain Makes Applesauce, illustrated by Marvin Bileck; text: Julian Scheer
• The Wave, illustrated by Blair Lent; text: Margaret Hodges
• A Pocketful of Cricket, illustrated by Evaline Ness; text: Rebecca Caudill

1964 Honor Books:

• Swimmy, by Leo Lionni
• All in the Morning Early, illustrated by Evaline Ness; text: Sorche Nic Leodhas, pseud. [Leclaire Alger]
• Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes, illustrated by Philip Reed

1963 Honor Books:

• The Sun is a Golden Earring, illustrated by Bernarda Bryson; text: Natalia M. Belting  
• Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present, illustrated by Maurice Sendak; text: Charlotte Zolotow

1962 Honor Books:

• Fox Went out on a Chilly Night: An Old Song, by Peter Spier
• Little Bear's Visit, illustrated by Maurice Sendak; text: Else H. Minarik
• The Day We Saw the Sun Come Up, illustrated by Adrienne Adams; text: Alice E. Goudey

1961 Honor Book:

• Inch by Inch, by Leo Lionni

1960 Honor Books:

• Houses from the Sea, illustrated by Adrienne Adams; text: Alice E. Goudey
• The Moon Jumpers, illustrated by Maurice Sendak; text: Janice May Udry

1959 Honor Books:

• The House that Jack Built: La Maison Que Jacques A Batie, by Antonio Frasconi
• What Do You Say, Dear?, illustrated by Maurice Sendak; text: Sesyle Joslin
• Umbrella, by Taro Yashima

1958 Honor Books:

• Fly High, Fly Low, by Don Freeman
• Anatole and the Cat, illustrated by Paul Galdone; text: Eve Titus

1957 Honor Books:

• Mr. Penny's Race Horse, by Marie Hall Ets
• 1 is One, by Tasha Tudor
• Anatole, illustrated by Paul Galdone; text: Eve Titus
• Gillespie and the Guards, illustrated by James Daugherty; text: Benjamin Elkin
• Lion, by William Pène du Bois

1956 Honor Books:

• Play With Me, by Marie Hall Ets
• Crow Boy, by Taro Yashima  

1955 Honor Books:

• Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes, illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli
• Wheel On The Chimney, illustrated by Tibor Gergely; text: Margaret Wise Brown
• The Thanksgiving Story, illustrated by Helen Sewell; text: Alice Dalgliesh

1954 Honor Books:

• Journey Cake, Ho!, illustrated by Robert McCloskey; text: Ruth Sawyer
• When Will the World Be Mine?, illustrated by Jean Charlot; text: Miriam Schlein
• The Steadfast Tin Soldier, illustrated by Marcia Brown; text: Hans Christian Andersen, translated by M. R. James
• A Very Special House, illustrated by Maurice Sendak; text: Ruth Krauss
• Green Eyes, by A. Birnbaum

1953 Honor Books:

• Puss in Boots, illustrated by Marcia Brown; text: translated from Charles Perrault by Marcia Brown
• One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
• Ape in a Cape: An Alphabet of Odd Animals, by Fritz Eichenberg
• The Storm Book, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham; text: Charlotte Zolotow
• Five Little Monkeys, by Juliet Kepes

1952 Honor Books:

• Mr. T. W. Anthony Woo, by Marie Hall Ets
• Skipper John's Cook, by Marcia Brown
• All Falling Down, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham; text: Gene Zion
• Bear Party, by William Pène du Bois
• Feather Mountain, by Elizabeth Olds

1951 Honor Books:

• Dick Whittington and His Cat, by Marcia Brown
• The Two Reds, ill. by Nicolas, pseud. (Nicholas Mordvinoff); text: Will, pseud. [William Lipkind]
• If I Ran the Zoo, by Dr. Seuss, pseud. [Theodor Seuss Geisel]
• The Most Wonderful Doll in the World, illustrated by Helen Stone; text: Phyllis McGinley
• T-Bone, the Baby Sitter, by Clare Turlay Newberry

1950 Honor Books:

• America's Ethan Allen, illustrated by Lynd Ward; text: Stewart Holbrook
• The Wild Birthday Cake, illustrated by Hildegard Woodward; text: Lavinia R. Davis
• The Happy Day, illustrated by Marc Simont; text: Ruth Krauss)
• Bartholomew and the Oobleck, by Dr. Seuss, pseud. [Theodor Seuss Geisel]
• Henry Fisherman, by Marcia Brown

1949 Honor Books:

• Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
• All Around the Town, illustrated by Helen Stone; text: Phyllis McGinley
• Juanita, by Leo Politi
• Fish in the Air, by Kurt Wiese

1948 Honor Books:

• Stone Soup, by Marcia Brown
• McElligot's Pool, by Dr. Seuss, pseud. [Theodor Seuss Geisel]
• Bambino the Clown, by Georges Schreiber
• Roger and the Fox, illustrated by Hildegard Woodward; text: Lavinia R. Davis
• Song of Robin Hood, illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton; text: edited by Anne Malcolmson

1947 Honor Books:

• Rain Drop Splash, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; text: Alvin Tresselt
• Boats on the River, illustrated by Jay Hyde Barnum; text: Marjorie Flack
• Timothy Turtle, illustrated by Tony Palazzo; text: Al Graham
• Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street, by Leo Politi
• Sing in Praise: A Collection of the Best Loved Hymns, illustrated by Marjorie Torrey; text: selected by Opal Wheeler

1946 Honor Books:

• Little Lost Lamb, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; text: Golden MacDonald, pseud. [Margaret WiseBrown]
• Sing Mother Goose, illustrated by Marjorie Torrey; music: Opal Wheeler
• My Mother is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, illustrated by Ruth Gannett; text: Becky Reyher
• You Can Write Chinese, by Kurt Wiese

1945 Honor Books:

• Mother Goose, illustrated by Tasha Tudor
• In the Forest, by Marie Hall Ets
• Yonie Wondernose, by Marguerite de Angeli  
• The Christmas Anna Angel, illustrated by Kate Seredy; text: Ruth Sawyer

1944 Honor Books:

• Small Rain: Verses From The Bible, illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones; text: selected by Jessie Orton Jones
• Pierre Pidgeon, illustrated by Arnold E. Bare; text: Lee Kingman
• The Mighty Hunter, by Berta & Elmer Hader
• A Child's Good Night Book, illustrated by Jean Charlot; text: Margaret Wise Brown
• Good-Luck Horse, illustrated by Plato Chan; text: Chih-Yi Chan

1943 Honor Books:

• Dash and Dart, by Mary & Conrad Buff
• Marshmallow, by Clare Turlay Newberry

1942 Honor Books:

• An American ABC, by Maud & Miska Petersham
• In My Mother's House, illustrating by Velino Herrera; text: Ann Nolan Clark
• Paddle-To-The-Sea, by Holling C. Holling
• Nothing At All, by Wanda Gág

1941 Honor Book:

• April's Kittens, by Clare Turlay Newberry

1940 Honor Books:

• Cock-a-Doodle Doo, by Berta & Elmer Hader
• Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
• The Ageless Story, by Lauren Ford

1939 Honor Books:

• Andy and the Lion, by James Daugherty
• Barkis, by Clare Turlay Newberry
• The Forest Pool, by Laura Adams Armer
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, by Wanda Gág
• Wee Gillis, illustrated by Robert Lawson; text: Munro Leaf

1938 Honor Books:

• Four and Twenty Blackbirds, illustrated by Robert Lawson; text: compiled by Helen Dean Fish
• Seven Simeons: A Russian Tale, retold and illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff