The Newbery Medal for Best Children's Book
The Newbery Medal honors the year's most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The medal was established in 1922 and is presented annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The recipient must be a citizen or resident of the United States.

The Pura Belpré Award
This biennial prize honors Latino authors and illustrators who (in the words of the American Library Association) "portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience." Named after Pura Belpré, author, folklorist, and the first Latina librarian for the New York Public Library, it's cosponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA), an ALA affiliate.

The Coretta Scott King Award
The Coretta Scott King Award was established in 1969 and is given by the American Library Association. It is presented annually to a black author and to a black illustrator for an outstandingly inspirational and educational contribution published during the previous year.

The Michael L. Printz Award
The year 2000 marks the debut of the Michael L. Printz Award. Named for a school librarian from Topeka, Kansas, known for his commitment to discovering great books for teens, the Printz Award recognizes excellence in young adult literature. It's sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association.

Young Reader's Choice Award
The YRCA is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association and was established in 1940 to promote reading for enjoyment. The lucky winners are chosen by the children and young adults of Alberta, British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington, from books published 3 years previously. In 1991 a senior division was added, for readers in grades 9 through 12.

Governor-General's Awards for Children's Literature
First called the Canada Council on Children's Literature Prizes, these awards, for both French and English literature, were established in 1975. They are presented to the best books by Canadians, regardless of where they were published. Awards for illustration were added in 1977

The Mark Twain Awards
Named after Missouri's best-known writer, the Mark Twain Awards were started in 1971 by Kansas City librarian Marnie Neal and co-sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Librarians and the Missouri Library Association. The winners are chosen by the children of Missouri themselves (no grownups allowed!), but we thought that children everywhere might like them, too.

Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award
Established in 1981 by Scott O'Dell, recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, Newbery Medal, and many others, this award recognizes outstanding works of historical fiction. The criteria require that the book be published in English by a U.S. publisher and that it be set in the New World (North, Central, or South America). Winners receive $5,000.

Whitbread Book Awards
Winners, 1973-1999
The Whitbread Book Awards are given each year in four categories (novel, first novel, poetry, and biography) to works by authors who have lived for three or more years in Great Britain or Ireland. Category winners are also eligible to become the Whitbread Book of the Year, which is announced two weeks later and brings prize money of £21,000.

PEN American Center Literary Awards:
For children's literature:
The PEN/Norma Klein Award
Acknowledges an emerging voice of literary merit among American writers of children's fiction. ($3,000, in odd-numbered years)