Whether you're looking for fabulous nonfiction children's books for your students or children, a gift for someone (of any age), or a mentor text for your own writing, it can be difficult to know where to start. Personally, I love book recommendations. (And I enjoy recommending nonfiction titles in my newsletter.)
About the only thing that beats a friend's book recommendation is an award-winning book (or nomination). Interested? Keep on reading!
It's important for you to know children's nonfiction has changed dramatically over the past few decades. It's incredibly engaging and creative (while 100% true) for readers in 2024.
You'll find some terrific children's nonfiction books in these award lists. These book awards are specifically for nonfiction books or have a nonfiction/informational category listed. (Many awards include fiction AND nonfiction books on the same list. The awards I'm listing set nonfiction apart from their fiction counterparts.)
Children's Nonfiction Book Awards
Green Earth Book Award with Nat Gen
Orbis Pictus Award with NCTE
Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults with YALSA
Cook Prize with Bank Street College of Education
Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction with SCBWI
Growing Good Kids Book Awards with Junior Master Gardener
Best STEM Books with NSTA
Norman A. Sugarman Children's Biography Award with Cleveland Public Library
Best Children's Book of the Year with Bank Street College of Education
Additional Children's Nonfiction Book Awards
Nerdies for Longform Nonfiction with Nerdy Book Club
Nerdies for Nonfiction Picture Books with Nerdy Book Club
Riverby Award with John Burroughs Association
Blueberry Award with Evanston Public Library (informational books included)
Children's Nonfiction Book Awards with SLJ/Fuse 8 Production
31 Days, 31 Lists with SLJ/Fuse 8 Production
(These aren't standard awards. But let me tell you, when THE Betsy Bird takes note of your book in December, it's a gift! Click that link to see what I mean! I knew about Betsy Bird before I even began writing for children!)
Informational Fiction Books for Kids (Obviously, this isn't straight-up nonfiction, but still important.)
State Children's Nonfiction Book Awards
Most states have children's book awards through their librarian, literature, and/or literacy associations. These state awards include a specific nonfiction category.
Texas Topaz with Texas Librarian Association
Beehive Book Awards with Children's Literature Association of Utah
Dogwood Readers Award with Missouri Association of School Librarians
Garden State Children's Book Award with New Jersey Librarian Association
Eureka! with California Reading Association
Want to know about more state awards for children's and young adult books? Check out the comprehensive list author Cynthia Leitich Smith put together at the link!
For Nonfiction Manuscripts
If you are a nonfiction picture book writer, consider the Ann Whitford Paul Writer's Digest Manuscript Award.
Do you have suggestions to add to this list? Leave a comment!
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