Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present

2023 Author Winner

“Freewater,” written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, is the Coretta Scott King Author Book winner. The book is published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

2023 Illustrator Winner

“Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, is the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

2023 Author Honor

2023 Illustrator Honor Titles

John Steptoe New Talent Award Winners

Author Winner

“We Deserve Monuments,” written by Jas Hammonds, is the John Steptoe New Talent Author award winner. The book is published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Illustrator Winner

“Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement,” illustrated by Janelle Washington, is the John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator award winner. The book is written by Angela Joy and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

2023 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Dr. Claudette McLinn

Dr. Claudette McLinn is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Dr. McLinn is the founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL). She is a retired district supervising librarian for the LA Unified School District with over 34 years of experience, a former bookseller and a much sought-after book award juror/presenter.

2022 Author Winner

The 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Carole Boston Weatherford, author of "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre". "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre", published by Carlrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group Inc., provides a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history.

2022 Illustrator Winner

The 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Floyd Cooper, illustrator of "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre". "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre", published by Carlrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group Inc., provides a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history. “Using oil and erasure for his illustrations, the late, great Mr. Cooper brought to life one of America’s darkest and most devastating events in lifelike paintings that are full of emotion and detail.” said Jason Driver, 2022 CSK Jury Chair.

2022 John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Author Winner

The 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Author goes to Amber McBride for “Me (Moth),” published by Feiwell and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group. The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African American creator of children’s books. Me (Moth) is McBride's debut novel.

Illustrator Winner

The 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Illustrator goes to Regis and Kahran Bethencourt for The Me I Choose to Be” published by Little, Brown, and Company. The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African American creator of children’s books.

2022 Author Honor Titles

2022 Illustrator Honor Titles

2022 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Nikki Grimes (Author/Illustrator)

Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2022 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Nikki Grimes has been widely recognized for her distinguished contribution to children’s and young adult literature, winning major awards including: 2020 ALAN Award, 2017 Children’s Legacy Award, The Virginia Hamilton Award at Kent State, a Coretta Scott King author award and five Coretta Scott King author honors. After more than 77 books, she has sealed her legacy by weaving poetry and novels in verse into an impressive body of work. Grimes currently resides in Corona, California, where she continues her powerful writing.

2021 Author Winner

The 2021 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Jacqueline Woodson, author of "Before the Ever After." “Before the Ever After,” published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, is Jacqueline Woodson’s stirring novel-in-verse which explores how a family moves forward when their glory days have passed and the effects of professional sports on the Black body.

2021 Illustration Winner

The 2021 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Frank Morrison, illustrator of “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul". “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, is an early indoctrination into hip-hop culture that can be seen through Morrison’s work, which has been dubbed a mash-up of urban mannerism, graffiti and abstract contemporary, and reflects deeply on the lost of human stories from past eras.

2021 John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Author Winner

The 2021 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Author goes to Tracy Deonn for “Legendborn,” published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy “Legendborn” offers the dark allure of “City of Bones” with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic. The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African American creator of children’s books. This is Deonn's debut novel.

2021 Author Honor Titles

2021 Illustrator Honor Titles

2021 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (Practitioner)

Dorothy L. Guthrie

Dorothy L. Guthrie is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Dorothy L. Guthrie is an award-winning retired librarian, district administrator, author and school board member. A respected children’s literature advocate, Guthrie promotes and affirms the rich perspectives of African Americans. Her work, “Integrating African American Literature in the Library and Classroom,” inspires educators with African American literature. Guthrie founded the first African American museum in her home, Gaston County, North Carolina.

2020 Author Winner

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Jerry Craft, author of "New Kid". “New Kid” published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, tells the story of Jordan Banks, an artistic Black middle school student who has transferred from public school to an elite, predominantly White private school and must contend not only with typical middle school challenges but also with microaggressions and code-switching. Told in a graphic novel format, Jordan’s experiences are rendered highly accessible to young people and include his own doodles, journal entries and handbooks for middle school students.

2020 Illustrator Winner

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Kadir Nelson, illustrator of "The Undefeated" written by Kwame Alexander and published by Versity, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "The Undefeated" is an emotional deep dive into the unapologetic brilliance of the Black experience in the face of unspeakable injustice. Capturing the excellence of iconic figures in Black history, as well as the known and unknown victims of brutality, this book showcases the raw humanity of generations of determination and will. Themes of survival, hope, and resilience permeate in this masterful picture book.

2020 John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Author Winner

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Author goes to Alicia D. Williams for “Genesis Begins Again,” published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book. There are 96 things that Genesis hates about herself, and her dark skin is at the top of the list. Genesis tries to hold her family together as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Williams’ authentic youthful storytelling explores how Genesis navigates poverty, family relationships, bullying, and overcomes the feelings of self-hate due to the trauma of colorism.

Illustrator Winner

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Illustrator is April Harrison for “What Is Given from the Heart,” published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Harrison’s soft illustrations, a mix of collage and acrylic painting, tell the story of James who knows what it’s like to have very little. When his close friend Sarah’s family loses all they own in a fire, he struggles to come up with a suitable gift to give her. The carefully pieced together illustrations and earthy tones are a suitable pairing for this tale that reminds the reader that a gift that comes from the heart is always priceless.

2020 Author Honor Titles

2020 Illustrator Honor Titles

2020 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (Author and/or Illustrator)

Mildred D. Taylor

Mildred D. Taylor, is the recipient of the 2020 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. Born in Mississippi in 1943 and raised in Ohio, Taylor resides in Colorado. “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” won the 1977 Newbery Award and a Coretta Scott King Book Award honor. Taylor received the international 2003 inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature. Her books earned national recognition including four CSK author awards and two author honors. Her 2020 Logan family series conclusion “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come” continues addressing systemic injustice, entrenched inequality and the roots of racism.

The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. In even years (i.e. 2017, 2018, 2020…), the award is presented to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution.

2019 Author Winner

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Claire Hartfield, author of "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919," published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" is a meticulously researched exposition of the socio-economic landscape and racial tensions that led to the death of a black teen who wanted to swim, and the violent clash that resulted. In twenty chapters, Hartfield’s balanced, eye-opening account contextualizes a range of social justice issues that persist to this day.

2019 Illustrator Winner

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "The Stuff of Stars" written by Marion Dane Bauer and published by Candlewick Press. In "The Stuff of Stars," Holmes uses hand marbled paper and collage to create a lush explosion of color that brings to life the formation of the universe while distinctly reflecting the essence of the African diaspora.

2019 John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Author Winner

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Author goes to Tiffany D. Jackon, author of "Monday's Not Coming," published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In the timely thriller “Monday’s Not Coming,” Jackson examines friendship, child abuse, and family relationships. In alternating chapters, the reader is immediately pulled into the angst that Claudia feels as she struggles to piece together this fragmented tale that concludes with a mind-blowing resolution of Monday’s disappearance.

Illustrator Award

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Illustrator is Oge Mora, illustrator and author of "Thank You, Omu," published by Little, Brown Young Readers. “Thank You, Omu!” is a fresh take on a timeless tale of altruism and community-mindedness. Mora’s collage work is skillfully pieced together with acrylic, marker, pastels, patterned paper, and old book clippings, creating a visual smorgasbord. Mora brings to life an amalgamation of many grandmothers and captures the African spirit of generosity and community.

2019 Author Honor Titles

2019 Illustrator Honor Titles

2019 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (Practitioner)

Dr. Pauletta Bracy

Dr. Pauletta Bracy is Professor of Library Science and Director of the Office of University Accreditation at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She has successfully merged scholarship and service with publications such as “Libraries, Literacy and African American Youth ”(co-edited with Sandra Hughes Hassell and Casey H. Rawson) as well as her work with the Coretta Scott King Book Awards and with workshops and conferences dedicated to promoting African American books for children and teens. She recently served as co-organizer for Celebrating Our Voices: Black Children's Literature Symposium and Book Festival held at NCCU.

2018 Author Award Winner

The 2018 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Renée Watson, author of "Piecing Me Together,” published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. "Piecing Me Together" is an inspiring tale in which Watson pulls the reader into Jade's world by sharing Jade's love for the Spanish language and providing a different, yet necessary story of Black womanhood.

Renée Watson is an author, educator, and activist from Portland, Oregon, who now lives in New York City. Watson has taught creative writing and theater in public schools and community centers throughout the U.S. for over twenty years. She often focuses on the lived experiences of Black girls and women. "Watson brings us a coming-of-age tale that eloquently explores the many facets of Jade, a brilliant and creative teen on the brink of young adulthood," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Sam Bloom.

2018 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2018 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets,” written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, published by Candlewick Press.

In "Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets," Ekua Holmes's mixed-media collage images balance the tone and tenor of the new poems created by the authors, while paying homage to each of the featured poets in the subtle detailas extracted from various aspects. "Holmes expertly infuses the multilayered poetry with the richness of the Black art aesthetic in her original, evocative, vibrantly colored compositions," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Sam Bloom.

2018 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author)

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African-American creator of children’s books. This year’s winning Author is David Barclay Moore for “The Stars Beneath Our Feet” published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

"The Stars Beneath Our Feet" provides a realistic lens on the Black American experience and infuses it with heart, soul, and imagination. Moore plays with language, culture, stereotypes, and reality to create an engaging book that will resonate with youth in urban communities everywhere searching for positive survival techniques.

2018 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator)

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African-American creator of children’s books. This year’s winning illustrator is Charly Palmer for “Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song” published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

"Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song" visually tells the story of the singer's career through the use of vibrant, colorful illustrations that juxtapose her rise in fame in comparison to the South African people's civil rights struggle with apartheid. Palmer's bold illustrations expertly complement the text in a riveting duet.

2018 Author Honor Titles

2018 Illustrator Honor Titles

2018 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Eloise Greenfield is the recipient of the 2018 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

"Eloise Greenfield is a trailblazer whose extraordinary books of poetry and prose have influenced many and continue to resonate with children today. Her rich body of work inspires and enriches readers," said Award Committee Chair Deborah D. Taylor.

Eloise Greenfield was born in Parmele, North Carolina, and currently resides in Washington D.C. Early in life, she discovered a love of reading and writing and realized there were few books that showed the fullness of African American life. She published her first book in 1972 and went on to write and publish more than 40 books. From "Honey, I Love" to "The Great Migration," this multiple award-winning author has captivated audiences through the years.

The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. The annual award is presented in even years to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution.

2017 Author Award Winner

The 2017 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is given to Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin for “March Book: Three,” published by Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works LLC.

“March: Book Three,” is a first-hand account of the Civil Rights Movement through Lewis’ eyes. Using vivid language and dynamic visual storytelling, it details events from the Freedom Summer to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Readers experience the realities of segregation, the sacrifices required for the struggle and the courage that defines true leaders.

Co-author John Lewis is the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5^th congressional district and an iconic African-American civil rights activist, who chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Co-author Andrew Aydin is the digital director and policy advisor in Rep. Lewis’s Washington, D.C. office. They won a Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award in 2014 for the first volume in the series, “March: Book One.”

“’March: Book Three’ is a riveting and multilayered graphic personal history of the civil rights movement and a window into the mind and experiences of a living legend,” said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

2017 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2017 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Javaka Steptoe, illustrator and author of "Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,” published by Little, Brown and Company.

In “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,” collage style paintings with rich texture, bold colors and thick lines take readers on an emotional journey. Steptoe’s style blends with motifs from Basquiat’s own art to create this stunning picture book biography.

“Steptoe’s illustrations for ‘Radiant Child’ are striking. Painted on found wood, they echo the ‘sloppy, ugly, and sometimes weird, but somehow still beautiful’ quality of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s art, while relating the story of his difficult life,” said Bishop.

Javaka Steptoe is an artist, designer and children’s book illustrator. His debut work, “In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers,” an anthology featuring poetry from notable poets, including Folami Abiade, Dinah Johnson and Carole Boston Weatherford, Angela Johnson and Sonia Sanchez, earned him his first Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, in 1998; “Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow” (written by Gary Golio), received a CSK Illustrator Honor in 2011. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

2017 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author)

"The Sun is Also a Star" written by Nicola Yoon, and published by Delacort Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC

2017 Author Honor Titles

2017 Illustrator Honor Titles

2017 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop

Dr. Bishop is a winner of numerous awards and has served as a respected member of many book awards committees over the course of her long and distinguished career. Her influential writing, speaking, and teaching articulates the history and cultural significance of African-American children’s literature. Her globally cited work, “Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors,” has inspired movements for increased diversity in books for young people, and provides the basis for the best multicultural practice and inquiry for students, teachers, writers and publishing houses.

2016 Author Award Winner

The 2016 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is given to Rita Williams-Garcia, author of “Gone Crazy in Alabama.”

“Gone Crazy in Alabama,” published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is the final book in Williams-Garcia’s trilogy about the Gaither sisters. She blends cultural and family history in a vivid, readable way, laced with humor. Each sister is a distinct individual, growing, changing, and helping to change the perspectives of their elders.

“Rita Williams-Garcia has written a convincing, often humorous portrayal of three young sisters from Brooklyn spending the summer in the South, living and learning in the bosom of a complicated but loving multigenerational family,” said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

2016 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2016 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Bryan Collier, illustrator of “Trombone Shorty."

In “Trombone Shorty,” written by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Bill Taylor, and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS, Collier creates vibrant, bold color collages and realistic images that portray the musical growth of a young boy in the jazz tradition of the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans.

“Collier’s illustrations beautifully capture important events in Andrews’s life, as well as the spirit of his beloved city and the music that is at the heart of both New Orleans and Trombone Shorty,” said Bishop.

2016 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

This year’s author winner is Ronald L. Smith, author of “Hoodoo,” published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company; and

“Hoodoo” is the rich, atmospheric tale of a boy trying to ward off an evil spirit in 1930s small-town Alabama. When the foreboding Stranger comes to town, Hoodoo Hatcher must use the folk magic passed down in his extended family to save the day.

2016 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Winner)

Ekua Holmes, illustrator of “Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Candlewick Press is the illustrator winner.

“Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement” is a powerful biography of the heroic Civil Rights leader. Told with inspiring poetry and vivid images, Hamer’s humanity shines through in this impressive collection.

2016 Author Honor Titles

2016 Illustrator Honor Titles

2016 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Jerry Pinkney

Jerry Pinkney is the recipient of the 2016 Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA), during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held Jan. 8-12, in Boston.

“Accomplished artist and illustrator Jerry Pinkney constructs books which explore cultural experiences and ethnic identity. This dynamic process offers amazing insight, remarkable skill, and distinctive style. Through the visual life of his illustrations, Pinkney has created a vast and broad legacy for child and adult audiences,” stated Awards Jury Chair Dr. Darwin L. Henderson.

In selecting Jerry Pinkney, the Jury observes that his illustrations detail a world that resonates with readers long after the pages of a book have been turned. His five decades of work offer compelling artistic insights into the legacy of African American storytelling and experience. Beyond Pinkney’s technical brilliance, his support of differentiated learning through art and of young illustrators sets him apart as both artist and educator. His powerful illustrations have redefined the scope of the sophisticated picture book and its use with multiple levels of learners.

2015 Author Award Winner

The 2015 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is given to Jacqueline Woodson, author of “brown girl dreaming.”

Published by Nancy Paulson Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, Penguin Group (USA) LLC, is an absorbing free verse memoir of a young girl growing up black and female in the 1960s and ‘70s full of arresting details and vivid imagery. Her choice of events and memories incorporate important historical events and her own evolution into the award-winning writer she has become.

2015 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2015 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Christopher Myers, illustrator of “Firebird."

Written by Misty Copeland and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Group USA, the illustrations of Myers depict the brilliant colorful world of the ballerina with its dancers on en pointe.

“The vibrant lines and colors mirror the movement of Copeland’s “Firebird”, says Patton. “Encased in gorgeous collages and endpaper, balletic poses, leaping and bounding into the air at tremendous heights spur the imagination and inspire a young girl’s hopes and dreams,” said Patton.

2015 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

The 2015 John Steptoe Award for New Talent is given to Jason Reynolds, author of "When I Was the Greatest,” published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Reynolds' lively and engaging portrayal of urban teenage boys is a compelling story about neighborhood, family, friendship, values and the acceptance of difference.

Living in an underserved neighborhood in Brooklyn, Allen/Ali befriends Noodles and his brother Needles, who has Tourette syndrome. In an authentic contemporary voice, Reynolds focuses on the importance of family, the acceptance of responsibility and the obligations of friendship and portrays a likeable teenager learning how to be a good man.

2015 Author Honor Titles

2015 Illustrator Honor Titles

2015 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Deborah D. Taylor

Deborah D. Taylor, coordinator of School and Student Services, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, is the recipient of the 2015 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA) during the ALA Midwinter Meeting, held Jan.30 – Feb. 3 in Chicago.

“Deborah D. Taylor is an extraordinary youth librarian and literacy advocate,” stated Award Committee Chair Loretta Dowell.

Taylor’s career in public service began more than 40 years ago with the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, where she is currently coordinator of School and Student Services. Her career has been spent as mentor, educator and literacy advocate for young adults.

As an inspiring young adult librarian, leader in national associations and university instructor, she has been distinctly effective in introducing young people and her professional colleagues to the outstanding work of African American authors.

2014 Author Award Winner

Rita Williams-Garcia, author of “P.S. Be Eleven” published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In this spirited stand-alone sequel to “One Crazy Summer,” the Gaither sisters return to Brooklyn after a summer spent with their mother in Oakland, California. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern thrive in the tumultuous era of the late 1960s, but Delphine is tasked by her mother to, “P.S. Be Eleven.”

2014 Illustrator Award Winner

Bryan Collier, illustrator of “Knock knock: my dad’s dream for me” illustrated by Bryan Collier and published by Little, Brown and Company, Hachette Book Group. In “Knock knock: my dad’s dream for me,” Bryan Collier brings to life Daniel Beaty’s powerful narrative of a son’s longing for his absent father. With his distinctive watercolor and collage technique, Collier captures the nuances of the urban setting and the son’s journey to manhood.

2014 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Winner)

Theodore Taylor III, illustrator of for “When the beat was born: DJ Kool Herc and the creation of hip hop” written by Laban Carrick Hill and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership . Taylor's stylish artwork shows young Clive Campbell’s transformation into the DJ who helped launch hip-hop in the early 70’s. Using retro cartoon-style illustrations rendered in a palette that emphasizes browns, greens, reds and greys he transforms words on a page into a rhythmic beat that brings the words alive.

2014 Author Honor Titles

2014 Illustrator Honor Title

Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Patricia and Frederick McKissack

Patricia and Frederick McKissack, award-winning authors of books for children and young adults

2013 Author Award Winner

Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of "Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America," published by Disney/Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.

2013 Illustrator Award Winner

Bryan Collier, illustrator of I, Too, Am America, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

2013 Author Honor Titles

2013 Illustrator Honor Titles

2013 Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Demetria Tucker

Demetria Tucker, Family and youth services librarian for the Pearl Bailey Library, a branch of the Newport News (Va.) Public Library System

2012 Author Award Winner

Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of "Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans" published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers is the 2012 author winner.

2012 Illustrator Award Winner

Shane W. Evans, author and illustrator of "Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom" published by A Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership is the 2012 illustrator winner.

2012 Author Honor Titles

2012 Illustrator Honor Title

2012 Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Ashley Bryan

Ashley Bryan, storyteller, artist, author, poet, and musician

2011 Author Award Winner

Rita Williams-Garcia, author of One Crazy Summer (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

2011 Illustrator Award Winner

Bryan Collier, illustrator of Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, written by Laban Carrick Hill (Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.)

2011 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon, authors of Zora and Me (Candlewick Press)

2011 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Winner)

Sonia Lynn Sadler, illustrator of Seeds of Change, written by Jen Cullerton Johnson (Lee & Low Books, Inc.)

2011 Author Honor Titles

2011 Illustrator Honor Title

Javaka Steptoe, author of Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, written by Gary Golio (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company)

2011 Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Dr. Henrietta Mays Smith

Professor emerita at the University of South Florida, Tampa, School of Library and Information Science

2006 Author Winner

Julius Lester, author of Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue (Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children)

2006 Illustrator Winner

Bryan Collier, illustrator of Rosa, written by Nikki Giovanni (Henry Holt and Company).

2006 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

Jaime Adoff, author of Jimi & Me (Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children)

2006 Author Honor Titles

2006 Illustrator Honor Title

2005 Author Award Winner

2005 Illustrator Award Winner

2005 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

2005 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Winner)

2005 Author Honor Titles

2005 Illustrator Honor Titles

2004 Author Winner

2004 Illustrator Winner

2004 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

2004 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Winner)

2004 Author Honor Titles

2004 Illustrator Honor Titles

2003 Author Winner

2003 Illustrator Winner

2003 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

2003 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Winner)

2003 Author Honor Titles

2003 Illustrator Honor Titles

2002 Author Award Winner

2002 Illustrator Award Winner

2002 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

2002 Author Honor Titles

2002 Illustrator Honor Title

2001 Author Award Winner

2001 Illustrator Award Winner

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2001 Illustrator Honor Titles

2000 Author Award Winner

2000 Illustrator Award Winner

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2000 Illustrator Honor Titles

1999 Author Award Winner

1999 Illustrator Award Winner

1999 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Award)

1999 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator Award)

1999 Author Honor Titles

1999 Illustrator Honor Titles

1998 Author Award Winner

1998 Illustrator Award Winner

1998 Author Honor Titles

1998 Illustrator Honor Titles

1997 Author Award Winner

1997 Illustrator Award Winner

1997 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

1997 Author Honor Title

1997 Illustrator Honor Titles

1996 Author Award Winner

1996 Illustrator Award Winner

1996 Author Honor Titles

1996 Illustrator Honor Titles

1995 Author Award Winner

1995 Illustrator Award Winner

1995 Inaugural John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author Winner)

1995 Author Honor Titles

1995 Illustrator Honor Titles

1994 Author Award Winner

1994 Illustrator Award Winner

1994 Author Honor Titles

1994 Illustrator Honor Titles

1993 Author Award Winner

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1990 Author Award Winner

1990 Illustrator Award Winner

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1984 Author Award Winner

1984 Illustrator Award Winner

1984 Author Honor Titles

1984 Special Citation

1983 Author Award Winner

1983 Illustrator Award Winner

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1982 Author Award Winner

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1978 Illustrator Award Winner

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1977 Author Award Winner

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1976 Author Award Winner

1976 Author Honor Titles

1975 Author Award Winner

1974 Author Award WInner

1974 Illustrator Award Winner (Inaugural)

1974 Author Honor Titiles

1973 Author Award Winner

1972 Author Award Winner

1971 Author Award Winner

1971 Author Honor Titles