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Children's Literature Guide

Guide for children's literature awards winners

About the Award

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, established in 2004, is given annually (beginning in 2006) to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children’s literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year.

A listing of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winners housed in the Curriculum Materials/Media Center is below. These books are organized according to the Library of Congress system of classification.

Award Winners

Name Title Year
Hunter, Anne Where's Baby? 2021 - Honor
Higgins, Ryan T. What About Worms!? 2021 - Honor
Lyons, Kelly Starling Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom! 2021 - Honor
Tatsukawa, Maya The Bear in My Family 2021 - Honor
LaRochelle, David See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog 2021 - Winner
Pizzoli, Greg The Book Hog 2020 - Honor
Belle, Cece Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! 2020 - Honor
Morris, J.E. Flubby is Not a Good Pet! 2020 - Honor
Yang, James Stop! Bot! 2020 - Winner
Meyers, Nancy King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats 2018 - Honor
Snyder, Laurel Charlie & Mouse 2018 - Winner
Hughes, Emily Charlie & Mouse 2018 - Winner
Meisel, Paul I See a Cat 2018 - Honor
Butler, Dori Hillestad King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats 2018 - Honor
Kügler, Tina Snail & Worm Again 2018 - Honor
Yoon, Salina My Kite Is Stuck! And Other Stories 2018 - Honor
Arnold, Tedd; Hamilton, Martha; Weiss, Mitch Noodleheads See the Future 2018 - Honor
Good Night Owl Good Night Owl 2017 - Honor
We Are Growing: A Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! Book We Are Growing: A Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! Book 2017 - Winner
The Infamous Ratsos The Infamous Ratsos 2017 - Honor
Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper 2017 - Honor
Go Otto Go! Go Otto Go! 2017 - Honor
  Supertruck 2016 - Honor
Waiting Waiting 2016 - Honor
A Pig, a Fox, and a Box A Pig, a Fox, and a Box 2016 - Honor
Don’t Throw It to Mo! Don’t Throw It to Mo! 2016 - Winner
Mr. Putter and Tabby Turn the Page Mr. Putter and Tabby Turn the Page 2015 - Honor
You Are (Not) Small You Are (Not) Small 2015 - Winner
Waiting Is Not Easy! Waiting Is Not Easy! 2015 - Honor
Award Date Title/ Author and Illustrator Call Number
2021

Winner:

See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka 

Honor Books:

The Bear in My Family, written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa  

Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!, written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata  

What About Worms!?, written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins  

Where’s Baby?, written and illustrated by Anne Hunter  

 

PZ7.L3234 Se 2020

 

 

PS3620.T38 B43 2020

Not in collection

PZ7.W65535 Wg 2020

PZ7.H916555 Whe 2020

2020

Medal Winner:

Stop! Bot!, written and illustrated by James Yang (Viking/Penguin)

Honor Books:

Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! written and illustrated by Cece Bell 

Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! written and illustrated by J.E. Morris 

The Book Hog, written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli  

 

Not in collection

 

PZ7.7.B435 Sm 2019

PZ7.M82824 Fl 2019

PZ7.P6898 Boo 201

2019

Medal Winner:

Fox the Tiger, written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor 

Honor:

The Adventures of Otto: See Pip Flap, written and illustrated by David Milgrim  

Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories, written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier 

King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth, written by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Nancy Meyers 

Tiger vs. Nightmare, written and illustrated by Emily Tetri

 

PZ7.1.T29 Ft 2018

 

PZ7.M5955 Sdm 2018

PZ7.R9475 Par 2018

PZ7.B9759 Ki 2018

 

PZ7.7.T476 Tig 2018

2018

Winner:

Charlie & Mouse / Snyder, Laurel; illustrated by Hughes, Emily

 

PZ7.S6851764 Ch 2019

 

Honors:

I See a Cat / Meisel, Paul

 

PZ7.M5158752 Iam 2017

  King and Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats / Hillestad Butler, Dori PZ7.B9759 Kin 2017
  My Kite is Stuck! and Other Stories / Yoon, Salina In Acquisitions
  Noodleheads See the Future / Arnold, Tedd, Hamilton, Martha, and Weiss, Mitch Not in collection
  Snail & Worm Again / Kugler, Tina
In Acquisitions
2017

Winner:

We Are Growing! / Willems, Mo; illustrated by Willems, Mo and Keller, Laurie 

Not in collection
 

Honors:

Good Night Owl / Pizzoli, Greg

Not in collection
2016

Winner:

Don't Throw It to Mo! / Adler, David A.; illustrated by Ricks, Sam

Mo is the youngest kid on the Robins football team. The kids on the rival team tease him for being a 'butterfingers' who's too tiny to catch the ball. But Mo's coach has a plan up his sleeve to turn Mo's little size into a big win for the Robins.

PZ7 .A2615 DP 2015
 

Honors:

A Pig, a Fox, and a Box / Fenske, Johnathan

After finding a box just the right size to hide in, a little fox tries to play some tricks on his big friend, Pig, but things do not work out exactly as he planned.

PZ8.3 .F3664 PIG 2015
 

Waiting / Henkes, Kevin

Five animal toys wait for marvelous things to happen.

PZ7 .H389 WAI 2015
2015

Winner:

You Are (Not) Small / Kang, Anna; illustrated by Weyant, Christopher

Two fuzzy creatures can't agree on who is small and who is big, until a couple of surprise guests show up, settling it once and for all!

PZ7 .K127637 YOU 2014
 

Honors: 

Waiting Is Not Easy! / Willems, Mo

Piggie tells Gerald she has a surprise for him, but it is not there yet so Gerald must be patient.

PZ7 .W65535 WAI 2014

2014

Winner:

The Watermelon Seed / Pizzoli, Greg

After swallowing a watermelon seed, a crocodile imagines a scary outcome.

PZ7 .P6898 WAT 2013

Honors:

Ball / Sullivan, Mary

While searching for someone to play ball with him, a dog dreams of fantastical adventures he could have with his ball.

PZ7 .S95314 BAL 2013

A Big Guy Took My Ball! / Willems, Mo

Piggie is upset because a whale took the ball she found, but Gerald finds a solution that pleases all of them.

PZ7 .W65535 BIG 2013

Penny and Her Marble / Henkes, Kevin

Penny feels guilty after taking a beautiful blue marble that she sees in Mrs. Goodwin's grass, but gets a pleasant surprise when she goes to return it the next day.

PZ7 .H389 PEI 2013

2013

Winner:

Up, Tall and High! / Long, Ethan

Through illustrations and simple text, birds demonstrate the meanings of the words up, tall, and high.

PZ7 .L8453 UP 2012

2012

Winner:

Tales for Very Picky Eaters / Schneider, Josh

A father tells outlandish stories while trying to get his young son, who is a very picky eater, to eat foods he thinks he will not like.

PZ7 .S36335 TAL 2011

Honors:

I Broke My Trunk! / Willems, Mo

Gerald the elephant tells his best friend Piggie a long, crazy story about how he broke his trunk.

PZ7 .W65535 IAH 2011

I want my Hat Back / Klassen, J.

A bear almost gives up his search for his missing hat until he remembers something important.

PZ7 .K6781446 IAP 2011

See Me Run / Meisel, Paul

A dog has a fun-filled day at the dog park, in this easy-to-read story.

PZ7 .M5158752 SE 2011

2011

Winner:

Bink & Gollie / DiCamillo, Kate and McGhee, Alison; illustrated by Fucile, Tony

Two roller-skating best friends--one tiny, one tall--share three comical adventures involving outrageously bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion.

PZ7 .D5455 BI 2010

Honors:

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! / Lin, Grace

Ling and Ting are identical twins that people think are exactly the same, but time and again they prove to be different.

PZ7 .L644 LIN 2010

We Are in a Book! / Willems, Mo

Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends?

PZ7 .W65535 WE 2010

2010

Winner:

Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! : a Toon Book / Hayes, Geoffrey

Two mice meet their new neighbor and discover that she is not as scary as they feared.

PZ7.7 .H39 BE 2009

Honors:

I Spy Fly Guy! / Arnold, Tedd

While playing hide-and-seek with Buzz, Fly Guy is taken away by a garbage man.

PZ7 .A7379 IAS 2009

Little Mouse gets Ready: a Toon Book / Smith, Jeff

Little Mouse gets dressed to go to the barn with his mother, brothers, and sisters.

PZ7.7 .S64 LI 2009

Mouse and Mole, Fine Feathered Friends / Herbert Yee, Wong

When spring arrives, Mole and Mouse find a unique way to bird watch.

PZ7 .Y3655 MO 2009

Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day / McMullan, Kate; illustrated by Alley, R.W.

April Fools' Day is not a happy one for Wagner the mouse because his best friend, Pearl the rabbit, and other children and adults at school keep tricking him.

PZ7 .M47879 PDC 2009

Are You Ready to Play Outside? / Willems, Mo

Friends Elephant and Piggie are playing outside when it starts to rain, and then they must decide what to do.

PZ7 .W65535 AR 2008

2009

Honors:

Chicken said, "Cluck!" / Ackerman Grant, Judyann; illustrated by Truesdell, Sue

Earl and Pearl do not want Chicken's help in the garden, until a swarm of grasshoppers arrives and her true talent shines.

PZ7 .G766775 CH 2008

One Boy / Vaccaro Seeger, Laura

A boy creates ten paintings in this counting book that also explores the relationship of words within words.

PZ7 .S4514 ON 2008

Stinky : A Toon Book / Davis, Eleanor

Stinky, a monster who lives in a swamp, gets upset when a boy named Nick starts hanging around his swamp, and so he tries to scare Nick away.

PZ7.7 .D38 ST 2008

Wolfsnail : A Backyard Predator / Campbell, Sarah C. 

Stunning photographs and a fact-filled story deliver a closeup look at a day in the life of a tiny, and unexpected, predator-the seriously slimy wolfsnail.

QL430.5 .S65 C36 2008

There is a Bird on Your Head! / Willems, Mo

Gerald the elephant discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head-- two birds on your head! Piggie will try to help her best friend.

PZ7 .W65535 TH 2007

2008

Honors:

First the Egg / Vaccaro Seeger, Laura

A picture book about transformations.

QH491 .S43 2007

Hello, Bumblebee Bat / Lunde, Darrin; illustrated by Wynne, Patricia J.

Simple text and illustrations introduce the endangered bumblebee bat of Thailand.

QL737 .C513 L86 2007

Jazz Baby / Wheeler, Lisa; illustrated by Christie, R. Gregory

Baby and his family make some jazzy music.

PZ8.3 .W5668 JAZ 2004

Vulture View / Pulley Sayre, April; illustrated by Jenkins, Steve

"Turkey vultures soar on the balmy air, looking for their next stinky feast. These birds don't hunt--they like their food to be already dead. Vultures are part of nature's cleanup crew"--Inside front dust jacket.

QL696 .C53 S29 2007

2007

Winner:

Zelda and Ivy, the Runaways / McGee Kvasnosky, Laura

In three short stories, two fox sisters run away from home, bury a time capsule, and take advantage of some creative juice.

PZ7 .K975 ZEN 2006

Honors:

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride / DiCamillo, Kate; illustrated by Van Dusen, Chris

Mr. Watson's usual Saturday drive in his Cadillac with his favorite pig, Mercy, turns into an adventure when an unexpected passenger shows up in the back seat and Mercy finds herself behind the wheel.

PZ7 .D5455 ME 2006

Move Over, Rover / Beaumont, Karen; illustrated by Dyer, Jane

When a storm comes, Rover expects to have his doghouse all to himself but finds that various other animals, including a skunk, come to join him. It's raining cats and dogs! Good thing Rover is snuggled safe and dry inside his doghouse--until, one by one, a soggy menagerie of creatures shows up looking for a cozy place to sit out the storm. But who's the very unwelcome surprise visitor? Skunk, of course. Suddenly that doghouse isn't quite so crowded after all!

PZ8.3 .B3845 MOV 2006

Not a Box / Portis, Antoinette

To an imaginative bunny, a box is not always just a box.

PZ7 .P8362 NO 2006

2006

Winner:

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas: The Twenty-sixth Book of Their Adventures / Rylant, Cynthia; illustrated by Stevenson, Sucie

When Henry and his dog Mudge go with Henry's parents to visit Great-Grandpa Bill in the home with lots of other grandpas, they lead them all on a wonderful adventure.

PZ7 .R982 HEAMG 2005

Honors:

Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day / Van Leeuwen, Jean; illustrated by Schweninger, Ann

Amanda Pig and her family and friends try to find different ways to beat the heat.

PZ7 .V275 AMK 2005

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa / Silverman, Erica; illustrated Lewin, Betsy

Cowgirl Kate and her cowhorse Cocoa, who is always hungry, count cows, share a story, and help each other fall asleep.

PZ7 .S58625 CO 2005

Hi! Fly Guy / Arnold, Tedd

When Buzz captures a fly to enter in The Amazing Pet Show, his parents and the judges tell him that a fly cannot be a pet, but Fly Guy proves them wrong.

PZ7 .A7379 HI 2005

A Splendid Friend, Indeed / Bloom, Suzanne

When a studious polar bear meets an inquisitive goose, they learn to be friends.

PZ7 .B6234 SP 2005