Book Lists – Awards
MCBA 23-24
Caldecott Winners and Honor Books
2025
Chooch Helped, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz and written by Andrea L. Rogers | 2025
2025 Honor Books:
- Home in a Lunchbox, illustrated and written by Cherry Mo
- My Daddy Is a Cowboy, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, written by Stephanie Seales
- Noodles on a Bicycle, illustrated by Gracey Zhang, written by Kyo Maclear
- Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Anita Yasuda
2024
Big by Vashti Harrison | 2024
2024 Honor Books:
- In Every Life by Marla Frazee
- The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung
- There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds
- Jovita Wore Pants by Salazar
2023
Hot Dog by Doug Salati | 2023
2023 Honor Books:
- Ain’t Burned All the Bright , illustrated by Jason Griffin, written by Jason Reynolds
- Berry Song , illustrated and written by Michaela Goade
- Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement , illustrated by Janelle Washington, written by Angela Joy
- Knight Owl , illustrated and written by Christopher Denise
2022
Watercress by Andrea Wang, Jason Chin | 2022
2022 Honor Books:
- Have You Ever Seen a Flower? illustrated and written by Shawn Harris
- Mel Fell , illustrated and written by Corey R. Tabor
- Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre , illustrated by Floyd Cooper, written by Carole Boston
- Wonder Walkers , illustrated and written by Micha Archer
2021
We Are Water Protectors by Michaela Goade, Carole Lindstrom | 2021
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 & Karim Shamsi-Basha
- Me & Mama , illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera
- Outside In , illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood
2020
The Undefeated by Kadir Nelson | 2020
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
Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall | 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
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell | 2018
Honor Books
- Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper
- Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C James
- A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui
- Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe | 2017
Honor Books
- Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol
- Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis
- They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Sophie Blackall | 2016
Honor Books:
- Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Waiting by Kevin Henkes
- Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
- Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat | 2015
Honor Books:
- Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo
- The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary GrandPre
- Sam & Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
- Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales
- The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
- This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Locomotive by Brian Floca | 2014
Honor Books:
- Journey by Aaron Becker
- Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle
- Mr. Wuffles! by David Wiesner
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen | 2013
Honor Books:
- Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
- Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
- Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
- One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small
- Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka | 2012
Honor Books
- Blackout by John Rocco
- Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
- Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Erin E Stead | 2011
Honor Books
- Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney | 2010
Honor Books:
- All the World by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee
- Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
The House in the Night by Beth Krommes | 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 by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick | 2008
Honor Books:
- Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- 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
Flotsam by David Wiesner | 2007
Honor Books:
- Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet by David McLimans
- Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster | 2006
Honor Books:
- Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
- Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman
- Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beckie Prange
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes | 2005
Honor Books:
- The Red Book by Barbara Lehman
- Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
- Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein | 2004
Honor Books:
- Ella Sarah Gets Dressed by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
- What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
- Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann | 2003
Honor Books:
- The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
- Hondo & Fabian by Peter McCarty
- Noah’s Ark by Jerry Pinkney
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner | 2002
Honor Books:
- The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick
- Martin’s Big Words: the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier
- The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George | 2001
Honor Books:
- Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer, illustrated by Christopher Bing
- Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin
- Olivia by Ian Falconer
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback | 2000
Honor Books:
- A Child’s Calendar by John Updike, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
- Sector 7 by David Wiesner
- When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang
- The Ugly Duckling by Jerry Pinkney, adapted from Hans Christian Andersen
MCBA Past Winners
MCBA 25-26