A bummer about Caldecott is that not all the excellent and worthwhile picture books published in a given year can win. There’s only one Caldecott winner, and even if committees are generous with their honors, many books can’t and won’t receive Caldecott recognition. However, there are a number of other awards that recognize distinguished picture books. Let’s look at a few of them.

Coretta Scott King Book Awards

These awards are administered by the Coretta Scott King Book Award Roundtable (part of the American Library Association) and recognize books by African American creators. There are winners and honors in author, illustrator, and new talent categories, and picture books regularly win in all three categories. For instance, last year’s Caldecott winner, Big by Vashti Harrison, was honored in both the CSK author and illustrator categories. Books the CSK committee might consider this year include: My Block Looks Like by Janelle Harper, illustrated by Frank Morrison (who has previously won 2 CSKs); My Daddy Is a Cowboy by Stephanie Seals, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza; They Call Me Teach by Lesa Cline-Ransome (who has previously received a CSK Honor), illustrated by James E. Ransome (who has previously won multiple CSK awards); and, needless to say, Coretta by Coretta Scott King with Reverand Dr. Barbara Reynolds, illustrated by Ekua Holmes. (I have wondered about the etiquette around whether one does or does not give a creator an award that is named after them. I don’t know. This may be a case for Miss Manners.) 

Pura Belpré Awards 

The Belpré Awards are administered by a collaboration between two ALA divisions and an affiliate group, and the awards recognize Latino and Latina creators. Like the CSK Awards, the Belprés have both writer and illustrator categories, and picture books regularly appear in both of them. For instance, last year, Mexikid by Pedro Martin, which fits the Caldecott definition of picture book (some of you may want to debate that), won both the Belpré author and illustrator categories. It also received a Newbery Honor; in recent years, we’ve seen a lot more books winning multiple awards. Books the Belpré committee are probably looking at this year include The Mango Tree written and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez and Call Me Roberto! by Nathalie Alonso, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez (who previously won a Belpré honor). 

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal 

This award run by ALA’s Association of Library Services to Children is for nonfiction, and often picture books are among the winners and honors. Because the Siberts are focused on information, there typically isn’t a ton of overlap between what we’re looking at as potential Caldecott contenders and what wins Sibert — the awards have wildly different criteria — but there is always that potential. The most likely crossovers are picture book biographies like Love Is Hard Work by Dan Paley, illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, and Ernő Rubik and His Magic Cube by Kerry Aradhya, illustrated by Kara Kramer. Golden Gate: Building the Mighty Bridge by Elizabeth Partridge and illustrated by Ellen Heck, is another strong contender for this award.  

Picture books are often recognized by the Geisel Awards (for beginning readers, but there are picture book crossovers), the Schneider Family Book Awards (for books about the experience of living with disabilities), and the Stonewall Book Awards (for books about the LGBTQIA+ experience). Every once in a while, the Newbery committee recognizes a picture book. (Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson is a recent example.) There are the NYT/NYPL Best Illustrated Books every year, which typically include a number of books in translation (which aren’t eligible for Caldecott), and also the Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards, which often catch things that haven’t found recognition elsewhere.

I love Caldecott, but these other book awards give us a wealth of perspectives and angles. They’re a great way to find more worthwhile reading for yourself and the children in your life.