Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners 1970 to Present
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The CSK Book Awards seal and award names are owned by the American Library Association.
The Coretta Scott King Awards are presented annually by the American Library Association to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create outstanding books for children and young adults. “… an excellent start on your quest for the best in African-American literature for children.”
The award was established in 1969 to recognize authors. In 1979 it was expanded to include a separate award for illustrators. There are now five categories for book awards; Author, Author Honor, Illustrator, Illustrator Honor, and the John Steptoe Award for New Talent.
These awards are given to commemorate the life and work of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her continuing efforts in working for peace and civil rights issues. In 2015 The Coretta Scott King Awards became part of the Youth Media Awards. Here is a printable list of all the award winning books.
You may learn more about this award at the American Library Association’s website. Also check out our list of Top 100+ Recommended African-American Children’s Books, some are also CSK Award winning titles.
8 Coretta Scott King Award Winning and Honored Books for 2026
Will’s Race for Home
Will s Race for Home Debuted at #6 on the New York Times Bestsellers List, February 2, 2025
Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush if they can survive the journey.
It s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don t get to own.
So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn t easy the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger.
And then there s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention and more trouble than any of them need.
All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home but is a strong will enough to get them there?
Split the Sky
by Marie Arnold
In this haunting story about family, legacy, and sacrifice, a young Black girl living in a Texas sundown town must find the courage to stand up for what s right even when it means facing impossible choices perfect for fans of Dear Martin and The Hate U Give.
Fifteen-year-old Lala Russell is doing a bad job at being a Black girl. She has social justice fatigue, and she doesn t want to join the Black Alliance Club at her school (even though she agrees with them). A gifted cellist, she s focused on:
- Leaving her small town
- Accomplishing her goals and dreams
But Lala has also inherited another gift, her grandmother Sadie s gift of foresight. She has visions of the future and they always come true.
In Davey, the Texas sundown town she lives in, there is growing tension, as a Black organization attempts to diversify the nearly all-white part of town. Amidst violent protests, Lala has a vision. In it, a Black teenage boy is shot in the chest by a white homeowner. Now Lala has a mission: find the boy and save him.
But Grandma Sadie has a vision too. After the boy s murder, a wave of protests breaks out. And the outrage over the casual and frequent slaying of unarmed Black children will result in unprecedented change. Change that won t happen if the vision is altered. Lala is faced with an existential question:
- Can she allow herself to sacrifice one life to, in turn, save many?
- And if so, whose life will she choose?
The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze
Derrick Barnes takes all forms of storytelling available to him allegory, folktales, and classics to weave a novel that is empowered, empowering, and incredibly human. You won t be the same after reading it.
Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time winner of the Newbery Medal
National Book Award finalist and Newbery Honoree Derrick Barnes tackles timely issues of race and prejudice in this powerful, nuanced novel about an accomplished Black boy who strives to be seen as human.
In the small town of Great Mountain, Mississippi, all eyes are on Henson Blayze, a thirteen-year-old football phenom whose talents seem almost superhuman. The predominately white townsfolk have been waiting for Henson to play high-school ball, and now they re overjoyed to finally possess an elite Black athlete of their own.
Until a horrifying incident forces Henson to speak out about injustice.
Until he says that he might not play football anymore.
Until he quickly learns he isn t as loved by the people as he thought.
In that moment, Henson s town is divided into two chaotic sides when all he wants is justice. Even his best friends and his father can t see eye to eye. When he is told to play ball again or else, Henson must decide whether he was born to entertain people who may not even see him as human, or if he s destined for a different kind of greatness.
Written for children ages 10 and up, Derrick Barnes s groundbreaking novel masterfully combines a modern-day allegory with classic-style tall tales to weave a compelling story of America s obsession with relegating Black people to labor or entertainment. Spanning the 1800s to today, this exceptional story shows how much has changed over centuries and, at the same time, how little.
The Library in the Woods
After a storm devastates the farm his parents have been renting, Junior moves with his family to Roxboro, North Carolina. The year is 1959, and the nine-year-old boy has to navigate the realities of the segregated South while adjusting to life in town.
Instead of farming, the family adapts to new roles:
- His father works at the lumberyard
- His mother takes in laundry from the white people in town
- Junior meets new friends who have a TV and their own books
These new friends offer to take Junior to the library, and he s surprised to discover that in a clearing in the forest, there s a log cabin that houses a library for Black residents. The library in the woods feels magical, giving Junior a sense of possibility and community. The books he checks out also help him uncover a secret he never knew about his father.
This fictional account is based on a real-life library author Calvin Alexander Ramsey frequented as a child. Ramsey s heartfelt text, accompanied by illustrations from award-winning artist R. Gregory Christie, celebrates family, libraries, and the resourcefulness of the Black community.
The Library in the Woods
After a storm devastates the farm his parents have been renting, Junior moves with his family to Roxboro, North Carolina. The year is 1959, and the nine-year-old boy has to navigate the realities of the segregated South while adjusting to life in town.
Instead of farming, the family adapts to new roles:
- His father works at the lumberyard
- His mother takes in laundry from the white people in town
- Junior meets new friends who have a TV and their own books
These new friends offer to take Junior to the library, and he s surprised to discover that in a clearing in the forest, there s a log cabin that houses a library for Black residents. The library in the woods feels magical, giving Junior a sense of possibility and community. The books he checks out also help him uncover a secret he never knew about his father.
This fictional account is based on a real-life library author Calvin Alexander Ramsey frequented as a child. Ramsey s heartfelt text, accompanied by illustrations from award-winning artist R. Gregory Christie, celebrates family, libraries, and the resourcefulness of the Black community.
Andre Andre Leon Talley—A Fabulously Fashionable Fairy Tale
by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders
"Fashion king Talley is brought to tender, glorious life by the award-winning team of Weatherford and Sanders" Booklist, starred review
" sure to inspire young fashion-lovers especially any who feel like outsiders." BCCB, starred review
This captivating biography chronicles the remarkable journey of fashion legend André Leon Talley from humble beginnings in rural North Carolina to the pinnacle of the international world of fashion.
Growing up in the Jim Crow South wasn t easy for young André. He escaped into the glimmering worlds he discovered inside magazines like Ebony and Vogue. He fell in love with all things French and honed his taste for elegance and style in spite of those who judged and bullied him. Standing tall against all odds, André spun his hardships into a fashion fairytale of his own making.
With exuberant prose and luminous illustrations, this picture book biography shares the inspiring story of majestic icon André Leon Talley and his enduring legacy.
City Summer, Country Summer
by Kiese Laymon
A lyrical picture book from the award-winning author of Heavy, about three Black boys who form a deep connection during a transformative summer trip down South to visit family.
On the ground of that garden, covered in vegetables and dirt, coated in laughter, I want to say that the Mississippi and New York in our Black boy bodies were indistinguishable.
Three Black boys spend one special summer exploring the Mississippi woods and woulds and coulds of sharing the kind of freeing friendship that is love.
Watched over and given space to discover by Grandmama and Mama Lara, New York, Country, and little C find camaraderie in their contrasts and all the unspoken things between them while playing games of Marco Polo in the thick garden and sledding on cardboard by the underpass.
With text brimming with love by award-winning author Kiese Laymon and deeply evocative illustrations by Alexis Franklin, City Summer, Country Summer illuminates the tenuous and tender bonds of friendship Black boys forge with one another.
Under the Neon Lights
In this sparkling and heartfelt debut YA novel in verse, a young Black girl discovers first love, self-worth, and the power of a good skate. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Joya Goffney.
Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn Coleman lives for Saturdays at WestSide Roll, the iconic neighborhood roller rink. On these magical nights, Jae can lose herself in the music of DJ Sunny, the smell of nachos from the concession, and the crowd of some of her favorite people old heads, dance crews, and other regulars like herself. Here, Jae and other Black teens can fully be themselves.
One Saturday, as Jae skates away her worries, she crashes into the cutest boy she s ever seen. Trey s dimples, rich brown skin, and warm smile make it impossible for her to be mad at him though. Best of all, he can t stop finding excuses to be around her. A nice change for once, in contrast with her best friend s cold distance of late or her estranged father creeping back into her life.
Just as Jae thinks her summer might change for the better, devastating news hits: WestSide Roll is shutting down. The gentrification rapidly taking over her predominantly Black Indianapolis neighborhood, filling it with luxury apartments and fancy boutiques, has come for her safe-haven. And this is just one trouble Jae can t skate away from.
Debut author Arriel Vinson s lyrical and contemplative story of young Black love and coming of age in Indianapolis ushers in an exciting new voice in YA literature.
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