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
Split the Sky
by Marie Arnold
The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze
The Library in the Woods
by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
The Library in the Woods
by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Andre Andre Leon Talley—A Fabulously Fashionable Fairy Tale
by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders
City Summer, Country Summer
by Kiese Laymon, Illustrated by Alexis Franklin
Under the Neon Lights
