Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners 1970 to Present

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csk winner seal
The CSK Book Awards seal and award names are owned by the American Library Association.

coretta_scott_king 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.

7 Coretta Scott King Award Winning and Honored Books for 2002

Author Award
The Land

The Land

by Mildred D. Taylor

List Price: $7.99
Middle Grade, Fiction, Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages
ISBN: 9780142501467Publisher: Penguin Random House
Author Honor
Carver: A Life in Poems

Carver: A Life in Poems

by Marilyn Nelson

List Price: $16.95
Highlights Press (May 28, 2001)
Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Hardcover, 112 pages
ISBN: 9781886910539Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
Author Honor
Money Hungry

Money Hungry

by Sharon G. Flake

List Price: $8.99
Disney-Hyperion (Jul 17, 2007)
Middle Grade, Fiction, Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN: 9781423103868Publisher: Disney Publishing Worldwide
Illustrator Award
Goin’ Someplace Special

Goin’ Someplace Special

by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick McKissack, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

List Price: $7.99
Aladdin (Dec 30, 2008)
Picture Book, Fiction, Paperback, 40 pages
ISBN: 9781416927358Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Illustrator Honor
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Doreen Rappaport, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

List Price: $8.99
Disney-Hyperion (Dec 28, 2007)
Picture Book, Nonfiction, Paperback, 40 pages
ISBN: 9781423106357Publisher: Disney Publishing Worldwide
Illustrator Honor
The Bell Rang

The Bell Rang

by James Ransome

List Price: $17.99
Atheneum (Jan 15, 2019)
Picture Book, Fiction, Hardcover, 40 pages
ISBN: 9781442421134Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Freedom Summer: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Summer

Freedom Summer: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Summer

by Maya Angelou, Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue

List Price: $17.99
Picture Book, Fiction, Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 9781481422987Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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