Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners 1970 to Present

coretta_scott_kingThe 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.”

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

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.

9 Coretta Scott King Award Winning and Honored Books for 2016


Click for a larger image of Gone Crazy in Alabama

Gone Crazy in Alabama
by Rita Williams-Garcia

List Price: $16.99
Amistad (Apr 21, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 304 pages
Target Age Group: Middle Grade
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Click for a larger image of All American Boys

All American Boys
by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

List Price: $19.99
Atheneum (Sep 29, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 320 pages
Target Age Group: Young Adult
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Click for a larger image of The Boy in the Black Suit

The Boy in the Black Suit
by Jason Reynolds

List Price: $17.99
Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Jan 06, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 272 pages
Target Age Group: Young Adult
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Click for a larger image of X: A Novel

X: A Novel
by Ilyasah Shabazz, Illustrated by Kekla Magoon

List Price: $16.99
Candlewick Press (Jan 06, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 384 pages
Target Age Group: Young Adult
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Click for a larger image of Trombone Shorty

Trombone Shorty
by Troy Andrews, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

List Price: $19.99
Abrams Books (Apr 14, 2015)
Nonfiction, Hardcover, 40 pages
Target Age Group: Picture Book
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Click for a larger image of Last Stop on Market Street

Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt De La Peña, Illustrated by Christian Robinson

List Price: $16.99
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (Jan 08, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 32 pages
Target Age Group: Picture Book
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Click for a larger image of The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth, and Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth, and Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore
by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

List Price: $17.99
Carolrhoda Books (Nov 01, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 32 pages
Target Age Group: Picture Book
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Click for a larger image of Hoodoo

Hoodoo
by Ronald L. Smith

Clarion Books (Sep 01, 2015)
Fiction, Hardcover, 224 pages
Target Age Group: Middle Grade
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Click for a larger image of Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
by Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

List Price: $18.99
Candlewick Press (Aug 04, 2015)
Nonfiction, Hardcover, 56 pages
Target Age Group: Early Reader
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