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.

8 Coretta Scott King Award Winning and Honored Books for 2018


Click for a larger image of Piecing Me Together

Piecing Me Together
by Renée Watson

Publication Date: Feb 14, 2017
List Price: $17.99
Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
Classification: Fiction
Target Age Group: Middle Grade
ISBN13: 9781681191058
Imprint: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Parent Company: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

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Click for a larger image of Long Way Down

Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds

Publication Date: Oct 17, 2017
List Price: $17.99
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
Classification: Fiction
Target Age Group: Young Adult
ISBN13: 9781481438254
Imprint: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Parent Company: KKR & Co. Inc.

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Click for a larger image of The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas

Publication Date: Feb 28, 2017
List Price: $18.99
Format: Hardcover, 464 pages
Classification: Fiction
Target Age Group: Young Adult
ISBN13: 9780062498533
Imprint: Balzer + Bray
Publisher: HarperCollins
Parent Company: News Corp

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Click for a larger image of Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
by Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Publication Date: Mar 14, 2017
List Price: $18.99
Format: Hardcover, 56 pages
Classification: Poetry
Target Age Group: Early Reader
ISBN13: 9780763680947
Imprint: Candlewick Press
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Parent Company: Candlewick Press

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Click for a larger image of Before She was Harriet

Before She was Harriet
by Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrated by James Ransome

Publication Date: Nov 07, 2017
List Price: $17.95
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
Classification: Nonfiction
Target Age Group: Picture Book
ISBN13: 9780823420476
Imprint: Holiday House
Publisher: Holiday House
Parent Company: Holiday House, Inc.

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Click for a larger image of The Stars Beneath Our Feet

The Stars Beneath Our Feet
by David Barclay Moore

Publication Date: Sep 19, 2017
List Price: $17.99
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
Classification: Fiction
Target Age Group: Middle Grade
ISBN13: 9781524701246
Imprint: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Parent Company: Bertelsmann

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Click for a larger image of Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song

Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song
by Kathryn Erskine, Illustrated by Charly Palmer

Publication Date: Oct 10, 2017
List Price: $18.99
Format: Hardcover, 48 pages
Classification: Nonfiction
Target Age Group: Picture Book
ISBN13: 9780374303013
Imprint: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Younger Readers
Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
Parent Company: Holtzbrinck Publishing Group

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