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.
10 Coretta Scott King Award Winning and Honored Books for 2025
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now …: A Love Story
Jason Reynolds has done it again! Fresh from start to finish This is what it could be, should be, if only we were all as lucky as Aria. Girls (and everyone) wait for your Neon! Judy Blume, New York Times bestselling author of Are You There God? It s Me, Margaret. and Forever
#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it you know it from the guy s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.
Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren t for the dog s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine.
Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven t taken that next big step yet, they ve started talking about that.
Twenty-four days ago: Neon s mom finds her gulp bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he figured he d better practice, what with the big day only a month away.
Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They re not candlelight and they definitely aren t caviar, but they are her favorite.
And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to about to Well, they won t do anything if he can t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!
Black Girl You Are Atlas
by Renée Watson, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
A thoughtful celebration of Black girlhood by award-winning author and poet Renée Watson.
In this semi-autobiographical collection of poems, Renée Watson writes about her experience growing up as a young Black girl at the intersections of race, class, and gender.
Using a variety of poetic forms, from haiku to free verse, Watson shares recollections of her childhood in Portland, tender odes to the Black women in her life, and urgent calls for Black girls to step into their power.
Black Girl You Are Atlas encourages young readers to embrace their future with a strong sense of sisterhood and celebration. With full-color art by celebrated fine artist Ekua Holmes throughout, this collection offers guidance and is a gift for anyone who reads it.
Black Star
In this second epic novel of bestselling The Door of No Return trilogy, we meet Charlie, Kofi s granddaughter, who is living in the Jim Crow South and whose innocence is shattered when a racist incident hits home.
You can t protect her from knowing. The truth is all we have.
12-year old Charley Cuffey is many things: a granddaughter, a best friend, and probably the best pitcher in all of Lee s Mill. Set on becoming the first female pitcher to play professional ball, Charley doesn t need reminders from her best friend Cool Willie Green to know that she has lofty dreams for a Black girl in the American South.
Even so, Nana Kofi s thrilling stories about courageous ancestors and epic journeys make it impossible not to dream big. She knows he has so many more to tell, but according to her parents, she isn t old enough to know about certain things like what happened to Booker Preston that one night in Great Bridge and why she can never play on the brand-new real deal baseball field on the other side of town.
When Charley challenges a neighborhood bully to a game at the church picnic, she knows she can win, even with her ragtag team. But when the picnic spills over onto their ball field, she makes a fateful decision.
A child cannot protect herself if she does not know her history, and Charley s choice brings consequences she never could have imagined.
In this thrilling second book of the Door of No Return trilogy, set during the turbulent segregation era, and the beginning of The Great Migration, Kwame Alexander weaves a spellbinding story of struggle, determination, and the unflappable faith of an American family.
One Big Open Sky
Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free—or cost them everything they have—in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history of the Black homesteader movement.
1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward. Her father, Thomas, promises that Nebraska will be everything the family needs: an opportunity to claim the independence they’ve strived for over generations on their very own plot of land.
But Thomas’ hopes—and mouth—are bigger than his ability to follow through. With few supplies and even less money, the only thing that feels certain is danger.
Right after the war ended / and we were free / we believed / all of us did / that couldn’t nothing hurt us / the way master had when we were slaves / Couldn’t no one tell us / how to live / how to die.
Lettie, her mother Sylvia, and young teacher Philomena are free from slavery—but bound by poverty, access to opportunity, and patriarchal social structures. Will these women survive the hardships of their journey? And as Thomas’ desire for control overpowers his common sense, will they truly be free once they get there?
Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome’s striking verse masterfully portrays an underrepresented historical era. Tackling powerful themes of autonomy and Black self-emancipation, Cline-Ransome offers readers an intimate look into the lives of three women and an expansive portrait of generations striving for their promised freedom.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
My Daddy Is a Cowboy: A Picture Book
by Stephanie Seales, Illustrated by C. G. Esperanza
A Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Book.
A young girl and her father share an early morning horseback ride around their city in My Daddy Is a Cowboy, an award-winning picture book celebration of “just-us time,” with 6 starred reviews, including praise such as gorgeous, must-have, exuberant, immersive, and magical.
In the early hours before dawn, a young girl and her father greet their horses and ride together through the waking city streets. As they trot along, Daddy tells cowboy stories filled with fun and community, friendship, discovery, and pride.
Seeing her city from a new vantage point and feeling seen in a new way, the child discovers that she too is a cowboy—strong and confident in who she is.
Thoughtfully and lyrically written by debut author Stephanie Seales, with vibrant illustrations from award-winning artist C. G. Esperanza, this beautiful picture book is a celebration of Black joy, outdoor play, and quality time spent between child and parent.
Tall. High as the clouds.
Strong as a horse’s back.
Like a cowboy.
Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King
by Coretta Scott King, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Celebrate the life of the extraordinary civil and human rights activist Coretta Scott King with this picture book adaptation of her critically acclaimed adult memoir.
This is the autobiography of Coretta Scott King wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.; founder of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (the King Center); architect of the MLK, Jr. legacy; and global leader in movements for civil and human rights as well as peace. Learn about how a girl born in the segregated deep south became a global leader at the forefront of the peace movement and an unforgettable champion of social change.
Resilience, bravery, and joy lie at the center of this timeless story about fighting for justice against all odds.
Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy Decarava
by Gary Golio, Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
A child of the Harlem Renaissance and an artistic collaborator of Langston Hughes, Roy DeCarava is an unsung hero of Black history. Convinced that the lives of ordinary Black people deserved to be immortalized and documented in photos, Roy celebrated Black people through his art, a process that the incomparable author Gary Golio and illustrator E. B. Lewis capture in this beautiful picture book.
"Life is how you look at it." And for Black photographer Roy DeCarava, life in his neighborhood was beautiful. Follow Roy through 1940s Harlem, as he takes out his camera, pops in a roll of film, and opens his eyes to the beauty all around him. There s a little boy drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. SNAP! A young man at the bus stop with a baby in his arms. SNAP! Kids playing in an open fire hydrant. SNAP! Looking at them all, Roy sees beauty everywhere in Harlem, and so do the people who look at his photos.
This deeply researched picture book also includes additional information on DeCarava, a list of places to view his photos, a bibliography, and photos.
Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller
by Breanna J. McDaniel, Illustrated by April Harrison
From an award-winning author and illustrator comes this picture book biography about beloved librarian and storyteller Augusta Braxton Baker, the first Black coordinator of children s services at all branches of the New York Public Library.
Before Augusta Braxton Baker became a storyteller, she was an excellent story listener. Her grandmother brought stories like Br er Rabbit and Arthur and Excalibur to life, teaching young Augusta that when there s a will, there s always a way. When she grew up, Mrs. Baker began telling her own fantastical stories to children at the 135th Street branch of the New York Public Library in Harlem. But she noticed that there were hardly any books at the library featuring Black people in respectful, uplifting ways. Thus began her journey of championing books, writers, librarians, and teachers centering Black stories, educating and inspiring future acclaimed authors like Audre Lorde and James Baldwin along the way.
As Mrs. Baker herself put it: Children of all ages want to hear stories. Select well, prepare well and then go forth and just tell.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld
A stunning middle grade fantasy about a boy hurled into the Ghanaian underworld to help his late grandmother save humanity, perfect for fans of Tristan Strong and The Book of Life.
Twelve-year-old Kwame Powell refuses to acknowledge any feelings about his grandmother's passing. And he certainly doesn't want to accompany his parents to her celebration of life ceremony in Ghana, where he knows he'll have to face his feelings about her death head-on.
But when an aboatia a mischievous monkey from Akan mythology steals Kwame's grandmother's dashiki, his last physical reminder of her, Kwame decides to take matters into his own hands. He chases the little thief across town, to the edge of the pier, and into a magical whirlpool that leads straight to Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld.
With his best friend Autumn, and the crafty aboatia he names Woo, Kwame finds himself embroiled with angry nature gods intent on destroying humanity. And, matters only get more complicated when he runs into none other than his grandmother herself except in the underworld, she's still a kid. And very much alive.
Adventurous and memorable, Craig Kofi Farmer's middle grade fantasy is an immersive and powerful debut that tackles themes of identity, intergenerational connectedness, and how to say goodbye with heart, humor, and an epic dose of magic.
Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin
by Michelle Meadows, Illustrated by Jamiel Law
Celebrate James Baldwin s one-hundredth birthday anniversary with the first-ever illustrated biography of this legendary writer, orator, activist, and intellectual.
Before he became a writer, James Jimmy Baldwin was a young boy from Harlem, New York, who loved stories. He found joy in the rhythm of music, family, and books.
But Jimmy also found the blues, as a Black man living in America.
When he discovered the written word, he discovered true power. Writing gave him a voice. And that voice opened the world to Jimmy. From the publication of the groundbreaking collection of essays The Fire Next Time to his passionate demonstrations during the civil rights movement, Jimmy used his voice fearlessly.
Michelle Meadows, author of Brave Ballerina and Flying High, introduces young readers to the great American novelist, essayist, poet, playwright, orator, and artist James Baldwin, who, with the fire of his pen, dared a nation to dream of a more equitable world filled with love. Brought to life with warm illustrations by Jamiel Law, Jimmy s Rhythm & Blues chronicles the life of an incredible visionary who left an indelible mark on American literature and history.
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