Ezra Jack Keats Award Winning and Honored Books
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The Ezra Jack Keats Award was established in 1985 and the New Illustrator Award in 2001 to recognize and encourage emerging talent in the field of children’s books. Many past winners have gone on to distinguished careers, creating books beloved by parents, children, librarians, and teachers around the world.
The EJK Award is given annually to an outstanding new writer and new illustrator by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. A distinguished selection committee reviews the entries, seeking books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Learn more about this award at Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.
Below are the Ezra Jack Keats Award Winning or Honored Books featuring Black Main Characters.
One Book Received The Ezra Jack Keats Award or Honor in 1991
Tell Me a Story Mama
"In this touching picture book, a mother and a preschool-aged daughter talk together as the child is being prepared for bed . Mama s childhood memories, as related by her daughter, are warm slices of life from a previous generation . Simon s vivid, lively watercolors capture the essence of the mood and message as they deftly portray the quotidian portraits of two generations of a black family". School Library Journal, starred review.
