All EJK Awards and Honors

Scroll down to the EJK Honors

Click for a printable list of All EJK Winners & Honors (printable list)

Also see EJK Award Book Themed Discussion Guides

The EJK Awards

2025 EJK Writer Award

Breanna J. McDaniel

Go Forth and Tell, The Life of Augusta Baker

Illustrated by April Harrison

2025 EJK Illustrator Award

X. Fang

We Are Definitely Human

Written by X. Fang

2024 EJK Writer Award

Anne Wynter

Nell Plants a Tree

Illustrated by Daniel Miyares

2024 EJK Illustrator Award

Sarah Gonzales

The Only Way to Make Bread

Written by Cristina Quintero

2023 EJK Writer Award

Kari Percival

How to Say Hello to a Worm

Illustrated by Kari Percival

2023 EJK Illustrator Award

Doug Salati

Hot Dog

Written by Doug Salati

2022 EJK Writer Award

Paul Harbridge

Out Into the Big Wide Lake

Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon

2022 EJK Illustrator Award

Gracey Zhang

Lala's Words

Written by Gracey Zhang

2021 EJK Writer Award

Tricia Walker

Nana Akua Goes to School

Illustrated by April Harrison

2021 EJK Illustrator Award

Heidi Woodward Sheffield

Brick by Brick

Written by Heidi Woodward Sheffield

2020 EJK Writer Award

Sydney Smith

Small in the City

Illustrated by Sydney Smith

2020 EJK Illustrator Award

Ashleigh Corrin

Layla's Happiness

Written by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie

2019 EJK Writer Award

John Sullivan

Kitten and the Night Watchman

Illustrated by John Sullivan

2019 EJK Illustrator Award

Oge Mora

Thank You Omu!

Written by Oge Mora

2018 EJK Writer Award

Derrick Barnes

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Illustrated by Gordon C. James

2018 EJK Illustrator Award

Evan Turk

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters

Written by Michael Mahin

2017 EJK Writer Award

Jeri Watts

A Piece of Home

Illustrated by Hyewon Yum

2017 EJK Illustrator Award

Micha Archer

Daniel Finds a Poem

Written by Micha Archer

2016 EJK Writer Award

Don Tate

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton

Illustrated by Don Tate

2016 EJK Illustrator Award

Phoebe Wahl

Sonya's Chickens

Written by Phoebe Wahl

2015 EJK Writer Award

Chieri Uegaki

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

Sixth Violin

2015 EJK Illustrator Award

Chris Haughton

Shh! We Have a Plan

Written by Chris Haughton

2014 EJK Writer Award

Ame Dyckman

Tea Party Rules

Illustrated by K.G. Campbell

2014 EJK Illustrator Award

Christian Robinson

Rain!

Written by Linda Ashman

2013 EJK Writer Award

Julie Fogliano

And Then It's Spring

Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

2013 EJK Illustrator Award

Hyewon Yum

Mom

It's My First Day of Kindergarten!

2012 EJK Writer Award

Meg Medina

Tia Isa Wants a Car

Illustrated by Claudio Munoz

2012 EJK Illustrator Award

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Same

Same but Different

2011 EJK Writer Award

Laurel Croza

I Know Here

Illustrated by Matt James

2011 EJK Illustrator Award

Tao Nyeu

Bunny Days

Written by Tao Nyeu

2010 EJK Writer Award

Tonya Cherie Hegamin

Most Loved in All the World

Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

2010 EJK Illustrator Award

Taeeun Yoo

Only a Witch Can Fly

Written by Alison McGhee

2009 EJK Writer Award

Stian Hole

Garmann's Summer

Illustrated by Stian Hole

2009 EJK Illustrator Award

Shadra Strickland

Bird

Written by Zetta Elliott

2008 EJK Writer Award

David Ezra Stein

Leaves

Illustrated by David Ezra Stein

2008 EJK Illustrator Award

Jonathan Bean

The Apple Pie that Papa Baked

Written by Lauren Thompson

2007 EJK Writer Award

Kelly Cunnane

For You Are a Kenyan Child

Illustrated by Ana Juan

2007 EJK Illustrator Award

Kristen Balouch

Mystery Bottle

Written by Kristin Balouch

2006 EJK Writer Award

Mary Ann Rodman

My Best Friend

Illustrated by E.B. Lewis

2006 EJK Illustrator Award

Yunmee Kyong

Silly Chicken

Written by Rukhsana Khan

2005 EJK Writer Award

Janice N. Harrington

Going North

Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue

2005 EJK Illustrator Award

Ana Juan

The Night Eater

Written by Ana Juan

2004 EJK Writer Award

Jeron Ashford Frame

Yesterday I Had the Blues

Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2004 EJK Illustrator Award

Gabi Swiatkowska

My Name is Yoon

Written by Helen Recorvits

2003 EJK Writer Award

Shirin Yim Leos

Ruby's Wish

Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

2003 EJK Illustrator Award

Sophie Blackall

Ruby's Wish

Written by Shirin Yim Bridges

2002 EJK Writer Award

Deborah Wiles

Freedom Summer

Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue

2002 EJK Illustrator Award

Jerome Lagarrigue

Freedom Summer

Written by Deborah Wiles

2001 EJK Writer Award

D. B. Johnson

Henry Hikes to Fitchburg

Illustrated by D.B. Johnson

2001 EJK Illustrator Award

Bryan Collier

Uptown

Written by Bryan Collier

2000 EJK Writer Award

Soyung Pak

Dear Juno

Illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung

1999 Writer Winner

Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

Elizabeti's Doll

Illustrated by Christy Hale

1997 EJK Writer Award

Juan Felipe Herrera

Calling the Doves (El canto de las palomas)

Illustrated by Elly Simmons

1995 EJK Writer Award

Cari Best

Taxi! Taxi!

Illustrated by Dale Gottlieb

1993 EJK Writer Award

Faith Ringgold

Tar Beach

Illustrated by Faith Ringgold

1991 EJK Writer Award

Angela Johnson

Tell Me a Story

Mama

1989 EJK Writer Award

Yoriko Tsutsui

Anna's Special Present

Illustrated by Akiko Hayashi

1987 EJK Writer Award

Juanita Havill

Jamaica's Find

Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien

1986 EJK Writer Award

Valerie Flournoy

The Patchwork Quilt

Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

EJK Honors

2025 EJK Writer Honor

Carlos Matias

Emergency Quarters

Illustrated by Gracey Zhang

2025 EJK Writer Honor

Antwan Eady

The Last Stand

Illustrated Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey

2025 EJK Illustrator Honor

Bo Lu

Bao's Doll

Written by Bo Lu

2025 EJK Illustrator Honor

Kara Kramer

Ernö Rubik and His Magic Cube

Written by Kerry Aradhya

2024 EJK Illustrator Honor

Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez

Benito Juárez Fights for Justice

Written by Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez

2024 EJK Illustrator Honor

Frances Alvarez

Dancing Hands

Written by Joanna Que & Charina Marquez

2024 EJK Writer Honor

Helena Ku Rhee

Sora’s Seashells

Illustrated by Stella Lim

2024 EJK Writer Honor

Kim Rogers

Just Like Grandma

Illustrated by Julie Flett

2023 EJK Writer Honor

Pauline David-Sax

Everything in Its Place

Illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

2023 EJK Writer Honor

Juliana Perdomo

Sometimes All I Need is Me

Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

2023 EJK Illustrator Honor

Chioma Ebinama

Emile and the Field

Written by Kevin Young

2023 EJK Illustrator Honor

Zahra Marwan

Where Butterflies Fill the Sky

Written by Zahra Marwan

2022 EJK Writer Honor

Joanna Ho

Playing at the Border

Illustrated by Teresa Martinez

2022 EJK Writer Honor

Anne Wynter

Everybody in the Red Brick Building

Illustrated by Oge Mora

2022 EJK Illustrator Honor

Marta Bartolj

Every Little Kindness

Written by Marta Bartolj

2022 EJK Illustrator Honor

Kenesha Sneed

Many Shapes of Clay

Written by Kenesha Sneed

2021 EJK Writer Honor

Raymond Antrobus

Can Bears Ski?

Illustrated by Polly Dunbar

2021 EJK Writer Honor

Jerome & Jarrett Pumphrey

The Old Truck

Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey

2021 EJK Illustrator Honor

Steve Small

I'm Sticking With You

Written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls

2021 EJK Illustrator Honor

Victoria Tentler-Krylov

Cyclops of Central Park

Written by Madelyn Rosenberg

2020 EJK Writer Honor

Matthew Farina

Lawrence in the Fall

Illustrated by Doug Salati

2020 EJK Writer Honor

Kate Read

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller

Illustrated by Kate Read

2020 EJK Writer Honor

Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie

Layla's Happiness

Illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin

2020 EJK Illustrator Honor

Doug Salati

Lawrence in the Fall

Written by Matthew Farina

2020 EJK Illustrator Honor

Zeke Peña

My Papi Has a Motorcycle

Written by Isabel Quintero

2019 EJK Writer Honor

Keith Calabrese

Lena's Shoes are Nervous

Illustrated by Juana Medina

2019 EJK Writer Honor

Matt James

The Funeral

Illustrated by Matt James

2019 EJK Writer Honor

Juana Martinez-Neal

Alma and How She Got Her Name

Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

2019 EJK Illustrator Honor

Jessica Love

Julian is a Mermaid

Written by Jessica Love

2019 EJK Illustrator Honor

Jane McGuinness

Prickly Hedgehogs!

Written by Jane McGuinness

2018 EJK Writer Honor

Jessixa Bagley

Laundry Day

Illustrated by Jessixa Bagley

2018 EJK Writer Honor

Rachael Cole

City Moon

Illustrated by Blanca Gómez

2018 EJK Writer Honor

Elaine Magliaro

Things to Do

Illustrated by Catia Chien

2018 EJK Writer Honor

Bao Phi

A Different Pond

Illustrated by Thi Bui

2018 EJK Illustrator Honor

Thi Bui

A Different Pond

Written by Bao Phi

2018 EJK Illustrator Honor

Bianca Diaz

The One Day House

Written by Julia Durango

2018 EJK Illustrator Honor

E. B. Goodale

Windows

Written by Julia Denos

2018 EJK Illustrator Honor

Gordon C. James

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Written by Derrick Barnes

2017 EJK Writer Honor

Stacy McAnulty

Excellent Ed

Illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach

2017 EJK Writer Honor

Francesca Sanna

The Journey

Illustrated by Francesca Sanna

2017 EJK Illustrator Honor

Daisy Hirst

The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head

Written by Daisy Hirst

2017 EJK Illustrator Honor

Francesca Sanna

The Journey

Written by Francesca Sanna

2016 EJK Writer Honor

Megan Dowd Lambert

A Crow of His Own

Illustrated by David Hyde Costello

2016 EJK Writer Honor

Julia Sarcone-Roach

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich

Illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach

2016 EJK Illustrator Honor

Ryan T. Higgins

Mother Bruce

Written by Ryan T. Higgins

2016 EJK Illustrator Honor

Rowboat Watkins

Rude Cakes

Written by Rowboat Watkins

2015 EJK Writer Honor

Adam Auerbach

Edda: A Little Valkyrie's First Day of School

Illustrated by Adam Auerbach

2015 EJK Writer Honor

Misty Copeland

Firebird

Illustrated by Christopher Myers

2015 EJK Writer Honor

Alan Rabinowitz

A Boy and a Jaguar

Illustrated by Catia Chien

2015 EJK Illustrator Honor

Mike Curato

Little Elliot, Big City

Written by Mike Curato

2015 EJK Illustrator Honor

Evan Turk

Grandfather Gandhi

Written by Arun Gandhi, Bethany Hegedus

2014 EJK Writer Honor

Linda Davick

I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes!

Illustrated by Linda Davick

2014 EJK Writer Honor

Pat Zietlow Miller

Sophie's Squash

Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

2014 EJK Illustrator Honor

Marta Altés

My Grandpa

Written by Marta Altés

2014 EJK Illustrator Honor

K.G. Campbell

Tea Party Rules

Written by Ame Dyckman

2014 EJK Illustrator Honor

Aaron Meshon

Take Me Out to the Yakyu

Written by Aaron Meshon

2013 EJK Writer Honor

Jennifer Lanthier

The Stamp Collector

Illustrated by Francois Thisdale

2013 EJK Writer Honor

Mara Rockliff

My Heart Will Not Sit Down

Illustrated by Ann Tanksley

2013 EJK Writer Honor

Don Tate

It Jes' Happened

Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2013 EJK Illustrator Honor

K.G. Campbell

Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters

Written by K.G. Campbell

2013 EJK Illustrator Honor

Sanjay Patel

Ganesha's Sweet Tooth

Written by Sanjay Patel & Emily Haynes

2012 EJK Writer Honor

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Same, Same but Different

Written by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

2012 EJK Writer Honor

Nicola Winstanley

Cinnamon Baby

Illustrated by Janice Nadeau

2012 EJK Writer Honor

Anna Witte

Lola's Fandango

Illustrated by Micha Archer

2012 EJK Illustrator Honor

Micha Archer

Lola's Fandango

Written by Anna Witte

2012 EJK Illustrator Honor

David Ercolini

Not Inside this House!

Written by Kevin Lewis