State Awards

The Monarch Award: Illinois’ K-3 Readers’ Choice Award is designed to encourage children to read critically and become familiar with children's books, authors and illustrators. The program is open to all K-3 age children in Illinois.

The Bluestem Award: Illinois’ 3-5 Readers’ Choice Award is designed for students in grades 3-5. The nominees may include timeless classics and current titles, as well as books that have appeared on Monarch and Rebecca Caudill lists.

The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award is an annual award given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades 4 through 8 in participating Illinois schools.

National Awards

The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year.

The Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year.