Reading a great book is a treat. So, how do you find great books? Librarians and bookstore clerks are often able to recommend books. Another place to find books considered the best books written in a given year are on book award websites.

Award winning books are not only well written, but often include outstanding illustrations. Many of them become timeless classics. Here is a list of some of the groups that choose great books each year, creating lists for teachers, parents, and students.

Caldecott Award
This award is given annually to an excellent picture book. The top book choice has excellent illustrations as well as a wonderful story, and is awarded by the American Library Association.

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
This is a list that includes winning book titles in three categories: Fiction and Poetry, Nonfiction, and Picture Books.

Newbery Award
This is a list of books awarded annually by the American Library Association. Each year a Medal Winner and Honor Books are chosen. The books are considered the most distinguished American children’s book from among all books published during a given year.

Sydney Taylor Award
Each year this award is presented to excellent books that present the Jewish experience.

Geisel Award
If you are looking for books for beginning readers, the Geisel Award recognizes authors and illustrators of books for the youngest readers.

Schneider Family Award
This award honors authors and illustrator who are able to present an artistic expression of disability experiences for teens and children.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
Non-fiction and information book lovers should check out this list of award-winning information books for children.

Hans Christian Andersen Award
This international award is presented to authors and illustrators every other year. The winners are still living, and their body of work is considered to have made a tremendous contribution to children’s literature.

Coretta Scott King Award
This list includes outstanding books written about African American life, written for high school readers and below. The award is named after Coretta Scott King, who was the wife of the late Dr. Martin King, Jr., and recognizes African American authors and illustrators.

Belpre Medal
Books on this list portray the Latino cultural experience. Each year a Latino/Latina author and illustrator is honored. This award, created in 1996, is named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library.

Batchelder Award
This is a unique list, comprised of books originally published for youth in a language other than English in a country other than the United States.

Book awards are often given on a state level. For example, Connecticut has the Nutmeg Award and Washington the Sasquatch Award. If you are interested in finding a list of award winning books, talk to your local librarian, or use a search engine to find the website for any of the awards listed above.