Charlotte Huck Award

The Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children, established in 2014 and organized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), is an annual American literary award for children's fiction books. According to NCTE, the "award recognizes fiction that has the potential to transform children’s lives by inviting compassion, imagination, and wonder."[1]

The award honors Charlotte Huck, a former NCTE president[2] and American author, university professor, and children's literature expert. Huck, who taught elementary school before joining the Faculty of Education at the Ohio State University, "believed that good literature should be at the heart and center of the elementary school curriculum."[3][4] Given this belief, she established the university's first course in children's literature and eventually "develop[ed] master's and doctoral programs in children's literature."[3][4]

Award eligibility and criteria

To be eligible for the Charlotte Huck Award, books "must have been published or distributed in the United States or its territories during the preceding year."[1] All genres of fictional books aimed at children are eligible for the award, including picture books, graphic novels, novels written in verse, etc. NCTE indicates nominated books "should have exemplary literary quality of text and illustrations" and "should connect children to their own humanity and offer them a rich experience with the power to influence their lives and stretch their thinking, feelings, and imagination."[1]

Eligible books are judged on the following criteria:

  • It "invites compassion, imagination, and wonder."[1]
  • It "connects children to their own humanity and offers them a rich experience with the power to influence their lives."[1]
  • It "stretches children’s thinking, feelings, and imagination."[1]
  • It "exhibits literary quality of text and illustrations."[1]
  • It has been "published in the United States or its territories during the previous calendar year."[1]
  • Its "primary audience is children ages three to twelve."[1]

Honorees

Charlotte Huck Award honorees[5]
Year Author Title Result Ref.
2015 Ann M. Martin Rain Reign Winner
Kwame Alexander The Crossover Honor
Cece Bell El Deafo Honor
Marla Frazee The Farmer and the Clown Honor
Lisa Graff Absolutely Almost Honor
Deborah Wiles Revolution Honor
Christopher Paul Curtis The Madman of Piney Woods Recommended
Tracy Holczer The Secret Hum of a Daisy Recommended
Natalie Lloyd A Snicker of Magic Recommended
Loren Long Otis and the Scarecrow Recommended
Naomi Shihab Nye The Turtle of Oman Recommended
Megan Jean Sovern The Meaning of Maggie Recommended
Ashley Spires The Most Magnificent Thing Recommended
2016 Sharon M. Draper Stella by Starlight Winner [6][7]
Jennifer Richard Jacobson Paper Things Honor
Loren Long Little Tree Honor
Lisa Mantchev, illus. by Taeeun Yoo Strictly No Elephants Honor
Susan Lynn Meyer, illus. by Eric Velasquez New Shoes Honor
Mitali Perkins, illus. by Jamie Hogan Tiger Boy Honor
Katherine Applegate Crenshaw Recommended
Cassie Beasley Circus Mirandus Recommended
Jairo Buitrago, illus. by Rafael Yockteng, trans. by Elisa Amado Two White Rabbits Recommended
Mike Curato Little Elliot, Big Family Recommended
Matt de la Peña, illus. by Christian Robinson Last Stop on Market Street Recommended
Kate DiCamillo, illus. by Chris Van Dusen Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, Volume Two Recommended
Alex Gino Melissa Recommended
JonArno Lawson, illus. by Sydney Smith Sidewalk Flowers Recommended
2017 Jason Reynolds Ghost Winner [8][9]
John David Anderson Ms. Bixby’s Last Day Honor [9]
Kelly Barnhill The Girl Who Drank the Moon Honor [9]
Peter Brown The Wild Robot Honor [9]
J.J. Austrian, Illus. by Mike Curato Worm Loves Worm Honor [9]
Eric and Terry Fan The Night Gardener Honor [9]
Terry Farish, Illus. by Oliver Dominguez Luis Paints the World Recommended [9]
Adam Gidwitz, illus. by Hatem Aly The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog Recommended [9]
Nadia Hashimi One Half from the East Recommended [9]
Deborah Hopkinson A Bandit’s Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket Recommended [9]
Lita Judge Hoot and Peep Recommended [9]
Kate Messner The Seventh Wish Recommended [9]
Duncan Tonatiuh The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes Recommended [9]
Lauren Wolk Wolf Hollow Recommended [9]
2018 Dan Santat After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again Winner [10][4]
Caela Carter Forever or a Long Long Time Honor [4]
Carmen Agra Deedy, illus. by Eugene Yelchin The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet Honor [4]
Stephanie Graegin Little Fox in the Forest Honor [4]
Alan Gratz Refugee Honor [4]
Nicole Lea Helget The End of the Wild Honor [4]
Katherine Applegate, illus. by Charles Santoso Wishtree Recommended [4]
Derrick Barnes, Illus. by Gordon C. James Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Recommended [4]
Elisha Cooper Big Cat, Little Cat Recommended [4]
Celine Clair, illus. by Quin Leng Shelter Recommended [4]
Paul Griffin Saving Marty Recommended [4]
Victoria Jamieson All’s Faire in Middle School Recommended [4]
Hena Khan Amina’s Voice Recommended [4]
Jennifer Torres Stef Soto, The Taco Queen Recommended [4]
2019 Jonathan Auxier Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster Winner [3]
Nicola Davies, illus. by Rebecca Cobb The Day War Came Honor [3]
Tracy Holczer Everything Else in the Universe Honor [3]
Irene Latham, Charles Waters, Sean Qualls, and Selina Alko Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship Honor [3]
Meg Medina Merci Suárez Changes Gear Honor [3]
Jewell Parker Rhodes Ghost Boys Honor [3]
Ashley Herring Blake Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World Recommended [3]
Cori Doerrfeld The Rabbit Listened Recommended [3]
Susan Hood Lifeboat 12 Recommended [3]
Kerascoët I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness Recommended [3]
Minh Lê, illus. by Dan Santat Drawn Together Recommended [3]
Juana Martinez-Neal Alma and How She Got Her Name Recommended [3]
Chad Sell The Cardboard Kingdom Recommended [3]
Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by Rafael López The Day You Begin Recommended [3]
2020 Kate and Jol Temple, Illus. by Terri Rose Baynton Room on Our Rock Winner [11][12][13]
Jerry Craft New Kid Honor [11]
Christine Day I Can Make This Promise Honor [11]
Kyle Lukoff, illus. by Kaylani Juanita When Aidan Became a Brother Honor [11][14]
Mitali Perkins, illus. by Sara Palacios Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border Honor [11]
Jazmine Warga Other Words for Home Honor [11]
Mariama J. Lockington For Black Girls Like Me Recommended
Kevin Noble Maillard, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story Recommended
Kwame Mbalia Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky Recommended
Wendy Meddour, illus. by Daniel Egnéus Lubna and Pebble Recommended
Ibtihaj Muhammad, illus. by Hatem Aly, with S. K. Ali The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family Recommended
Nicole Panteleakos Planet Earth Is Blue Recommended
Aida Salazar The Moon Within Recommended
Jamie Sumner Roll With It Recommended
2021 Derrick D. Barnes, illus by Gordon C. James I Am Every Good Thing Winner [15]
Phil Bildner A High Five for Glenn Burke Honor
Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed When Stars Are Scattered Honor
Carole Lindstrom, illus. by Michaela Goade We Are Water Protectors Honor
Jess Redman Quintessence Honor
Aida Salazar Land of the Cranes Honor
Anne Blankman The Blackbird Girls Recommended
Ernesto Cisneros Efrén Divided Recommended
Tae Keller When You Trap a Tiger Recommended
Aya Khalil, illus. by Anait Semirdzhyan The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story Recommended
Pete Oswald Hike Recommended
Suzanne Selfors and Walker Ranson Braver: A Wombat’s Tale Recommended
Renée Watson Ways to Make Sunshine Recommended
Maryrose Wood Alice’s Farm: A Rabbit's Tale Recommended
2022 Kaela Rivera Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls Winner [16]
Laura Amy, illus. by Julia Iredale Amber and Clay Honor
Shelly Anand, illus. by Nabi H. Ali Laxmi’s Mooch Honor
J. Dillard, illus. by Akeem S. Roberts J. D. and the Great Barber Battle Honor
Lisa Fipps Starfish Honor
Dawn Quigley, illus. by Tara Audibert Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be-Best Friend Honor
Marie Arnold The Year I Flew Away Recommended
Melissa Iwai Dumplings for Lili Recommended
Thomas King, illus. by Natasha Donovan Borders Recommended
Elle McNicoll A Kind of Spark Recommended
Claudia Mills The Lost Language Recommended
Sara Pennypacker, illus. by Jon Klassen Pax, Journey Home Recommended
Emma Otheguy, illus. by Ana Ramírez González A Sled for Gabo Recommended
Lisa Wheeler, illus. by Loren Long Someone Builds the Dream Recommended
2023 Dayna Lorentz Wayward Creatures Winner
Dhonielle Clayton The Marvellers Honor
Hena Khan, illus. by Wastana Haikal Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun Honor
Laurel Goodluck, illus. by Jonathan Nelson Forever Cousins Honor
Sara Greenwood, illus. by Luisa Uribe My Brother Is Away Honor
Charlotte Sullivan Wild, illus. by Charlene Chua Love, Violet Honor
Stephen Briseño, illus. by Magdalena Mora The Notebook Keeper Recommended
Raul Colon Draw Recommended
Lindsay Eager The Patron Thief of Bread Recommended
C.C. Harrington Wildoak Recommended
Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. by Tonya Engel My Hands Tell a Story Recommended
Sandra Nickel, illus. by Il Sung Na Big Bear and Little Fish Recommended
Naomi Shihab Nye The Turtle of Michigan Recommended
Kathryn Ormsbee, illus. by Molly Brooks Growing Pangs Recommended
Young Vo Gibberish Recommended

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Charlotte Huck Award®". National Council of Teachers of English. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  2. ^ "Obituary: Bernice Cullinan". Publishers Weekly. 2015-02-19. Archived from the original on 2020-08-22. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Dawes, Erika Thulin; Acevedo-Aquino, Maria V.; Andrus, Patrick; Barger, Bettie Parsons; Bulatowicz, Donna; Cueto, Desiree W.; Hahn, Mary Lee (2019). "2019 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children". Language Arts. 97 (2): 105–112. doi:10.58680/la201930341. ISSN 0360-9170. JSTOR 26835009. S2CID 259383188.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Dawes, Erika Thulin; Acevedo-Aquino, Maria V.; Barger, Bettie Parsons; Cueto, Desiree W.; Lee Hahn, Mary; Herbeck, Joyce; Ross, Stacey (2018). "2018 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children". Language Arts. 96 (2): 119–126. doi:10.58680/la201829849. ISSN 0360-9170. JSTOR 26779044.
  5. ^ "NCTE Charlotte Huck Award® Outstanding Fiction for Children Winner List" (PDF). National Council of Teachers of English. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  6. ^ "Children's Author & Illustrator Fall Preview". Shelf Awareness. 2021-05-06. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  7. ^ Cappiello, Mary Ann (2016-01-11). "Congratulations, ALA Youth Media and NCTE Award Winners". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  8. ^ Cappiello, Mary Ann (2017-11-20). "NCTE Children's Book Awards". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "2017 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Winner and Honorees". East Lansing Public Library. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  10. ^ "Awards: Geoffrey Faber Memorial; Charlotte Huck, Orbis Pictus". Shelf Awareness. 2017-12-06. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "2020 Charlotte Huck and Orbis Pictus Award Winners Announced | BookTrib". Book Trib. 2019-11-10. Archived from the original on 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  12. ^ "NCTE Names 2020 Charlotte Huck and Orbis Pictus Award Winners". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  13. ^ "Awards: Staunch Book Winner; NCTE Award Winners". Shelf Awareness. 2019-11-26. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  14. ^ "The Ezra Jack Keats Awards". Shelf Awareness. 2023-04-19. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  15. ^ "NCTE Announces 2021 Charlotte Huck and Orbis Pictus Awards". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2023-03-25. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  16. ^ "2022 Orbis Pictus and Charlotte Huck Awards Announced". School Library Journal. 2021-11-22. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-06-19.