2018 Winners and Honors

"Piecing Me Together,” written by Renée Watson, and published by Bloomsbury Children's Books.

"Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets,” illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Kwame Alexander and published by Candlewick Press.

“Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut,” written by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James, and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denine Millner Book. 

“Long Way Down,” written by Jason Reynolds, and published by Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book.

“The Hate U Give,” written by Angie Thomas and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

"Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes, and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book.

“Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman,” illustrated by James E. Ransome, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, and published by Holiday House.

“The Stars Beneath Our Feet,” written by David Barclay Moore and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

“Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song,” illustrated by Charly Palmer and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Eloise Greenfield (Author/Illustrator)

"Eloise Greenfield is a trailblazer whose extraordinary books of poetry and prose have influenced many and continue to resonate with children today. Her rich body of work inspires and enriches readers," said Award Committee Chair Deborah D. Taylor.

Eloise Greenfield was born in Parmele, North Carolina, and currently resides in Washington D.C. Early in life, she discovered a love of reading and writing and realized there were few books that showed the fullness of African American life. She published her first book in 1972 and went on to write and publish more than 40 books. From "Honey, I Love" to "The Great Migration," this multiple award-winning author has captivated audiences through the years.