Crystal Kite Award Explained

The Crystal Kite Award https://web.archive.org/web/20110303060603/http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Crystal-Kite-Member-Choice-Awards (also known as 'Crystal Kite Members Choice Award) is given by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) each year to recognize great books from the 70 SCBWI regions around the world. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children's book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers.

Each SCBWI member votes for their favorite book from a nominated author in their region that was published in the previous calendar year.

Winners

International Regions

Australia / New Zealand

!Year!Title!Author
2011There Was an Old SailorClaire M. Saxby
2012The Last VikingNorman Jorgensen
2013Ten Tiny ThingsMeg McKinlay
2014Zac and MiaAJ Betts
2015Hello From NowhereRaewyn Caisley and Karen Blair
2016A is for AustraliaFrané Lessac
2017Smile CryTania McCartney and Jess Racklyeft
2018The Scared BookDebra Tidball
2019At The End of Holyrood LaneDimity Powell
2020Catch a Falling StarMeg McKinlay[1]
2021How to Make a BirdMeg McKinlay[2]
2022Heroes of the Secret UndergroundSusanne Gervay[3]
2023Bev and KevKatrina Germein and Mandy Foot[4]
2024Hanukkah Upside DownElissa Weissman (Omer Hoffmann, illustrator)[5]

Canada

!Year!Title!Author
2011Stolen ChildMarsha Skrypuch
2012WitchlandersLena Coakley
2013The Stamp CollectorJennifer Lanthier
2014I Dare You Not to YawnHelene Boudreau
2015BogKaren Krossing
2016A Brush Full of ColourMargriet Ruurs
2017Dot to Dot in the Sky, Stories of the AuroraJoan Marie Galat
2018My Beautiful BirdsSuzanne Del Rizzo
2019The OutlawNancy Vo
2020Small WorldIshta Mercurio-Wentworth
2021Night WalkEllie Arscott & Sara O'Leary
2022Tough Like MumLana Button

Europe / Latin America / Africa

!Year!Title!Author
2011A Kite's FlightMaja Sereda
2012Finding Aunt JoanJenny Hatton and Joan Rankin
2013The Magyar ConspiracyNeil Malherbe
2014Chick-o-Sarus RexLenore Appelhans
2015A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina’s DreamKristy Dempsey
2016The Safest LieAngela Cerrito
2017El Jardín MágicoLemniscates
2018Will You Read My Book with Me?Lawrence Schimel
2019The Night LionSanne Dufft
2020The Untold, Bloody, and Absolutely Real History of SwitzerlandLaurie Theurer
2021The Hungry GhostHelle Sidelmann Norup
2022The Stuff Between the StarsSandra Nickel

Middle East / India / Asia

!Year!Title!Author
2011Saraswati's WayMonika Schröder
2012OrchardsHolly Thompson
2013Samurai AwakeningBenjamin Martin
2014Bonkers!Natasha Sharma
2015Petu Pumpkin: Tooth TroublesArundhati Venkatesh
2016The Adventures of Squirky the Alien #3: Who is the Red Commander?Melanie Lee
2017Somewhere AmongAnnie Donwerth-Chikamatsu
2018Yossi and the MonkeysJennifer MacLeod
2019The Clever TailorSrividhya Venkat
2020Indigo GirlSuzanne Kamata
2021The Last GardenRachel Ip
2022Temple Alley SummerSachiko Kashiwaba

UK / Ireland

!Year!Title!Author
2011Tall StoryCandy Gourlay
2012Dark PartiesSara Grant
2013Fifteen Days Without a HeadDave Cousins
2014ShineCandy Gourlay
2015The Year of the RatClaire Furniss
2016Mind GamesTeri Terry
2017More of MeKathryn Evans
2018Mold and the Poison PlotLorraine Gregory
2019Orphan Monster SpyMatt Killeen
2020The TideClare Welsh
2021Boy, EverywhereA. M. Dassu
2022The Bear and her BookFrances Tosdevin

Regions in the United States

Atlantic (Pennsylvania / Delaware / New Jersey / Wash DC / Virginia / West Virginia / Maryland)

!Year!Title!Author
2011MockingbirdKathryn D. Erskine
2012The Absolute Value of MikeKathryn D. Erskine
2013BOY + BOTAme Dyckman
2014Flame in the MistKit Grindstaff
2015PandemicYvonne Ventresca
2016Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking MachineLaurie Wallmark
2017I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her MarkDebbie Levy
20187 Ate 9: The Untold StoryTara Lazar
2019Hawk RisingMaria Gianferrari
2020Hedy Lamarr's Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant InventorLaurie Wallmark
2021Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving AwayMeg Medina
2022A Place to Hang the MoonKate Albus

California / Hawaii

!Year!Title!Author
2011The Quiet BookDeborah Underwood
2012Won Ton - A Cat Tale Told in HaikuLee Wardlaw
2013The One and Only IvanKatherine Applegate
2014The Kite That Bridged Two NationsAlexis O'Neill
2015Bombs Over Bikini: The World’s First Nuclear DisasterConnie Goldsmith
2016Under a Painted SkyStacey Lee
2017Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, a Life in NatureCindy Jenson-Elliott and Christy Hale
2018The Lost BoysDarcey Rosenblatt
2019She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created FrankensteinLynn Fulton
2020The Downstairs GirlStacey Heather Lee
2021Efrén DividedErnesto Cisneros
2022Hello, StarStephanie Lucianovic

Mid-South (Kansas / Louisiana / Arkansas / Tennessee / Kentucky / Missouri)

!Year!Title!Author
2011Selling HopeKristin O'Donnell Tubb
2012Between Shades of GrayRuta Sepetys
2013The Dark UnwindingSharon Cameron
2014The 13th SignKristin O'Donnell Tubb
2015Faking Normal Courtney Stevens
2016Top Secret Files of History – WWIIStephanie Bearce
2017Salt to the SeaRuta Sepetys
2018A Dog Like DaisyKristin O'Donnell Tubb
2019A Hippy-Hoppy ToadPeggy Archer
2020PoetreeShauna LaVoy Reynolds
2021The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to ReadRita Lorraine Hubbard
2022I'll Meet You in Your DreamsJessica Young

Mid-West (Minnesota / Iowa / Nebraska / Wisconsin / Illinois / Michigan / Indiana / Ohio)

!Year!Title!Author
2011Janis Joplin: Rise Up SingingAnn M. Angel
2012BluefishPat Schmatz
2013Creepy CarrotsAaron Reynolds
2014Sophie's SquashPat Zietlow Miller
2015I am Cow, Hear Me MooJill Esbaum
2016Wherever You GoPat Zietlow Miller
2017The Quickest Kid in ClarksvillePat Zietlow Miller
2018Blue Sky White StarsSarvinder Naberhaus
2019The Rabbit ListenedCori Doerrfeld
2020Just Like Rube GoldbergSarah Aronson
2021Old Rock (is not boring!)Deb Pilutti
2022Headstrong Hallie! The Story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the First Female "Fire Guard"Aimee Bissonette
2024Woven of the WorldKatey Howes / Dinara Mirtalipova

New England (Maine / Vermont / New Hampshire / Connecticut / Massachusetts / Rhode Island)

!Year!Title!Author
2011Bats at the Ball GameBrian Lies
2012PearlJo Knowles
2013See You at Harry'sJo Knowles
2014The Story of Fish & SnailDeborah Freedman
2015Feathers: Not Just for FlyingMelissa Stewart
2016Fish in a TreeLynda Mullaly Hunt
2017Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying MachineHeather Lang
2018This House, OnceDeborah Freedman
2019The Rough PatchBrian Lies
2020The Bridge HomePadma Venkatraman
2021Let's Dance!Valerie Bolling
2022Red, White, and WholeRajani LaRocca

New York

!Year!Title!Author
2011Sugar and IceKate Messner
2012Thelonious MouseOrel Protopopescu
2013Capture the FlagKate Messner
2014Crankenstein!Samantha Berger
2015Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (And Their Noses) are Saving The WorldNancy Castaldo
2016The Truth About Twinkie PieKat Yeh
2017Saving Kate’s FlowersCindy Sommer
2018Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Think, Talk, and FeelNancy Castaldo
2019Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus BoycottDee Romito
2020The Little Green GirlLisa Anchin
2021The Boy and the GorillaJackie Azúa Kramer
2022Dumplings for LiliMelissa Iwai

South-East (Florida / Georgia / South Carolina / North Carolina / Alabama / Mississippi)

!Year!Title!Author
2011Rosa's Bus: The Ride to Civil RightsJo S. Kittinger
2012Cleopatra's MoonVicky Alvear Shecter
2013Glory BeAugusta Scattergood
2014The Ballad of Jessie PearlShannon Hitchcock
2015Just a Drop of WaterKerry Cerra
2016Outer Space Bedtime RaceRob Sanders
2017WishBarbara O’Connor
2018MouseZebo Ludvicek
2019Evangeline of the BayouJan Eldredge
2020The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadav PayengSophia Gholz
2021The Little Blue CottageKelly Jordan
2022The Longest LetsgoboyDerick Wilder

South-West (Nevada / Arizona / Utah / Colorado / Wyoming / New Mexico)

!Year!Title!Author
2011Swoon At Your Own RiskSydney Salter Husseman
2012Black & White: The Confrontation Between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" ConnorLarry Brimner
2013How to Baby Sit a GrandpaJean Reagan
2014Tea REXMolly Idle
2015All Four StarsTara Dairman
2016AudacityMelanie Crowder
2017Space Boy and the Space PirateDian Curtis Regan
2018If Your Monster Won’t Go to BedDenise Vega
2019The 11:11 WishKim Tomsic
2020TrumanJean Reidy
2021Midnight at the Barclay HotelFleur Bradley
2022WatercressAndrea Y. Wang

Texas / Oklahoma

!Year!Title!Author
2011Mostly MonsterlyTammi Sauer
2012Mine!Patrice Barton
2013ChainedLynne Kelly
2014Army Camels: Texas Ships of the DesertDoris Fisher
2015Abby Spencer Goes to BollywoodVarsha Bajaj
2016Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses HortonDon Tate
2017Tiny Stitches – The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien ThomasGwendolyn Hooks
2018The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights ActivistCynthia Levinson
2019The Boy, the Boat, and the BeastSamantha Clark
2020Her Own Two Feet: A Rwandan Girl's Brave Fight to WalkMeredith Davis and Rebeka Uwitonze
2021Dusk ExplorersLindsay Leslie
2022Dark and Shallow LiesGinny Myers Sain

West (Washington / Oregon / Alaska / Idaho / Montana / North Dakota / South Dakota)

!Year!Title!Author
2011A Bedtime for BearBonny J. Becker
2012The Friendship DollKirby Larson
2013PickleKim Baker
2014Once Upon A MemoryNina Laden
2015Be a Change Maker: How to Start Something That MattersLaurie Ann Thompson
2016If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, DON’T!Elise Parsley
2017The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet FoxJanet S. Fox
2018The Book of MistakesCorinna Luyken
2019Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have A HorseMarcy Campbell
2020Ghost CatKevan Atteberry
2021The StarkeeperFaith Pray
2022The Last CuentistaDonna Barba Higuera

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021-05-14. 'How to Make a Bird' wins SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. 2021-12-18. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
  2. Web site: 2021-05-14. 'How to Make a Bird' wins SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. 2021-12-18. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
  3. Web site: 2022-05-26 . Gervay wins 2022 Crystal Kite award . 2022-06-04 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  4. Web site: 2023-06-03 . Crystal Kite award for Katrina Germein and Mandy Foot . 2023-06-13 . SCBWI Australia East Blog . en-AU.
  5. Web site: 2024-07-08 . Weissman wins 2024 Crystal Kite award . 2024-07-09 . Books+Publishing.