Geisel Award Explained

Geisel Award
Awarded For:	"the most distinguished American book for beginning readers"
Presenter:	Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association
Country:	United States
Year:	2006

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is a literary award by the American Library Association (ALA) that annually recognizes the "author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year." The winner(s) receive a bronze medal at the ALA Annual Conference, presented by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) division of ALA.

The award is named for Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, who once said, "Children want the same things we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted." It was established in 2004 and inaugurated in 2006 for 2005 publications.

A few runners up are termed Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Books; their authors and illustrators receive certificates.

Criteria

The book must encourage and support the beginning reader.
The book must be published in English in the United States during the preceding year.
There are no limitations as to the character of the book considered except that it will be original and function successfully as a book for beginning readers.
The author(s) or illustrator(s) must be citizens or residents of the United States.
The "author(s) and illustrator(s)" may include co-authors and co-illustrators. The author(s) and illustrator(s) may be awarded the medal posthumously.
The text must be directed at readers from pre-K through Grade 2.
The illustrations must function as keys or clues to the text.
Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are all eligible.
Reprints and compilations are not eligible.
Subject matter must be intriguing enough to motivate the child to read.
The book may or may not include short "chapters."
New words should be added slowly enough to make learning them a positive experience.
Words should be repeated to ensure knowledge retention.
Sentences must be simple and straightforward.
There must be a minimum of 24 pages.
Books may not be longer than 96 pages.

Recipients

Year!width="20%"
Author	Illustrator	Title	Citation
<	-- YEAR -->2006			Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas	Winner
			Hi! Fly Guy	Honor
				Honor
			Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa	Honor
			Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day	Honor
<	-- YEAR -->2007			Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways	Winner
			Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride	Honor
			Move Over, Rover		Honor
			Not a Box	Honor
<	-- YEAR -->2008			There is a Bird on Your Head		Winner
			First the Egg	Honor
			Hello, Bumblebee Bat	Honor
			Jazz Baby	Honor
			Vulture View	Honor
<	-- YEAR -->2009			Are You Ready to Play Outside?	Winner
			Chicken Said, ‘Cluck		Honor
			One Boy	Honor
			Stinky	Honor
			Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator	Honor
<	-- YEAR -->2010			Benny and Penny in the Big No-No		Winner
			I Spy Fly Guy		Honor
			Little Mouse Gets Ready	Honor
			Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends	Honor
			Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2011			Bink & Gollie	Winner
			Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same		Honor
			We Are in a Book		Honor
<	--YEAR-->2012			Tales for Very Picky Eaters	Winner
			I Broke My Trunk	Honor
			I Want My Hat Back	Honor
			See Me Run	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2013			Up, Tall and High		Winner
			Let's Go for a Drive!	Honor
			Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons	Honor
			Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2014				Winner
			Ball	Honor
				Honor
			Penny and Her Marble	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2015			You Are (Not) Small	Winner
			Mr. Putter & Tabby Turn the Page	Honor
			Waiting Is Not Easy		Honor
<	--YEAR-->2016			Don’t Throw It to Mo		Winner
				Honor
			Waiting	Honor
			Supertruck	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2017			We Are Growing		Winner
			Good Night Owl	Honor
			Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run	An Alphabet Caper	Honor
			Go Otto Go		Honor
				Honor
<	--YEAR-->2018			Charlie & Mouse	Winner
			I See a Cat	Honor
			King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats	Honor
			My Kite Is Stuck	And Other Stories	Honor
	, Martha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss		Noodleheads See the Future	Honor
			Snail & Worm Again	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2019			Fox the Tiger	Winner
				Honor
			King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth	Honor
			Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories	Honor
			Tiger vs. Nightmare	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2020			Stop	Bot!	Winner
			Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot		Honor
			Flubby Is Not a Good Pet		Honor
					Honor
<	--YEAR-->2021			See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog	Winner
				Honor
			Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom		Honor
			What About Worms	?	Honor
			Where's Baby?	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2022			Fox at Night	Winner
				Honor
			I Hop	Honor
			Beak & Alley: Unlikely Friends	Honor
<	--YEAR-->2023			I Did It		Winner
			Fish and Wave	Honor
			Gigi and Ojiji	Honor
			Owl and Penguin	Honor
				Honor
<	--YEAR-->2024			Fox Has a Problem	Winner
			Henry, Like Always	Honor
			Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends	Honor

Multiple awards

Tedd Arnold received honors in 2006, 2010, and (with Martha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss) 2018.
Cece Bell received honors in 2013 and 2020.
Dori Hillestad Butler received honors in 2018 and 2019.
Kate DiCamillo won the 2011 award (with co-author Alison McGhee and illustrator Tony Fucile). She received an honor in 2007.
Jonathan Fenske received honors in 2016 and 2022.
Kevin Henkes received honors in 2014 and 2016.
Paul Meisel received honors in 2012 and 2018.
David Milgrim received honors in 2017 and 2019.
Greg Pizzoli won the 2014 award. He received honors in 2017 and 2020.
Antoinette Portis received honors in 2007 and 2023.
Sergio Ruzzier received honors in 2019 and 2023.
Cynthia Rylant won the award in 2006 and received an honor in 2015.
Laura Vaccaro Seeger received honors in 2008 and 2009.
Corey R. Tabor won the award three times, in 2019, 2022, and 2024.
Mo Willems won the 2008 and 2009 awards. He received honors in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

References

Web site: (Theodor Seuss) Geisel Award winners and honor books, 2006–present . ALSC. ALA . 2013-06-24 .