Golden Duck Award Explained

The Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction were given annually from 1992 to 2017. The awards were presented every year at either Worldcon or the North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC). In 2018 they were replaced by Notable Book Lists of the same names sponsored by the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA).

The Golden Duck Awards were funded by Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, Inc., the sponsor of the U.S. midwest regional science fiction convention DucKon. Winners were selected by a group of teachers, librarians, parents, high tech workers and reviewers.

Winners

Picture Book Award

The Picture Book Award is sometimes given to a book with non-fictional science content with a story "wrapper" as well as traditional science fiction themes.

1992 – Time Train by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Claire Ewart
1993 – June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner
1994 – Richie's Rocket by Joan Anderson, photographed by George Ancona
1995 – Time Flies by Eric Rohmann
1996 – Insects from Outer Space by Vladimir Vagin and Frank Asch
1997 – Grandpa Takes Me to the Moon by Timothy Gaffney, illustrated by Barry Root
1998 – Floating Home by David Getz, illustrated by Michael Rex
1999 – Noah and the Space Ark by Laura Cecil, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
2000 – Hush, Little Alien by Daniel Kirk
2001 – Rex by Robert Gould and Kathleen Duey, illustrated by Eugene Epstein
2002 – Baloney (Henry P.) by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
2003 – Incredible Cross-Sections of Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones by Curtis Saxton and Richard Chasemore
2004 – Hazel Nutt, Mad Scientist by David Elliot, illustrated by True Kelley (Holliday House,)
2005 – Science Verse by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith (Viking)
2006 – Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery by Kevin O'Malley, illustrated by Patrick O'Brien
2007 – Night of the Homework Zombies by Scott Nickel, illustrated by Steve Harpster
2008 – Mars Needs Moms by Berkeley Breathed
2009 – We're Off to Look for Aliens by Colin McNaughton
2010 – Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky
2011 – Oh No! (Or, How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat
2012 – Earth to Clunk by Pam Smallcomb, illustrated by Joe Berger
2013 – Oh No! Not Again!: (Or How I Built a Time Machine to Save History) (Or At Least My History Grade) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat
2014 – Vader's Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown
2015 – Max Goes to the Space Station by Jeffrey Bennett, illustrated by Michael Carroll
2016 – Interstellar Cinderella, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Meg Hunt
2017 – Blip! written and illustrated by Barnaby Richards

Eleanor Cameron Award

This award is given to chapter books and middle grade novels. The protagonists are science users and problem solvers. Occasionally, books with fantasy elements but a science fiction theme have won.

1992 – My Teacher Glows in the Dark by Bruce Coville
1993 – Weirdos of the Universe Unite! by Pamela Service
1994 – Worf's First Adventure by Peter David
1995 – Shape Changer by Bill Brittain
1996 – Star Hatchling by Margaret Bechard
1997 – Kipton and the Tower of Time by Charles L. Fontenay
1998 – The Andalite Chronicles by Katherine Applegate
1999 – Young Jedi Knights series by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
2000 – I Was a Sixth Grade Alien by Bruce Coville
2001 – The Power of Un by Nancy Etchemendy
2002 – Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars by Quentin Dodd
2003 – Andrew Lost series: Andrew Lost on the Dog; Andrew Lost in the Bathroom; Andrew Lost in the Kitchen by J. C. Greenburg
- 2004 – Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix 2005 – The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion)
2006 – (tie)

Whales on Stilts by M. T. Anderson, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus (Harcourt, 2005.)

The Fran That Time Forgot by Jim Benton (Aladdin,)

2007 – Apers by Mark Jansen with Barbara Day Zinicola (Dailey Swan Publishing, 2006;)
2008 – (tie)

Shanghaied to the Moon by Michael J. Daley

Gravity Buster: Journal #2 of a Cardboard Genius by Frank Asch

2009 – Lighter than Air by Henry Melton
2010 – Z Rex by Steve Cole
2011 – Alien Encounter by Pamela Service and Mike Gorman
2012 – Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! by Hena Kahn and David Borgenicht
2013 – Alien on a Rampage from the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series by Clete Barrett Smith
2014 – Two books from the Galaxy Zack series: Hello, Nebulon! and Journey to Juno by Ray O'Ryan and Colin Jack
2015 – Ambassador by William Alexander
2016 – Fuzzy Mud, by Louis Sacher

Hal Clement Award

Hal Clement's own writings were not YA, but his high school science teaching career strongly connects him to the YA age group. The primary story elements are correct science with science fictional extrapolations and characters who solve problems on their own.

1992 – Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes
1993 – River Rats by Caroline Stevermer
1994 – The Giver by Lois Lowry
1995 – The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
1996 – (tie)

The Winds of Mars by H. M. Hoover

The Night Room by E. M. Goldman

1997 – Wildside by Steven Gould
1998 – Shade's Children by Garth Nix
1999 – Alien Dreams by Larry Segriff
2000 – The Game of Worlds by Roger McBride Allen from David Brin's Out of Time series
2001 – Jumping Off the Planet by David Gerrold
2002 – This Side of Paradise by Steven Layne
2003 – Feed by M. T. Anderson
2004 – Gunpowder Empire by Harry Turtledove (Tor Books)
2005 – Balance of Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Meisha Merlin, 2004)
2006 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse)
2007 – Rash by Pete Hautman (Simon & Schuster, 2006;)
2008 – Sky Horizon by David Brin and illustrated by Scott Hampton (Subterranean Press, 2007,)
2009 – (tie)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press, 2008,)

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC, 2008,)

2010 – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2011 – by Robert J. Sawyer
2012 – (tie)

A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

2013 – Cinder by Marissa Meyer
2014 – The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos
2015 – Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell
2016 – Armada, by Ernest Cline

Special awards

1997 Strong Female Characters – Kipton and the Android by Charles L. Fontenay (Royal Fireworks Press, 1996)
1999 Australian Contribution to Children's Science Fiction – Garth Nix
2000 Promotion of Reading – Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
2003 Best Science and Technology Education – Tales from the Wonder Zone (entire series) by Julie E. Czerneda (Trifolium Books)
2007 Nonfiction – Write Your Own Science Fiction Story by Tish Farrell (Compass Point Books, 2006;)
2008 Nonfiction – World of Science Fiction – 12 titles by John Hamilton (ABDO Publishing Company)

+ Stone Arch Books for publishing quality science fiction graphic novels

2010 Nonfiction – You Write It: Science Fiction by John Hamilton (ABDO Publishing Company)