William Allen White Children's Book Award Explained

The William Allen White Children's Book Award is a set of two annual awards for books selected by vote of Kansas schoolchildren from lists prepared by committee. As a single award it was established in 1952 by Ruth Garver Gagliardo, a children's literature specialist at Emporia State University, which continues to direct the program. It is named for William Allen White (1868–1944), long-time publisher and editor of The Emporia Gazette. The White Award is the oldest statewide children's choice book award in the United States.

From 2001, two winners have been chosen each year, one by students in grades 3 to 5 and one by students in grades 6 to 8, from separate lists of books. The award website includes an archive of annual Master Lists that is complete back to the list of 18 books for school year 1952–53.[1] Curriculum Guides "designed to be used in teaching or preparing instructional units" are prepared for books on the year's Master List and some past Guides are available.[2] [3]

Currently (as of October 2019),[4] the annual celebration at Emporia early in October includes a Friday evening "Read-Ins and Sleepovers" with space for 100 people. After Saturday morning activities, student representatives present medals to the winning writers at the Awards Ceremony. Travel to Emporia is an incentive in some classroom reading programs. At least once (2011), a writer declined because of a conflict on the celebration date and was replaced as the White Award winner.

Recipients 1953–2000

There were 49 winners of the single William Allen White Book Children's Book Award in its 48 years through 2000, with two winners in 1974.

YearAuthorTitle
1953Elizabeth YatesAmos Fortune, Free Man
1954Doris GatesLittle Vic
1955Jean BaileyCherokee Bill: Oklahoma Pacer
1956Marguerite HenryBrighty of the Grand Canyon
1957Phoebe EricksonDaniel 'Coon
1958Elliott ArnoldWhite Falcon
1959Fred GipsonOld Yeller
1960William O. SteeleFlaming Arrows
1961Keith RobertsonHenry Reed, Inc.
1962Catherine Owens PeareThe Helen Keller Story
1963Scott O'DellIsland of the Blue Dolphins
1964Sheila BurnfordThe Incredible Journey
1965Zachary BallBristle Face
1966Sterling NorthRascal
1967Annabel and Edgar Johnson The Grizzly
1968Beverly ClearyThe Mouse and the Motorcycle
1969Keith RobertsonHenry Reed's Baby-Sitting Service
1970E. L. KonigsburgFrom the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 
1971Walt MoreyKävik the Wolf Dog
1972Barbara CorcoranSasha: My Friend
1973E. B. WhiteThe Trumpet of the Swan
1974Robert C. O'BrienMrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Zilpha Keatley SnyderThe Headless Cupid
1975William SteigDominic
1976Beverly ClearySocks
1977George SeldenHarry Cat's Pet Puppy
1978Jean Van LeeuwenThe Great Christmas Kidnapping Caper
1979Wilson RawlsSummer of the Monkeys
1980Betsy ByarsThe Pinballs
1981Katherine PatersonThe Great Gilly Hopkins
1982C. S. AdlerThe Magic of the Glits
1983Barbara Brooks WallacePeppermints in the Parlor
1984Shel SilversteinA Light in the Attic
1985Quang Nhuong HuynhThe Land I Lost
1986Mary Downing HahnDaphne's Book
1987Robert Kimmel SmithThe War with Grandpa
1988Betsy ByarsCracker Jackson
1989Marion Dane BauerOn My Honor
1990Gary PaulsenHatchet
1991Bill WallaceBeauty
1992Mary Downing Hahn
1993Jerry SpinelliManiac Magee
1994Phyllis Reynolds NaylorShiloh
1995June Rae WoodThe Man Who Loved Clowns
1996Lois LowryThe Giver
1997Mary Downing HahnTime For Andrew: A Ghost Story
1998Barbara ParkMick Harte Was Here
1999Andrew ClementsFrindle
2000P. J. PetersenWhite Water

Recipients 2001–2024

YearGrades 3–5Grades 6–8
2001Cynthia C. DeFeliceThe Ghost of Fossil GlenLouis SacharHoles
2002Andrew ClementsThe Landry NewsChristopher Paul CurtisBud, Not Buddy
2003Kate DiCamilloBecause of Winn-DixieFrances O'Roark DowellDovey Coe
2004Peni R. GriffinGhost SitterAndrea WarrenSurviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps 
2005Jerry SpinelliLoserStephanie S. TolanSurviving the Applewhites
2006Sue StauffacherDonutheadJeanne DuPrauThe City of Ember
2007Andrew ClementsThe Report CardSarah WeeksSo B. It
2008Ann M. MartinL. D. HarkraderAirball: My Life in Briefs
2009Sara PennypackerClementineJennifer RoyYellow Star
2010Barbara O'ConnorHow to Steal a DogCynthia KadohataCracker! The Best Dog in Viet Nam
2011Patricia Reilly GiffElevenSusan Campbell Bartoletti The Boy Who Dared
2012Wendy Mass11 BirthdaysDiana LópezConfetti Girl
2013Patrick JenningsGuinea DogPeg KehretGhost Dog Secrets
2014Don BrownAmerica is Under Attack: September 11, 2001 Hidden
2015W. H. BeckMalcolm at MidnightM. H. HerlongBuddy
2016Sharon CreechThe Boy on the PorchChris GrabensteinEscape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
2017Jennifer BrownLife on MarsDianna Dorisi WingetA Million Ways Home
2018Lynda Mullaly HuntFish in a TreeMary Downing HahnTook
2019[5] Sara PennypackerPaxJason ReynoldsGhost
2020[6] Dusti BowlingInsignificant Events in the Life of a CactusGordon KormanRestart: Lose Your Memory. Find Your Life
2021[7] Katherine ArdenSmall SpacesJewell Parker RhodesGhost Boys
2022[8] Rodman PhilbrickWildfire: A NovelDan GemeinhartThe Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
2023[9] Lindsay CurrieScritch ScratchJ. L. Esplin96 Miles
2024[10] McCall HoyleStellaAlan GratzGround Zero
2025TBDTBDTBDTBD

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: More Past Winners. William Allen White Children's Book Award The Official Site. en-US. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200731025143/https://wawchildrensbookaward.com/more-past-winners. 2020-07-31. 2020-05-14.
  2. Web site: 3rd-5th Grade Reading List (2020). William Allen White Children's Book Award The Official Site. en-US. 2020-05-14.
  3. Web site: 6th-8th Grade Reading List (2020). William Allen White Children's Book Award The Official Site. en-US. 2020-05-14.
  4. Web site: William Allen White Children's Book Award Celebration. William Allen White Children's Book Award The Official Site. en-US. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200514040709/https://wawchildrensbookaward.com/another-quote. 2020-05-14. 2020-05-14.
  5. Web site: 2019 WAWCBA Winners. William Allen White Children's Book Award The Official Site. en-US. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200514040416/https://wawchildrensbookaward.com/2019-white-award-book-winners. 2020-05-14. 2020-05-14.
  6. Web site: 2020 WAWCBA Winners. William Allen White Children's Book Award The Official Site. en-US. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200514040330/https://wawchildrensbookaward.com/new-page-2. 2020-05-14. 2020-05-14.
  7. Web site: WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE CHILDREN’S BOOK WINNERS ANNOUNCED. 2021-05-24. WAWCBA. ESU. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230831210034/https://www.emporia.edu/news/may-2021-waw-books-announced. 2023-08-31. 2023-02-24.
  8. Web site: WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE CHILDREN’S BOOK WINNERS ANNOUNCED. 2022-05-12. WAWCBA. ESU. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231206153013/https://www.emporia.edu/news/may-2022-waw-awards/. 2023-12-06. 2024-02-24.
  9. Web site: WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE CHILDREN’S BOOK WINNERS ANNOUNCED. 2023-05-09. WAWCBA. ESU. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230831202855/https://www.emporia.edu/news/may-2023-waw-award-winners/. 2023-08-31. 2024-02-24.
  10. Web site: WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE CHILDREN’S BOOK WINNERS ANNOUNCED. 2024-05-07. WAWCBA. ESU. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240508224043/https://www.emporia.edu/news/may-2024-waw-book-winners/. 2024-05-08. 2024-05-08.