2024 NCCBA Picture Book and Junior Book Nominees

We are very pleased to announce the nominees for the 2024 North Carolina Children's Book Awards.  We selected twelve titles for both lists because of possible availability issues.  In order to vote in March 2024, children should read at least 5 picture book nominees and/or 3 junior book nominees.

Annotated Picture Book list
Annotated Junior Book list

Picture Books

Junior Books

  • The Blue House
    Wahl, Phoebe.  New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2020.

    The Blue House

  • Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme
    Monsen, Avery. Illustrated by Abby Hanlon.  New York; Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 2022.


  • Clovis Keeps His Cool
    Aronson, Katelyn. Illustrated by Eve Farb.  Salem, MA : Page Street Kids, 2021.


  • Dandelion Magic
    Farrell, Darren. Illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa.  New York : Dial Books, 2021.


  • How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion
    Shiraishi, Ashima.  Illustrated by Yao Xiao.  New York : Make Me a World, 2020.


  • I Am Every Good Thing
    Barnes, Derrick. Illustrated by Gordon C. James.  New York : Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020.


  • Jabari Tries
    Cornwall, Gaia.  Somerville, MA : Candlewick Press, 2020.


  • Memory Jars
    Brosgol, Vera.  New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2021.


  • Negative Cat
    Blackall, Sophie.  New York : Nancy Paulsen Books, 2021.


  • Paletero Man/¡Que Paletero tan Cool!
    Diaz, Lucky.  Illustrated by Micah Player.   New York : HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021.


  • Sheepish (Wolf under Cover)
    Yoon, Helen.  Somerville, MA : Candlewick Press, 2021.


  • What Can You Do With a Rock?
    Miller, Pat Zietlow.  Illustrated by Katie Kath.  Naperville, IL : Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021.


  • 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag
    Davis, Amanda.  Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport.  New York : WorthyKids, 2021.


  • The Boy at the Back of the Class 
    Raúf, Onjali Q..  New York : Delacorte Press, 2020.


  • Dog Squad
    Grabenstein, Chris.  New York : Random House Children's Books, 2021.


  • The Elephant in the Room
    Sloan, Holly Goldberg.  New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021.


  • Invisible
    Gonzalez, Christina Diaz.  Illustrated by Gabriella Epstein.  New York : Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic, 2022.


  • The Last Beekeeper
    Cartaya, Pablo.  Waterville, ME : Thorndike Press, 2023.


  • A Rover's Story
    Warga, Jasmine.  New York : Balzer + Bray, 2022.


  • Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs
    Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Los Angeles : Disney Hyperion, 2022.


  • Stand Up, Yumi Chung!
    Kim, Jessica.  New York : Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2020.


  • Starfish
    Fipps, Lisa.  New York : Nancy Paulsen Books, 2021.


  • Swim Team
    Christmas, Johnnie.  New York : Harper Alley, 2022.


  • Your Place in the Universe
    Chin, Jason.  New York : Holiday House, 2020.


2023 Picture Book and Junior Book Winners!

The votes have been collected and tallied!  We have our winners for the 2023 North Carolina Children's Book Awards.  For the complete results, please visit the 2023 Results and Materials page.

The Box Turtle, written and illustrated by Vanessa Roeder, is the winner of the picture book category with 10,421 votes.



 Unplugged, written by Gordon Korman, is the winner of the junior book category with 772 votes.



We would like to thank all of the children who participated by voting in schools and local public libraries or virtually on this website.  Giving kids a voice in choosing their favorites is what this award is all about so THANK YOU for voting!

The committee will be meeting mid-May to select the nominees for the 2024 Awards.  Check back in again soon!

2022 Winners Accept Awards

Mike Boldt accepts the 2022 North Carolina Children's Picture Book Award for Bad Dog. 

Jerry Craft accepts the 2022 North Carolina Children's Junior Book Award for New Kid. 

Favorites for 2024 Awards

 Submit your favorite for 2024

We are starting to collect the titles of your favorite books published in the past three years for the 2024 North Carolina Children's Book Awards!  Nominations are submitted by the children of North Carolina in grades K-6th.  Teachers and librarians may help children enter their nominations, but no teacher or librarian should enter their own favorites.  (Titles with publication dates of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023)

Kids may nominate more than one favorite. 


Activities for the 2023 Nominees are ready!

We are excited to present read-alouds, book trailers, book talks and activities for the 2023 North Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees. Voting begins on March 1, 2023.  

Activities for all 2023 Nominees

2023 Nominee flyer with covers (can be used as ballot)

Picture Book Nominees

Children may vote for their favorite title if they have read at least 5 of the 12 nominees. 

eBooks and eAudiobooks available through NC Kids digital library.  


The Box Turtle Read-aloud

The Box Turtle Activities

 The Boy Who Grew a Forest Read-aloud

  The Boy Who Grew a Forest Activities

Dozens of Doughnuts Read-aloud

Dozens of Doughnuts Activities

Eat Your Rocks, Croc! Read-aloud

Eat Your Rocks, Croc! Activities

Except Antarctica! Read-aloud

Except Antarctica! Activities

How to Give Your Cat a Bath Read-aloud

How to Give Your Cat a Bath Activities

I'm Trying to Love Garbage Read-aloud

I'm Trying to Love Garbage Activities

It Fell From the Sky Read-aloud

It Fell From the Sky Activities

Mars! Earthlings Welcome Read-aloud

Mars! Earthlings Welcome Activities

Nigel and the Moon Read-aloud

Nigel and the Moon Activities
 

A Song of Frutas Read-aloud

A Song of Frutas Activities

Watercress Read-aloud

Watercress Activities


Junior Book Nominees

Children may vote for their favorite title if they have read at least 3 of the 10 nominees.  

eBooks and eAudiobooks available through NC Kids digital library.  

Amari and the Night Brothers Book Trailer

Amari and the Night Brothers Activities
Clean Getaway Book Trailer

Clean Getaway Activities
Flower Talk Book Trailer

Flower Talk Activities
How to Build an Insect Read-aloud

How to Build an Insect Activities
Katie the Catsitter Book Trailer

Katie the Catsitter Activities
A Place at the Table Book Trailer

A Place at the Table Activities
Rez Dogs Book Talk

Rez Dogs Activities
Skunk and Badger Book Trailer

Skunk and Badger Activities
Unplugged Book Trailer

Unplugged Activities
Willodeen Book Talk

Willodeen Activities
A Wolf Called Wander Book Trailer

A Wolf Called Wander Activities
The World Ends in April Book Trailer

The World Ends in April Activities