2026 Picture Book and Junior Book Nominees

We are very pleased to announce the nominees for the 2026 North Carolina Children's Book Awards.    In order to vote in March 2026, 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
  • 100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli
    David LaRochelle
    Illustrated by Lian Cho

  • Buffalo Fluffalo
    Bess Kalb
    Illustrated by Erin Kraan

  • Don't Trust Cats: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog
    Dev Petty
    Illustrated by Mike Boldt

  • Home in a Lunchbox
    Cherry Mo

  • Ice Cream Everywhere: Sweet Stories from Around the World
    Judy Campbell-Smith
    Illustrated by Lucy Semple

  • The Man Who Didn't Like Animals
    Deborah Underwood
    Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

  • The Three Billy Goats Gruff
    Mac Barnett
    Illustrated by Jon Klassen

  • Two New Years
    Richard Ho
    Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield

  • Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas
    Zachariah OHora

  • Whirligigs: The Wondrous Windmills of Vollis Simpson's Imagination
    Carole Boston Weatherford
    Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

  • The Yellow Bus
    Loren Long

  • Zap! Clap! Boom!: The Story of a Thunderstorm
    Laura Purdie Salas
    Illustrated by Elly MacKay
  • Ferris
    Kate DiCamillo

  • Haiku, Ew!: Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature
    Lynn Brunelle
    Illustrated by Julia Patton

  • Hummingbird
    Natalie Lloyd

  • The Last Dragon on Mars
    Scott Reintgen

  • The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum
    Lisa Yee

  • Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic
    Candace Fleming
    Illustrated by Deena So'Oteh

  • Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy
    Angie Thomas

  • No Matter the Distance
    Cindy Baldwin

  • Squished
    Megan Wagner Lloyd
    Illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter

  • Things in the Basement
    Ben Hatke

  • We Own the Sky
    Rodman Philbrick

  • Wild Brunch: Poems About How Creatures Eat
    David L. Harrison
    Illustrated by Giles Laroche

2025 Picture Book and Junior Book Winners!

We have our winners for the 2025 North Carolina Children's Book Awards.  For the complete results, please visit the 2025 Results and Materials page.

Yoshi, Sea Turtle Genius, written by Lynne Cox and illustrated by Richard Jones, is the winner of the picture book category with 11,013 votes.



 Odder, written by Katherine Applegate, is the winner of the junior book category with 1,216 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 2026 Awards.  Check back in again soon!

2025 Voting is OPEN!

 It's time for kids to vote for their favorite books!  

Kids may vote online, through their school librarians, or at their public library.

The deadline for voting is April 12, 2025.

Kids read or listen to at least 5 Picture Book Nominees then VOTE HERE.
(If you still need to read the nominees, please go to the 2025 Picture Book Nominees tab.)

Kids read or listen to at least 3 Junior Book Nominees then VOTE HERE.
(If you still need to read the nominees, please go to the 2025 Junior Book Nominees tab.)

 

NEXT YEAR'S AWARDS:  Submit your favorites for 2026  

Kids should use THIS FORM.  This is not where kids should vote for this year's award.

Librarians/Teachers:  please submit the votes you collected from your students/patrons using the Librarian Vote Tally Form located on the Librarian/Teacher Resource page
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