The Kerlan Award

About the Kerlan Award

The Kerlan Award is given in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children's literature and in appreciation for generous donation of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection for the study of children's literature. Individuals from all areas of children's literature, including authors, illustrators, editors, publishers, and educators, are eligible for this honor.

46th Annual Kerlan Award: Ariane Dewey

Author and illustrator Ariane Dewey will be awarded the 46th Annual Kerlan Award in the fall of 2021. More information about the online event, including RSVP information, can be found on The Kerlan or Events and News.

Past Winners of the Kerlan Award, 1975-

2020s

  • 2020 Jon Scieszka
  • 2021 Ariane Dewey

2010s

  • 2010 Nancy Carlson
  • 2011 Jane Kurtz
  • 2012 Karen Nelson Hoyle
  • 2013 Kate DiCamillo
  • 2014 Linda Sue Park and Russell Freedman
  • 2015 Sharon Creech
  • 2016 Betsy and Ted Lewin
  • 2017 John Coy
  • 2018 Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm    
  • 2019 Lois Ehlert and Claudia Mills

2000s

  • 2000 Patricia Lauber
  • 2001 Jane Resh Thomas and Don Freeman
  • 2002 Joan Lowery Nixon and Barbara Esbensen
  • 2003 Nikki Grimes and Gustaf Tenggren
  • 2004 Lois Lowry
  • 2005 Ted Rand
  • 2006 Karen Hesse
  • 2007 Karen Cushman and Louis Slobodkin
  • 2008 Walter Dean Myers and Robert Kraus
  • 2009 Jeanette Winter

1990s

  • 1990 Madeline L'Engle
  • 1991 Leonard Everett Fisher
  • 1992 Barbara Cooney
  • 1993 Mary Stolz
  • 1994 Myra Cohn Livingston
  • 1995 Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  • 1996 Marion Dane Bauer and Paul Galdone
  • 1997 Theodore Taylor
  • 1998 Dahlov Ipcar
  • 1999 Eve Bunting, Lois Lenski, Dr. Edward B. Stanford, and Dr. Norine Odland

1980s

  • 1980 Glen Rounds
  • 1981 Tomie DePaola
  • 1982 Jean Craighead George  
  • 1983 Katherine Paterson
  • 1984 Margaret Wise Brown and her editors and illustrators
  • 1985 Eleanor Cameron
  • 1986 Charlotte Zolotow
  • 1987 Charles Mikolaycak
  • 1988 Jane Yolen
  • 1989 Gail Haley

1970s

  • 1975 Marie Hall Ets, Marguerite Henry, and Elizabeth Coatsworth
  • 1976 Roger Duvoisin
  • 1977 Wanda Gag
  • 1978 Carol Ryrie Brink
  • 1979 Margot Zemach