Coretta Scott King Book Awards All Illustrator Award Winners

Designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards annually recognize outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience.

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All Illustrator Award Winners

2023 Winner Standing in the Need of Prayer : A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by Frank Morrison The popular spiritual, Standing in the Need of Prayer, has been reworked to chronicle milestones, struggles, tragedies, and triumphs of African American people and their history. The text and illustrations of this inspirational book are informative reminders of yesterday, hopeful images for today, and aspirational dreams of tomorrow.	Honor Books Me and the Boss : A Story About Mending and Love by Michelle Edwards Illustrated by April Harrison Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas Victory. Stand! : Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
2022 Winner Unspeakable : The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history --Provided by publisher.	Honor Books Nina : A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N Todd Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham Illustrated by C.G. Esperanza We Wait for the Sun by Dovey Johnson Roundtree
2021 Winner R-E-S-P-E-C-T : Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father's Detroit church. Aretha sang with a soaring voice that spanned more than three octaves. Her incredible talent and string of hit songs earned her the title the Queen of Soul. This Queen was a multi-Grammy winner and the first female inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And there was even more to Aretha than being a singer, songwriter, and pianist: she was an activist, too. Her song Respect was an anthem for people fighting for civil rights and women's rights. With words that sing and art that shines, this vibrant portrait of Aretha Franklin pays her the R-E-S-P-E-C-T this Queen of Soul deserves--\|cProvided by publisher. ________ Includes bibliographical references.	Honor Books Exquisite : The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon Me & Mama by Cozbi A Cabrera
2020 Winner The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree.	Honor Books Infinite Hope : A Black Artist's Journey From World War II to Peace by Ashley Bryan Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o Illustrated by Vashti Harrison The Bell Rang by James Ransome
2019 Winner The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer Illustrated by Ekua Holmes Explores the formation of the universe.	Honor Books Hidden Figures : The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly Illustrated by Laura Freeman Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson Illustrated by Frank Morrison Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop : The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
2018 Winner Out of Wonder : Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander Illustrated by Ekua Holmes PART I: GOT STYLE? How to write a poem / celebrating Naomi Shihab Nye (Kwame Alexander) -- In every season / celebrating Robert Frost (Marjorie Wentworth) -- I like your / celebrating e. e. cummings (Kwame Alexander) -- Contemporary haiku / celebrating Bash? (Chris Colderley) -- Snapshots / celebrating Nikki Giovanni (Chris Colderley) -- Jazz jive jam / celebrating Langston Hughes (Kwame Alexander) -- PART II: IN YOUR SHOES. Walter, age ten / celebrating Walter Dean Meyers (Kwame Alexander) -- A field of roses / celebrating Emily Dickinson (Chris Colderley) -- The blue alphabet / celebrating Terrance Hayes (Marjorie Wentworth) -- How Billy Collins writes a poem / celebrating Billy Collins (Marjorie Wentworth) -- The Music of the earth / celebrating Pablo Neruda (Marjorie Wentworth)-- Tambourine things / celebrating Judith Wright (Chris Colderley) -- (Loving) the world and everything in it / celebrating Mary Oliver (Marjorie Wentworth) -- PART III: THANK YOU. Hue and cry / celebrating Gwendolyn Brooks (Kwame Alexander) -- The poet inside me / celebrating Sandra Cisneros (Chris Colderley) - No idle days / celebrating William Carlos Williams (Chris Colderley) -- Song of Uhuru / celebrating Okot p'Bitek (Kwame Alexander) -- For our children's children / celebrating Chief Dan George (Chris Colderley) -- Spin a song / celebrating Rumi (Marjorie Wentworth) -- Majestic / celebrating Maya Angelou (Kwame Alexander) -- About poets being celebrated -- About the authors.	Honor Books Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome Illustrated by James Ransome Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes Illustrated by Gordon C. James
2017 Winner Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe This picture book biography of the 1980's cultural phenom introduces young readers to the powerful message that art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not inside the lines--to be beautiful.	Honor Books Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryant In Plain Sight by Richard Jackson Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
2016 Winner Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews Illustrated by Bryan Collier Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.	Honor Books Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena Illustrated by Christian Robinson The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
2015 Winner Firebird by Misty Copeland Illustrated by Christopher Myers American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland encourages a young ballet student, with brown skin like her own, by telling her that she, too, had to learn basic steps and how to be graceful when she was starting out, and that some day, with practice and dedication, the little girl will become a firebird, too. Includes author's note about dancers who led her to find her voice.	Honor Books Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricial Hruby Powell Illustrated by Christian Robinson Little Melba and her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown Illustrated by Frank Morrison
2014 Winner Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty Illustrated by Bryan Collier "A boy wakes up one morning to find his father gone. At first, he feels lost. But his father has left him a letter filled with advice to guide him through the times he cannot be there"-- Provided by publisher.	Honor Books Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2013 Winner I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes Illustrated by Bryan Collier Presents the popular poem by one of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance, highlighting the courage and dignity of the African American Pullman porters in the early twentieth century.	Honor Books Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons Illustrated by Daniel Minter H. O. R. S. E. by Christopher Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2012 Winner Underground : Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane W. Evans Illustrated by Shane W. Evans "A stellar introduction to the Underground Railroad, narrated by a group of slaves. Readers experience the fugitives' escape, their long nighttime journey punctuated by meetings with friends and enemies, and their final glorious arrival in a place of freedom."--Amazon.com.	Honor Books Heart and Soul : The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2011 Winner Dave the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill Illustrated by Bryan Collier The life of an astonishingly prolific and skilled potter who lived and died a slave in 19th-century South Carolina is related in simple, powerful sentences that outline the making of a pot.	Honor Books Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow by Gary Golio Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
2010 Winner My People by Langston Hughes Illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr. Hughes's spare yet eloquent tribute to his people has been cherished for generations. Now, acclaimed photographer Smith interprets this beloved poem in vivid sepia photographs that capture the glory, the beauty, and the soul of being a black American today.	Honor Books The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
2009 Winner The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas Illustrated by Floyd Cooper A collection of poems, including "Golden Goodness," "Cranberry Red," and "Biscuit Brown," celebrating individuality and Afro-American identity.	Honor Books Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by Sean Qualls The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Aston We Are the Ship : The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2008 Winner Let It Shine by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan Illustrated versions of three well-known hymns.	Honor Books Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo Dillon Illustrated by Leo Dillon The Secret Olivia Told Me by N. Joy Illustrated by Nancy Devard
2007 Winner Moses : When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by Kadir Nelson Describes Tubman's spiritual journey as she hears the voice of God guiding her north to freedom on that very first trip to escape the brutal practice of forced servitude. Tubman would make nineteen subsequent trips back south, never being caught, but none as profound as this first one.	Honor Books Jazz by Walter Dean Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers Poetry for Young People : Langston Hughes by David Roessel Illustrated by Benny Andrews
2006 Winner Rosa by Nikki Giovanni Illustrated by Bryan Collier The story of Rosa Parks and her courageous act of defiance. Provides the story of the young black woman who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in Alabama, setting in motion all the events of the Civil Rights Movements that resulted in the end of the segregated south, gave equality to blacks throughout the nation, and forever changed the country in which we all live today....	Honor Books Brothers in Hope : The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
2005 Winner Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange Illustrated by Kadir Nelson In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there. These men of vision, brought to life in the majestic paintings of artist Kadir Nelson, lived at a time when the color of their skin dictated where they could live, what schools they could attend, and even where they could sit on a bus or in a movie theater. Yet in the face of this tremendous adversity, these dedicated souls and others like them not only demonstrated the importance of Black culture in America, but also helped issue in a movement that "changed the world." Their lives and their works inspire us to this day, and serve as a guide to how we approach the challenges of tomorrow.	Honor Books God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney The People Could Fly : The Picture Book by Virgina Hamilton Illustrated by Leo Dillon
2004 Winner Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan In a story of the Ila people, the colorful birds of Africa ask Blackbird, whom they think is the most beautiful of birds, to decorate them with some of his "blackening brew."	Honor Books Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Illustrated by Colin Bootman Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2003 Winner Talkin' About Bessie : The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes Illustrated by E.B. Lewis Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African -American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination. Innovatively told through a series of monologues.	Honor Books Rap a Tap Tap : Here's Bojangles - Think of That by Leo Dillon Illustrated by Leo Dillon Visiting Langston by Willie Perdomo Illustrated by Bryan Collier
2002 Winner Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney In segregated 1950s Nashville, a young African American girl braves a series of indignities and obstacles to get to one of the few integrated places in town: the public library.	Honor Books Martin's Big Words : the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport Illustrated by Bryan Collier
2001 Winner Uptown by Bryan Collier Illustrated by Bryan Collier A tour of the sights of Harlem, including the Metro-North Train, brownstones, shopping on 125th Street, a barber shop, summer basketball, the Boy's Choir, and sunset over the Harlem River.	Honor Books Freedom River by Doreen Rappaport Illustrated by Bryan Collier Only Passing Through : The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
2000 Winner In the Time of the Drums by Kim L. Siegelson Illustrated by Brian Pinkney Mentu, an American-born slave boy, watches his beloved grandmother, Twi, lead the insurrection at Teakettle Creek of Ibo people arriving from Africa on a slave ship.	Honor Books Black Cat by Christopher Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tololwa M. Mollel Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
1999 Winner I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus Illustrated by Michele Wood Chronicles and captures poetically the history, mood, and movement of African American music.	Honor Books Duke Ellington : The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney Illustrated by Brian Pinkney I Have Heard of a Land by Joyce Carol Thomas Illustrated by Floyd Cooper The Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
1998 Winner In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall : African Americans Celebrating Fathers by Alan Schroeder Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. An innovative, stunningly illustrated picture book that celebrates the role of fathers in black families. Includes contributions from 12 poets. Illustrated in full colour throughout. Suitable for all ages. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Illustrator Award. 'This stunning homage to fathers offers a textured potpourri of voices and visuals' - Publishers Weekly 'This innovative, stunningly illustrated picture book' - School Library Journal	Honor Books Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan Harlem by Walter Dean Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers The Hunterman and the Crocodile by Baba Wague Diakite Illustrated by Baba Wague Diakite
1997 Winner Minty : A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Young Harriet Tubman, whose childhood name was Minty, dreams of escaping slavery on the Brodas plantation in the late 1820s.	Honor Books Neeny Coming, Neeny Going by Karen English Illustrated by Synthia Saint James Running the Road to ABC by Denize Lauture Illustrated by Reynold Ruffins The Palm of My Heart : Poetry by African American Children by Davida Adedjouma Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
1996 Winner The Middle Passage : White Ships / Black Cargo by Tom Feelings Illustrated by Tom Feelings The Middle Passage is the name given to one of the most tragic ordeals in history: the cruel and terrifying journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean. In this seminal work, master artist Tom Feelings tells the complete story of this horrific diaspora in sixty-four extraordinary narrative paintings. Achingly real, they draw us into the lives of the millions of African men, women, and children who were savagely torn from their beautiful homelands, crowded into disease-ridden "death ships", and transported under nightmarish conditions to the so-called New World. An introduction by noted historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke traces the roots of the Atlantic slave trade and gives a vivid summary of its four centuries of brutality. The Middle Passage reaches us on a visceral level. No one can experience it and remain unmoved. But while we absorb the horror of these images, we also can find some hope in them. They are a tribute to the survival of the human spirit, and the humanity won by the survivors of the Middle Passage belongs to us all.	Honor Books Her Stories by Virginia Hamilton Illustrated by Leo Dillon The Faithful Friend by Robert D. San Souci Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
1995 Winner The Creation by James Weldon Johnson Illustrated by James Ransome A poem based on the story of creation in the Bible.	Honor Books Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes Illustrated by Floyd Cooper The Singing Man by Angela Shelf Medearis Illustrated by Terea Shaffer
1994 Winner Soul Looks Back in Wonder by Tom Feelings Illustrated by Tom Feelings In this compelling collection of words and pictures, the voices of thirteen major poets, including Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Walter Dean Myers, rise in response to the dazzling vistas and emotionally vivid portraits of award-winning artist Tom Feelings. A unique and moving collaboration that celebrates the sustaining spirit of African creativity.	Honor Books Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea by Joyce Carol Thomas Illustrated by Floyd Cooper Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell Illustrated by James Ransome
1993 Winner The Origin of Life on Earth : An African Creation Myth by David A. Anderson Illustrated by Kathleen Atkins Wilson Retells the Yoruba creation myth in which the deity Obatala descends from the sky to create the world.	Honor Books Little Eight John by Jan Wahl Illustrated by Wil Clay Sukey and the Mermaid by Robert D. San Souci Illustrated by Brian Pinkney Working Cotton by Sherley Anne Williams Illustrated by Carole Byard
1992 Winner Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold Illustrated by Faith Ringgold A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. Based on the author's quilt painting of the same name.	Honor Books All Night, All Day : A Child's First Book of African American Spirituals by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan Night on Neighborhood Street by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
1991 Winner Aida by Leontyne Price Illustrated by Leo Dillon With depth and understanding, acclaimed diva Leontyne Price retells this famous opera about the beautiful princess of Ethiopia.
1990 Winner Nathaniel Talking by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist Beautifully composed in a variety of styles--rap, blues, and free verse--these 18 poems offers a black child's insights into his own heart and mind, and into the lives of family and friends. Nine-year-old Nathaniel reflects on what it's like to be curious, smart, and full of ideas.	Honor Books The Talking Eggs : A Folktale from the American South by Robert D. San Souci Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
1989 Winner Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia C. McKissack Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Mirandy is sure she'll win the cake walk if she can catch Brother Wind for her partner, but he eludes all the tricks her friends advise.	Honor Books Storm in the Night by Mary Stolz Illustrated by Pat Cummings Under the Sunday Tree by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Amos Ferguson
1988 Winner Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe Illustrated by John Steptoe Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife.	Honor Books The Invisible Hunters : A Legend from the Miskito Indians of Nicaragua by Harriet Rohmer Illustrated by Joe Sam What a Morning! The Christmas Story in Black Spirituals by John Langstaff Illustrated by Ashley Bryan
1987 Winner Half a Moon and One Whole Star by Crescent Dragonwagon Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney While a young girl sleeps, nighttime deepens all around her--in the woods and garden, on the ocean, in the city, and on the porch, where her parents sit.	Honor Books C.L.O.U.D.S. by Pat Cummings Illustrated by Pat Cummings Lion and the Ostrich Chicks and Other African Folk Tales by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan
1986 Winner The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Using scraps cut from the family's old clothing, Tanya helps her grandmother and mother make a beautiful quilt that tells the story of her family's life.	Honor Books The People Could Fly : American Black Folktales by Virgina Hamilton Illustrated by Leo Dillon
1984 Winner My Mama Needs Me by Mildred Pitts Walter Illustrated by Pat Cummings Jason wants to help, but isn't sure that his mother needs him at all after she brings home a new baby from the hospital.
1983 Winner Black Child by Peter Magubane Illustrated by Peter Magubane The sad, harsh realities of life in south Africa are sensitively revealed in photographs of children's faces.	Honor Books All the Colors of the Race by Arnold Adoff Illustrated by John Steptoe I'm Going to Sing : Black American Spirituals by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan Just Us Women by Jeanette Caines Illustrated by Pat Cummings
1982 Winner Mother Crocodile : An Uncle Amadou Tale from Senegal by Rosa Guy Illustrated by John Steptoe Because Mother Crocodile tells stories of the past, the little crocodiles choose to believe she is crazy until almost too late they learn otherwise.	Honor Books Daydreamers by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Tom Feelings
1981 Winner Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan Here are five Nigerian folktales, retold in language as rhythmic as the beat of the story-drum, and illustrated with vibrant, evocative woodcuts.	Honor Books Count on Your Fingers African Style by Claudia Zaslavsky Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Grandmama's Joy by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Carole Byard
1980 Winner Cornrows by Camille Yarborough Illustrated by Carole Byard When Mama and Great-Grammaw weave the striking cornrow patterns of Africa into their children's hair, their gentle voices also weave a tale full of pride and heritage
1979 Winner Something on My Mind by Nikki Grimes Illustrated by Tom Feelings Poems expressing the hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows of growing up.
1978 Winner Africa Dream by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Carole Byard An African-American child dreams of long-ago Africa, where she sees animals, shops in a marketplace, reads strange words from an old book, and returns to the village where her long-ago granddaddy welcomes her.
1974 Winner Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis Illustrated by George Ford As a young boy he fell in love with music, and as a man, the world fell in love with his music. Ray Charles and his soulful, passionate rhythms and melodies have been embraced around the world for decades. Now, in this beautiful new edition of an award-winning biography, readers can follow Charles from his boyhood, when he lost his sight and learned to read and write music in Braille, until the age of 40, when he had become a world-renowned jazz and blues musician packing auditoriums and stadiums.