Blue Ribbons – Picture Books

Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned. See more kids literary prize winners.

Blue Ribbons are chosen annually by the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books staff and represent what they believe to be the best of the previous year’s literature for youth.

Winners in other Blue Ribbons categories

2023

• Melvina Whitmoore (More or Less a Horror Story); written and illus. by Faith Capalia
• Harlem at Four Michael Datcher
• Remember Joy Harjo
• The Voice in the Hollow; written and illus. by Will Hillenbrand
• Dear Stray Kirsten Hubbard
• Cape Kevin Johnson
• The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale; written and illus. by Jon Klassen
• Real to Me Minh Lê
• The Light Inside; written and illus. by Dan Misdea
• Hello, Mister Blue; written and illus. by Daria Peoples
• The Artivist; written and illus. by Nikkolas Smith
• Bunny & Tree; written and illus. by Balint Zsako

2022

• In the Neighborhood Rocio Bonilla
• Nana, Nenek & Nina Liza Ferneyhough
• Uncle John’s City Garden Bernette G. Ford, illus. by Frank Morrison
• The Sea in the Way Sophie Gilmore
• The Flamingo Guojing
• A Day for Sandcastles JonArno Lawson, illus. by Qin Leng
• A Spoonful of Frogs Casey Lyall, illus. by Vera Brosgol
• The Circles in the Sky Karl James Mountford
• The Worst Teddy Ever Marcelo Verdad
• The Talk Alicia D. Williams, illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
• The Year We Learned to Fly Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by Rafael López

2021

• Time for Bed, Old House Janet Costa Bates, illus. by AG Ford. 
• Milo Imagines the World Matt de la Peña; illus. by Christian Robinson. 
• The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess; written and illus. by Tom Gauld 
• Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes, He Did.); written and illus. by Ryan T. Higgins. 
• Room for Everyone Naaz Khan ; illus. by Mercè López. 
• The Rock from the Sky; written and illus. by Jon Klassen
• Over the Shop JonArno Lawson; illus. by Qin Leng. 
• Friends are Friends, Forever Dane Liu; illus. by Lynn Scurfield
• Chez Bob; written and illus. by Bob Shea
• Inside Cat; written and illus. by Brendan Wenzel. 

2020

• I Am Every Good Thing Derrick Barnes illus. by Gordon C. James
• The Three Brothers by Marie-Louise Gay
• The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story by Thao Lam
• Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away Meg Medina illus. by Sonia Sánchez
• Girl on a Motorcycle Amy Novesky illus. by Julie Morstad
• Up on Bob by Mary Sullivan
• A Mother-Daughter Story Nikki Tate, illus. by Katie Kath
• Ducks! Deborah Underwood illus. by T. L. McBeth
• Outside In Deborah Underwood, illus. by Cindy Derby
• Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood

2019

• How to Read a Book Kwame Alexander illus. by Melissa Sweet
• The King of Kindergarten; Derrick Barnes illus. by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
• Circle Mac Barnett illus. by Jon Klassen
• Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend Cori Doerrfeld
• Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert Stacy McAnulty illus. by Deborah Hocking
• My Papi Has a Motorcycle Isabel Quintero illus. by Zeke Peña
• ¡Vamos!: Let’s Go to the Market! Raúl The Third
• Five Minutes (That’s a lot of time) (No, it’s not) (Yes, it is) Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick; illus. by Olivier Tallec)
• Mr. Nogginbody Gets a Hammer David Shannon
• Small in the City Sydney Smith
• How to Two David Soman

2018

• The Patchwork Bike Maxine Beneba Clarke, illus. by Van Thanh Rudd
• The Eleventh Hour Jacques Goldstyn
• A Parade of Elephants Kevin Henkes
• Night Job Karen Hesse illus. by G. Brian Karas
• The Funeral Matt James
• Drawn Together Minh Lê, illus. by Dan Santat
• Julián Is a Mermaid Jessica Love
• Dreamers Yuyi Morales
• Do You Believe in Unicorns? Bethanie Deeney Murguia
• The Day You Begin Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by Rafael López

2017

• Jabari Jumps Gaia Cornwall
• The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors Drew Daywalt; illus. by Adam Rex
• Windows Julia Denos; illus. by E. B. Goodale
• Du Iz Tak? Carson Ellis
• Bumpety, Dunkety, Thumpety-Thump! K. L.Going; illus. by Simone Shin
• Little Fox in the Forest Stephanie Graegin
• Home in the Rain Bob Graham
• Now Antoinette Portis
• Town Is by the Sea Joanne Schwartz; illus. by Sydney Smith
• Fox and the Bike Ride Corey R. Tabor
• My Pictures after the Storm Éric Veillé, trans. by Daniel Hahn

2016

• Thunder Boy, Jr. Sherman Alexie; illus. by Yuyi Morales
• The Airport Book Lisa Brown
• Old Dog Baby Baby Julie Fogliano; illus. by Chris Raschka
• Nobody Likes a Goblin Ben Hatke
• Goodnight Everyone Chris Haughton
• I Hear A Pickle (and Smell, See, Tough, and Taste It, Too!) Rachel Isadora
• The Sound of Silence Katrina Goldsaito; illus by Julia Kuo
• Super Happy Magic Forest Matty Long
• Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn Kenard Pak
• Frank and Lucky Get Schooled Lynne Rae Perkins

2015

• Please, Mr. Panda Steve Antony
• The Skunk Mac Barnett; illustrated by Patrick McDonnell
• Out of the Woods: A True Story of an Unforgettable Event Rebecca Bond
• Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds Marianne Dubuc
• Take Away the A: An Alphabeast of a Book Michael Escoffier; illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo
• Ragweed’s Farm Dog Handbook Anne Vittur Kennedy
• Marilyn’s Monster Michelle Knudsen; illustrated by Matt Phelan
• Wait Antoinette Portis
• My Dog Is the Best Laurie Ann Thompson; illustrated by Paul Schmid

2014

• Naked written by Michael Ian Black; illustrated by Debbie Redpath
• Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
• Weasels by Elys Dolan
• The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc
• The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee
• Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
• Hunters of the Great Forest by Dennis Nolan
• Coming Home by Greg Ruth
• Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads written by Bob Shea; illustrated by Lane Smith
• Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan

2013

• Big Snow by Jonathan Bean
• One Gorilla: A counting book by Anthony Browne
• The Cart That Carried Martin by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Don Tate
• Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins; illlustrated by James Proimos
• Water in the Park by Emily Jenkins; illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
• Moo! by David LaRochelle; illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
• Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales
• Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett; illustrated by Matthew Myers
• The Dark by Lemony Snicket; illustrated by Jon Klassen

2012

• Z is for moose by Kelly Bingham; illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
• Kel Gilligan’s daredevil stunt show by Michael Buckley; illustrated by Dan Santat
• Ballywhinney girl by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
• Little dog lost by Monica Carnesi
• And then it’s spring written by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Erin E. Stead
• Little bee by Edward Gibbs
• This is not my hat by Jon Klassen
• Me want pet! written by Tammi Sauer; illustrated by Bob Shea

2011

• Mine! written by Shutta Crum; illustrated by Patrice Barton
• Prudence wants a pet written by Cathleen Daly; illustrated by Stephen Michael King
• A place to call home written by Alexis Deacon; illustrated by Viviane Schwarz
• Mitchell’s license written by Hallie Durand; illustrated by Tony Fucile
• Little white rabbit by Kevin W. Henkes
• Never forgotten written by Patricia McKissack; illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
• A house in the woods by Inga Moore
• Apple pie ABC by Alison Murray
• Stars written by Mary Lyn Ray; illustrated by Marla Frazee
• Owly & Wormy, friends all aflutter! by Andy Runton
• There are cats in this book by Viviane Schwarz
• Where’s Walrus? by Stephen Savage

2010

• Goldilocks and the three bears by Emma Chichester Clark
• Farm by Elisha Cooper
• A visitor for bear written by Bonny Becker; illustrated by Kady McDonald Denton
• Sleepy, oh so sleepy by Denise Fleming
• April Underhill, tooth fairy by Bob Graham
• The boys by Jeff Newman
• Bunny days by Tao Nyeu
• Mr Elephanter by Lark Pien
• Born yesterday: the diary of a young journalistJ written by James Solheim; illustrated by Simon James
• The cow loves cookies written by Karma Wilson; illustrated by Marcellus Hall
• Here comes the garbage barge written by Jonah Winter; illustrated by Red Nose Studio

2009

• The lion & the mouse written by Aesop; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
• Put it on the list! by Kristen Darbyshire
• Surprise soup written by Mary Ann Rodman; illustrated by G. Brian Karas
• Archie and the pirates by Marc Rosenthal
• The snowy day by Komako Sakai
• All the world written by Liz Garton Scanlon; illustrated by Marla Frazee
• The Yankee at the seder written by Elka Weber; illustrated by Adam Gustavson
• Naked mole rat gets dressed by Mo Willems
• The bog baby written by Jeanne Willis; illustrated by Gwen Millward
• Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude written by Jonah Winter; illustrated by Calef Brown

2008

• The pencil written by Allan Ahlberg; illustrated by Bruce Ingman
• The chicken of the family written by Mary Amato; illustrated by Delphine Durand
• A visitor for bear written by Bonny Becker; illustrated by Kady McDonald Denton
• Cool Daddy Rat written by Kristyn Crow; illustrated by Mike Lester
• A couple of boys have the best week ever by Marla Frazee
• Traction Man meets Turbodog by Mini Grey
• What’s up, Duck? A book of opposites by Tad Hills
• Choo Choo by Petr Horácek
• Monkey with a tool belt by Chris Monroe
• Christmas farm written by Mary Lyn Ray; illustrated by Barry Root
• There are cats in this book by Viviane Schwarz
• Dinosaur vs. bedtime by Bob Shea

2007

• Those shoes written by Maribeth Boelts; illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
• When dinosaurs came with everything written by Elise Broach; illustrated by David Small
• Orange pear apple bear by Emily Gravett
• Today and today written by Kobayashi Issa; illustrated by G. Brian Karas
• Pictures from our vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins
• Bad Bears go visiting written by Daniel Pinkwater; illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
• Billy Tartle in say cheese! by Michael Townsend
• Dog written by Matthew Van Fleet; photographs by Brian Stanton
• Scaredy Squirrel makes a friend by Mélanie Watt.

2006

• Keeper of soles written by Teresa Bateman; illustrated by Yayo
• Ugly fish written by Kara LaReau; illustrated by Scott Magoon
• Tickle the duck! by Ethan Long
• The true story of Stellina by Matteo Pericoli
• Bad Bear detectives by Daniel Pinkwater; illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
• Looking for a moose by Phyllis Root; illustrated by Randy Cecil
• Good boy, Fergus! by David Shannon
• Clip-clop by Nicola Smee
• John, Paul, George, and Ben by Lane Smith
• Boston Moses written by Carole Weatherford; illustrated by Kadir Nelson
• Dizzy written by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Sean Qualls

2005

• Whatever by William Bee
• A boy and his bunny written by Sean Bryant; illustrated by Tom Murphy
• Wiggle written by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Scott Menchin
• Traction Man is here! by Mini Grey
• That new animal written by Emily Jenkins; illustrated by Pierre Pratt
• Yuck! written by Mick Manning; illustrated by Brita Granstrom
• Lizzie Nonsense by Jan Ormerod
• Meet wild boars written by Meg Rosoff; illustrated by Sophie Blackall
• Tadpole’s promise written by Jeanne Willis; illustrated by Tony Ross
• Coming on home soon written by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by E. B. Lewis

2004

• The Daddy mountain by Jules Feiffer
• Sidewalk Circus written by Paul Fleischman; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
• The toughest cowboy, or how the Wild West was tamed written by John Frank; illustrated by Zachary Pullen
• Going North written by Janice N. Harrington; illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue
• Kitten’s first full moon by Kevin Henkes
• The Worm family written by Tony Johnston; illustrated by Stacy Innerst
• The mystery of Eatum Hall by John Kelly and Cathy Tincknell
• The cabbage soup solution by Erika Oller
• Bad Bears in the big city written by Daniel Pinkwater; illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
• Hachiko: the true story of a loyal dog written by Pamela Turner; illustrated by Yan Nascimbene
• Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

2003

• Ollie by Olivier Dunrea
• The cat who liked potato soup written by Terry Farish; illustrated by Barry Root
• Yesterday I had the blues written by Jeron Ashford Frame; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
• Go track a yak! written by Tony Johnston; illustrated by Tim Raglin
• The witch’s children written by Ursula Jones; illustrated by Russell Ayto
• While we were out by Ho Baek Lee
• The water gift and the pig of the pig written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin; illustrated by Linda S. Wingerter
• The journey of Oliver K. Woodman written by Darcy Pattison; illustrated by Joe Cepeda
• Snow music by Lynne Rae Perkins
• A day in the life of Murphy by Alice Provensen
• The dirty cowboy written by Amy Timberlake; illustrated by Adam Rex
• Mary Smith by Andrea U’Ren
• Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus! by Mo Willems

2002

• A bit more Bert written by Allan Ahlberg; illustrated by Raymond Briggs
• Slow Loris by Alexis Deacon
• Fireboat by Maira Kalman
• Atlantic by G. Brian Karas
• Benny and the Binky written by Barbro Lindgren; illustrated by Olof Landström
• I stink! written by Kate McMullan; illustrated by Jim McMullan
• Head, body, legs adapted by Won-Ldy Paye & Margaret H. Lippert; illustrated by Julie Paschkis
• John Coltrane’s giant steps by Chris Raschka
• World team by Tim Vyner

2001

• The adventures of Bert written by Allan Ahlberg; illustrated by Raymond Briggs
• Lookin’ for Bird in the big city written by Robert Burleigh; illustrated by Marek Los
• Dance! by Elisha Cooper
• The hickory chair written by Lisa Rowe Fraustino; illustrated by Benny Andrews
• “Let’s get a pup!” said Kate by Bob Graham
• Under New York written by Linda Oatman High; illustrated by Robert Rayevsky
• Five creatures written by Emily Jenkins; illustrated by Tomek Bogacki
• Astro bunnies written by Christine Loomis; illustrated by Ora Eitan
• The great canoe adapted by María Elena Maggi; illustrated by Gloria Calderón
• Car wash written by Sandra and Susan Steen; illustrated by G. Brian Karas
• Swollobog by Alastair Taylor
• Felix feels better by Rosemary Wells
• Clever Beatrice adapted by Margaret Willey; illustrated by Heather Solomon

2000

• The hunter adapted by Mary Casanova; illustrated by Ed Young
• Buttons by Brock Cole
• My colors/ Mis colores; My shapes/ Mis formas by Rebecca Emberley
• Olivia by Ian Falconer
• A pig is big by Douglas Florian
• Gershon’s monster written by Eric A. Kimmel; illustrated by Jon J Muth
• A is for salad by Mike Lester
• Big Jabe written by Jerdine Nolen; illustrated by Kadir Nelson
• Brave potatoes written by Toby Speed; illustrated by Barry Root
• Casey at the bat written by Ernest Thayer; illustrated by Christopher Bing
• Emily’s first 100 days of school by Rosemary Wells
• Henny-Penny by Jane Wattenberg