Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is a literary award by the American Library Association (ALA) that annually recognizes the "author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year." The winner(s) receive a bronze medal at the ALA Annual Conference, presented by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) division of ALA.

The award is named for Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, who once said, "Children want the same things we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted." It was established in 2004 and inaugurated in 2006 for 2005 publications.

A few runners up are termed Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Books; their authors and illustrators receive certificates.

Criteria:

  • The book must encourage and support the beginning reader.
  • The book must be published in English in the United States during the preceding year.
  • There are no limitations as to the character of the book considered except that it will be original and function successfully as a book for beginning readers.
  • The author(s) or illustrator(s) must be citizens or residents of the United States.
  • The "author(s) and illustrator(s)" may include co-authors and co-illustrators. The author(s) and illustrator(s) may be awarded the medal posthumously.
  • The text must be directed at readers from pre-K through Grade 2.
  • The illustrations must function as keys or clues to the text.
  • Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are all eligible.
  • Reprints and compilations are not eligible.
  • Subject matter must be intriguing enough to motivate the child to read.
  • The book may or may not include short "chapters".
  • New words should be added slowly enough to make learning them a positive experience.
  • Words should be repeated to ensure knowledge retention.
  • Sentences must be simple and straightforward.
  • There must be a minimum of 24 pages.
  • Books may not be longer than 96 pages.
Year Author Illustrator Title Citation
2006 Cynthia Rylant Suçie Stevenson Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas Winner
2006 Tedd Arnold Tedd Arnold Hi! Fly Guy Honor
2006 Suzanne Bloom Suzanne Bloom A Splendid Friend, Indeed Honor
2006 Erica Silverman Betsy Lewin Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa Honor
2006 Jean Van Leeuwen Ann Schweninger Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day Honor
2007 Laura McGee Kvasnosky Laura McGee Kvasnosky Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways Winner
2007 Kate DiCamillo Chris Van Dusen Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride Honor
2007 Karen Beaumont Jane Dyer Move Over, Rover! Honor
2007 Antoinette Portis Antoinette Portis Not a Box Honor
2008 Mo Willems Mo Willems There is a Bird on Your Head! Winner
2008 Laura Vaccaro Seeger Laura Vaccaro Seeger First the Egg Honor
2008 Darrin Lunde Patricia J. Wynne Hello, Bumblebee Bat Honor
2008 Lisa Wheeler R. Gregory Christie Jazz Baby Honor
2008 April Pulley Sayre Steve Jenkins Vulture View Honor
2009 Mo Willems Mo Willems Are You Ready to Play Outside? Winner
2009 Judyann Ackerman Grant Sue Truesdell Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!' Honor
2009 Laura Vaccaro Seeger Laura Vaccaro Seeger One Boy Honor
2009 Eleanor Davis Eleanor Davis Stinky Honor
2009 Sarah C. Campbell Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator Honor
2010 Geoffrey Hayes Geoffrey Hayes Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! Winner
2010 Tedd Arnold Tedd Arnold I Spy Fly Guy! Honor
2010 Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Little Mouse Gets Ready Honor
2010 Wong Herbert Yee Wong Herbert Yee Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends Honor
2010 Kate McMullan R. W. Alley Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day Honor
2011 Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee Tony Fucile Bink and Gollie Winner
2011 Grace Lin Grace Lin Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! Honor
2011 Mo Willems Mo Willems We Are in a Book! Honor
2012 Josh Schneider Josh Schneider Tales for Very Picky Eaters Winner
2012 Mo Willems Mo Willems I Broke My Trunk Honor
2012 Jon Klassen Jon Klassen I Want My Hat Back Honor
2012 Paul Meisel Paul Meisel See Me Run Honor
2013 Ethan Long Ethan Long Up, Tall and High! Winner
2013 Mo Willems Mo Willems Let's Go for a Drive! Honor
2013 Eric Litwin James Dean Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons Honor
2013 Cece Bell Cece Bell Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover Honor
2014 Greg Pizzoli Greg Pizzoli The Watermelon Seed Winner
2014 Mary Sullivan Mary Sullivan Ball Honor
2014 Mo Willems Mo Willems A Big Guy Took My Ball! Honor
2014 Kevin Henkes Kevin Henkes Penny and Her Marble Honor
2015 Anna Kang Christopher Weyant You Are (Not) Small Winner
2015 Cynthia Rylant Arthur Howard Mr. Putter & Tabby Turn the Page Honor
2015 Mo Willems Mo Willems Waiting Is Not Easy! Honor
2016 David A. Adler Sam Ricks Don’t Throw It to Mo! Winner
2016 Jonathan Fenske Jonathan Fenske A Pig, a Fox, and a Box Honor
2016 Kevin Henkes Kevin Henkes Waiting Honor
2016 Stephen Savage Stephen Savage Supertruck Honor
2017 Laurie Keller Laurie Keller We Are Growing! Winner
2017 Greg Pizzoli Greg Pizzoli Good Night Owl Honor
2017 Mike Twohy Mike Twohy Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper Honor
2017 David Milgrim David Milgrim Go Otto Go! Honor
2017 Kara LaReau Matt Myers The Infamous Ratsos Honor
2018 Laurel Snyder Emily Hughes Charlie & Mouse Winner
2018 Paul Meisel Paul Meisel I See a Cat Honor
2018 Dori Hillestad Butler Nancy Meyers King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats Honor
2018 Salina Yoon Salina Yoon My Kite Is Stuck! And Other Stories Honor
2018 Tedd ArnoldMartha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss Tedd Arnold Noodleheads See the Future Honor
2018 Tina Kügler Tina Kügler Snail & Worm Again Honor
2019 Corey Tabor Corey Tabor Fox the Tiger Winner
2019 David Milgrim David Milgrim The Adventures of Otto: See Pip Flap Honor
2019 Dori Hillestad Butler Nancy Meyers King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth Honor
2019 Sergio Ruzzier Sergio Ruzzier Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories Honor
2019 Emily Tetri Emily Tetri Tiger vs. Nightmare Honor
2020 James Yang James Yang Stop! Bot! Winner
2020 Cece Bell Cece Bell Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! Honor
2020 J.E. Morris J.E. Morris Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! Honor
2020 Greg Pizzoli Greg Pizzoli The Book Hog Honor
2021 David LaRochelle Mike Wohnoutka See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog Winner
2021 Maya Tatsukawa Maya Tatsukawa The Bear in My Family Honor
2021 Starling Lyons Nina Mata Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom! Honor
2021 Ryan T. Higgins Ryan T. Higgins What About Worms!? Honor
2021 Anne Hunter Anne Hunter Where's Baby? Honor
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Parent Categories
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
17 Items found Print
Are You Ready to Play Outside?
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
2009 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.49
Big Guy Took My Ball
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Brand New Day with Mouse and Mole
Green Light Readers Level 3
by Wong Herbert Yee
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 1st-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.24
I Broke My Trunk!
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-1st grade
2012 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Let's Go for a Drive
Elephant & Piggy #18
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for 3rd-6th grade
2013 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.49
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!
Passport to Reading Level 3
by Grace Lin
Passport to Reading Level 3
for Preschool-1st grade
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.24 $2.40 (3 in stock)
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride
by Kate DiCamillo
from Candlewick Press
for 1st-4th grade
2007 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$5.60 (1 in stock)
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride
Mercy Watson #2
by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
from Candlewick Press
for 1st-4th grade
2007 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$5.94 $3.20 (1 in stock)
Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland
Green Light Readers Level 3
by Wong Herbert Yee
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 1st-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.24
Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends
Green Light Readers Level 3
by Wong Herbert Yee
Reprint from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 1st-3rd grade
2010 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.24 $2.40 (1 in stock)
Penny and Her Marble
I Can Read Level 1
by Kevin Henkes
from Greenwillow Books
for Preschool-1st grade
2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover
Rabbit & Robot
by Cece Bell
from Candlewick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
2013 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover
Rabbit & Robot
by Cece Bell
from Candlewick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
2013 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.09
See the Cat
by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
from Candlewick Press
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$7.64
There is a Bird on Your Head!
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Waiting
by Kevin Henkes
from Greenwillow Books
for 1st-2nd grade
2016 Caldecott Honor Book, 2016 Theodor Seuss Geuss Honor
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
You Are (Not) Small
by Anna Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant
from Two Lions
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$14.44