Charlotte Zolotow Award

The Charlotte Zolotow Award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year. Established in 1998, the award is named to honor the work of Charlotte Zolotow, a distinguished children's book editor for 38 years with Harper Junior Books, and author of more than 70 picture books, including such classic works as Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present (Harper, 1962) and William's Doll (Harper, 1972).

The award is administered by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, a children's literature library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The winner is announced in January each year.

Award Winners at the GSCC or Main Library

2016 - Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle; Rafael López (Illustrator)
Call Number: 786.9 Engle
Follows a girl in the 1920s as she strives to become a drummer, despite being continually reminded that only boys play the drums, and that there has never been a female drummer in Cuba. Includes note about Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, who inspired the story, and Anacaona, the all-girl dance band she formed with her sisters.
2014 - The Dark by Lemony Snicket; Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Snicket
2013 - Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson; E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Woodson
2012 - Me... Jane by Patrick McDonnell
Call Number: GSCC JFIC MCDONNELL
2006 - My Best Friend by Earl Lewis (Illustrator); Mary Ann Rodman; E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.R633M9 2005
2005 - Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Henkes Kitten's/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.H446K57 2004
2004 - What James Likes Best by Amy Schwartz (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.S39W53 2003
2003 - Farfallina and Marcel by Holly Keller (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC Ee.2 ZB Grade1 2012 Snow Theme4 Keller/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.K42F37 2002
2002 - Clever Beatrice by Margaret Willey; Heather M. Solomon (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ81.W544C54 2001
2000 - When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Bang When/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.B25W54 1999
1999 - Snow by Uri Shulevitz (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Shulevitz Snow/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.S48S66 1998

Award Honors at the GSCC or Main Library

2020 - Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard; Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator)
Call Number: NA JFIC Maillard Fry
2017 - Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie; Yuyi Morales (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC NA JFIC Alexie Thunder
2017 - Giant Squid by Candace Fleming; Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)
Call Number: 594 Fleming
"A nonfiction picture book exploring the mysterious life of the elusive giant squid"--
The giant squid is one of the most elusive creatures in the world. As large as whales, they hide beyond reach deep within the sea, forcing scientists to piece together their story from those clues they leave behind. An injured whale's ring-shaped scars indicate an encounter with a giant squid. A piece of beak broken off in the whale's belly; a flash of ink dispersed as a blinding defense to allow the squid to escape-- these fragments of proof were all we had ... until a giant squid was finally filmed in its natural habitat only two years ago. In this beautiful and clever nonfiction picture book about the giant squid, Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann explore, both visually and poetically, this hidden creature's mysterious life. -- Publisher description.
2013 - Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue; Pamela Zagarenski (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Logue
2011 - A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead; Erin E. Stead (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Stead Sick
2011 - City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems; Jon J. Muth (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Willems City
2009 - How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Shulevitz How
2008 - Pictures from Our Vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins (Illustrator); Lynne R. Perkins
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.P4255P53 2007
2006 - Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Muth Zen/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.M876Z4 2005
2005 - Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Willems/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.W535K58 2004
2005 - Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson; Earl Lewis (Illustrator); E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Call Number: GSCC JFIC Woodson/MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.W664C6 2004
2004 - Two Old Potatoes and Me by John Coy; Carolyn Fisher (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.C6925T96 2003
2004 - Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye; Margaret H. Lippert; Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ81.P388M77 2003
2004 - Tippy-Toe Chick, Go! by George Shannon; Laura Dronzek (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.S4586T57 2003
2002 - Five Creatures by Emily Jenkins; Tomek Bogacki (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.J45F58 2001
2000 - Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! by Cari Best; Giselle Potter (Illustrator); Dorling Kindersley Publishing Staff
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.B38T44 1999
2000 - Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.F45B4 1999
1999 - John Willy and Freddy Mcgee by Holly Meade
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.M387J64 1998
1999 - Pete's a Pizza by William Steig (Illustrator)
Call Number: MAIN LIBRARY PZ7.S78P48 1998