Acclaimed Children's Literature as Global Resources

Abstract

Acclaimed children's books in the United States (U.S.) may be utilized as resources to instruct global issues. As children’s literature reflects social context and values, acclaimed books may provide curricular materials for those within the U.S. and to international audiences. Stakeholders, including librarians, teachers, national industry experts, and parents, are among those who review and award prizes to children’s literature. This work has resulted in booklists teachers, families, and librarians use to guide their book purchasing and sharing practices. We investigate the histories, composition, and criteria for 22 award and acclaimed U.S. children’s book lists containing 4,244 titles. Fewer than 100 titles appear consistently across multiple stakeholder lists. International audiences will become more aware of the types of U.S. awards for children’s literature that exist and reflect on the award and acclaimed book lists published in their countries and how they might be used by teachers, parents, and other stakeholders.