Geisel Award

Geisel Award
Awarded for	"the most distinguished American book for beginning readers"
Country	United States
Presented by	Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association
First awarded	2006
Official website	ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward

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.

Source: Theodor Seuss Geisel Award terms and criteria

Recipients

Geisel Award winners and runners-up

Year	Author	Illustrator	Title	Citation
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
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
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
2010	Hayes,Geoffrey !Geoffrey Hayes	Hayes,Geoffrey !Geoffrey Hayes	Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!	Winner
2010	Arnold,Tedd ! Tedd Arnold	Arnold,Tedd ! Tedd Arnold	I Spy Fly Guy!	Honor
2010	Smith,Jeff ! Jeff Smith	Smith,Jeff ! Jeff Smith	Little Mouse Gets Ready	Honor
2010	Yee,Wong Herbert ! Wong Herbert Yee	Yee,Wong Herbert ! Wong Herbert Yee	Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends	Honor
2010	McMullan,Kate ! Kate McMullan	Alley,R. W. ! R. W. Alley	Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day	Honor
2009	Willems,Mo !Mo Willems	Willems,Mo !Mo Willems	Are You Ready to Play Outside	Winner
2009	Grant, Judyann Ackerman ! Judyann Ackerman Grant	Truesdell Sue ! Sue Truesdell	Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!’	Honor
2009	Seeger Laura Vaccaro ! Laura Vaccaro Seeger	Seeger Laura Vaccaro ! Laura Vaccaro Seeger	One Boy	Honor
2009	Davis Eleanor ! Eleanor Davis	Davis Eleanor ! Eleanor Davis	Stinky	Honor
2009	Campbell, Sarah C. ! Sarah C. Campbell	Campbell, Sarah C. ! Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell	Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator	Honor
2008	Willems,Mo !Mo Willems	Willems,Mo !Mo Willems	There is a Bird on Your Head	Winner
2008	Seeger, Laura Vaccaro ! Laura Vaccaro Seeger	Seeger, Laura Vaccaro ! Laura Vaccaro Seeger	First the Egg	Honor
2008	Lunde, Darrin ! Darrin Lunde	Wynne, Patricia J. ! Patricia J. Wynne	Hello, Bumblebee Bat	Honor
2008	Wheeler Lisa ! Lisa Wheeler	Christie, Gregory ! Gregory Christie	Jazz Baby	Honor
2008	Sayre, April Pulley ! April Pulley Sayre	Jenkins, Steve ! Steve Jenkins	Vulture View	Honor
2007	Kvasnosky, Laura McGee ! Laura McGee Kvasnosky	Kvasnosky, Laura McGee ! Laura McGee Kvasnosky	Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways	Winner
2007	DiCamillo, Kate ! Kate DiCamillo	Van Dusen, Chris ! Chris Van Dusen	Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride	Honor
2007	Beaumont Karen ! Karen Beaumont	Dyer, Jane ! Jane Dyer	Move Over, Rover!	Honor
2007	Portis, Antoinette ! Antoinette Portis	Portis, Antoinette ! Antoinette Portis	Not a Box	Honor
2006	Rylant, Cynthia ! Cynthia Rylant	Stevenson, Suçie ! Suçie Stevenson	Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas	Winner
2006	Arnold, Tedd ! Tedd Arnold	Arnold, Tedd ! Tedd Arnold	Hi! Fly Guy	Honor
2006	Bloom, Suzanne ! Suzanne Bloom	Bloom, Suzanne ! Suzanne Bloom	Splendid Friend, Indeed, A ! A Splendid Friend, Indeed	Honor
2006	Silverman, Erica ! Erica Silverman	Lewin, Betsy ! Betsy Lewin	Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa	Honor
2006	Van Leeuwen, Jean ! Jean Van Leeuwen	Schweninger, Ann ! Ann Schweninger	Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day	Honor

Multiple awards

• Mo Willems won the 2008 and 2009 awards. He was also honored in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
• Kate DiCamillo won the 2011 award (with co-author Alison McGhee and illustrator Tony Fucile). She was honored in 2007.
• Tedd Arnold was honored in 2006 and 2010.
• Laura Vaccaro Seeger was honored in 2008 and 2009.