Guide

What is the Coretta Scott King Book Award?

5 min read

The Coretta Scott King Book Award is given by the American Library Association to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of children's and young adult literature. Here's the criteria, the categories, and why these books anchor diverse reading lists.

The Coretta Scott King Book Award has been given every year since 1969 by the American Library Association to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of children’s literature. Named for the civil rights activist Coretta Scott King, the award’s explicit purpose is to honor work that both demonstrates artistic excellence and engages African American cultural experience.

What the award covers

Two main awards are given annually:

  • CSK Author Award — for an African American author of an outstanding book for children or young adults
  • CSK Illustrator Award — for an African American illustrator of an outstanding picture book or illustrated book

Honor books are also named in each category — typically up to three runners-up per year. A subsidiary award, the John Steptoe New Talent Award, recognizes a Black author or illustrator whose published work is among the first two by the artist.

How the committee works

A committee of ALA-EMIERT librarians spends roughly a year reading every eligible book — books by African American authors and illustrators published the preceding year. The committee votes by secret ballot at the ALA Midwinter Meeting and the winners are announced the following morning at the Youth Media Awards alongside the Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and other children’s literature awards.

Why CSK books appear on so many reading lists

Several practical reasons make CSK winners a fixture of K-12 ELA reading lists:

  • Pre-vetted for literary quality by expert librarians
  • Cover the full K-12 age range (picture books through young adult)
  • Align with state ELA standards that reference diverse-text exemplars
  • Provide pedagogically rich material for Black History Month and civil rights units
  • Many are also Newbery or Caldecott winners — double-vetted

Books like Bud, Not Buddy (Christopher Paul Curtis), The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963, Brown Girl Dreaming (Jacqueline Woodson), The Crossover (Kwame Alexander), New Kid (Jerry Craft), and Long Way Down (Jason Reynolds) all carry CSK recognition and appear regularly on 4-12 grade reading lists.

Common misconceptions

CSK isn’t just for Black History Month. CSK winners cover every genre — fantasy, sci-fi, memoir, poetry, picture book, contemporary realism. The frame is the creator’s identity + artistic excellence, not subject matter alone.

CSK and the Newbery aren’t in competition. A book can win both. Brown Girl Dreaming took the CSK Author Award AND a Newbery Honor in 2015. The Crossover won the Newbery Medal AND a CSK Honor in 2015. Different committees, different criteria, same morning of awards.

For other ALA youth literature awards, see our companion guides on the Caldecott Medal (picture books) and the Newbery Medal (writing). To browse CSK winners by grade, see our grade index.

Common questions

What does the Coretta Scott King Award recognize?
Outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. Two main awards are given annually: one to an author, one to an illustrator. Honor books are named in each category.
Who chooses the Coretta Scott King winners?
A committee of librarians appointed by the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) of the American Library Association. The committee reads every eligible book published in the prior year and votes at the ALA Midwinter Meeting, alongside the Newbery and Caldecott awards.
How is the Coretta Scott King Award different from the Newbery?
The Newbery considers all eligible American children's books regardless of author background; the Coretta Scott King specifically recognizes African American authors and illustrators. The two awards are given the same morning at the ALA Youth Media Awards, and books can win both — Brown Girl Dreaming, for example, won both the CSK Author Award and a Newbery Honor in 2015.
Are Coretta Scott King books used in school reading lists?
Yes, widely. CSK winners and honor books appear regularly on K-12 ELA reading lists, especially during Black History Month and in districts pursuing diverse-book policies. Many state ELA standards reference the CSK list as a source for diverse-text exemplars.
What is the John Steptoe New Talent Award?
A subsidiary of the Coretta Scott King Awards, given to a Black author or illustrator whose published work is among the first two by the artist. Named for the late John Steptoe and given annually since 1995. It is one of the most-watched early-career recognitions in children's publishing.

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