AGHE Awards - Book Award for Best Children's Literature on Aging

Book Award for Best Children's Literature on Aging

Purpose of the Award

The purpose of the AGHE Book Award for Best Children’s Literature on Aging is to recognize positive portrayals of older adults in children’s literature; the award is given every other year.

Submission Period

Spring 2024

Eligibility Criteria

There are two categories:(a) Primary Reader (pre K—2) and (b) Elementary Reader (3—5 grade).  There is one “Honoree” and one “Honorable Mention” in each category. Books must address aging concepts. 

Books being nominated need to have been published within the last two years. 

Nomination Process

The Conveners of the Intergenerational Learning, Research, and Community Engagement (ILRCE) interest group shall determine the award recipients.

The ILRCE Interest Group will identify eligible books from the American Library Association (published in January) and the Illinois University School of Library Science Center for Children’s Books (published in February). Nominations are welcome from all society membership. 

Review Process

Publishers of the nominated books will be notified and requested to send a copy of the book for each member of the review panel. Each member of the review panel will read each book and rate it on a scale of 1-5 scale (with 1 = Poor and 5 = Outstanding) on these five criteria:

a. Portrayal of meaningful aging
b. Portrayal of positive intergenerational relations
c. Diversity e.g, gender, race, ethnicity, disability
d. Appeal
e. Realism of story line

The Honoree and Honorable Mention awards will be given respectively to the books with the highest and second highest ratings in each category. 

Notification

Following the selection of the recipients, the ILRCE Interest Group shall send announcement letters to both the American Library Association and the Illinois University School of Library Science Center for Children’s Books. Announcement letters will be sent to the publisher of the Honoree and Honorable Mention books and the Committee will work with the publishers to inform the authors and to affix the AGHE Book Award seal to the books.

Past Recipients

2022
RECIPIENT: On the Trapline by David A. Robertson
HONORABLE MENTION: Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, Lost by Betina Birkjaer

2021 Not Awarded

2020
OLDER READERS: Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
YOUNGER READERS: A Gift from Abuela by Cecelia Ruiz

2019 Not Awarded

2018
PRIMARY READER: It’s Just Aging by Eliah Takushi, Carly Tan, and Colby Takeda
ELEMENTARY READER: Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar

2017 Not Awarded

2016 
PRIMARY READER: Papa Chagall, Tell Us a Story by Laurence Anholt
ELEMENTARY READER: The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye
HONORABLE MENTION: Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo

2015 Not Awarded

2014
PRIMARY READER: Shoebox Sam by Mary Brigid Barrett
ELEMENTARY READER: Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women's Suffrage by Claire Rudolph Murphy

2013-2012 Not Awarded

2011
PRIMARY READER: Sometimes It's Grandmas and Grandpas: Not Mommies and Daddies by Gayle Byrne

2010
PRIMARY READER: Niwechihaw/I Help by Caitlin Dale Nicholson
ELEMENTARY READER: Ain't Nobody A Stranger to Me by Ann Grifalconi and Jerry Pickney

2009
PRIMARY READER: Rock, Brock and the Savings Shock by Sheila Bair
ELEMENTARY READER: The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper