TheGold Shelf

Award-winning books for babies and toddlers

150 prize-winning or shortlisted books for babies and toddlers. Pick a topic to narrow it down.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals65Funny books28Family25Friendship8Nature and science24Poetry and rhyme38Feelings and big moments8Bedtime32

150 books, the first 120 shown

Cover of Every Monday MabelHonor2026Every Monday MabelJashar Awan2026 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Chooch HelpedWinner2025Chooch HelpedRebecca Lee Kunz2025 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of In Every LifeHonor2024In Every LifeMarla Frazee2024 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Mel FellHonor2022Mel FellCorey R. Tabor2022 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Me & MamaHonor2021Me & MamaCozbi A. Cabrera2021 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Bear Came AlongHonor2020Bear Came AlongLeUyen Pham2020 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A Big Mooncake for Little StarHonor2019A Big Mooncake for Little StarGrace Lin2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of WaitingHonor2016WaitingKevin Henkes2016 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Go to Sleep, Jessie!Winner2015Go to Sleep, Jessie!Libby Gleeson2015 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Flora and the FlamingoHonor2014Flora and the FlamingoMolly Idle2014 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The SwapWinner2014The SwapJan Ormerod2014 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of GreenHonor2013GreenLaura Vaccaro Seeger2013 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Sleep Like a TigerHonor2013Sleep Like a TigerMary Logue2013 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A Ball for DaisyWinner2012A Ball for DaisyChristopher Raschka2012 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Runaway HugWinner2012The Runaway HugNick Bland2012 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Bear & Chook by the SeaWinner2010Bear & Chook by the SeaLisa Shanahan2010 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of First the EggHonor2008First the EggLaura Vaccaro Seeger2008 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Jazz BabyHonor2008Jazz BabyLisa Wheeler2008 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Annie's ChairWinner2006Annie's ChairDeborah Niland2006 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Kitten's First Full MoonWinner2005Kitten's First Full MoonKevin Henkes2005 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary TaleHonor2005Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary TaleMo Willems2005 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Where Is the Green Sheep?Winner2005Where Is the Green Sheep?Mem Fox2005 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Ella Sarah Gets DressedHonor2004Ella Sarah Gets DressedMargaret Chodos-Irvine2004 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Grandpa and ThomasWinner2004Grandpa and ThomasPamela Allen2004 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Hondo & FabianHonor2003Hondo & FabianPeter McCarty2003 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of My Friend RabbitWinner2003My Friend RabbitEric Rohmann2003 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Let's Get a Pup!Winner2002Let's Get a Pup!Bob Graham2002 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of You'll Wake the Baby!Winner2001You'll Wake the Baby!Catherine Jinks2001 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of SnowHonor1999SnowUri Shulevitz1999 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A Child's Treasury of Nursery RhymesWinner1998A Child's Treasury of Nursery RhymesKady MacDonald Denton1998 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a FlyHonor1998There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a FlySimms Taback1998 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Hush!: A Thai LullabyHonor1997Hush!: A Thai LullabyHolly Meade1997 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The PartyWinner1997The PartyBarbara Reid1997 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of The Baby Who Wouldn't Go To BedWinner1996The Baby Who Wouldn't Go To BedHelen Cooper1996 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of In the Small, Small PondHonor1994In the Small, Small PondDenise Fleming1994 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of OwenHonor1994OwenKevin Henkes1994 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Sleep Tight, Mrs. MingWinner1993Sleep Tight, Mrs. MingSharon Jennings1993 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of More More More," Said the Baby: Three Love StoriesHonor1991More More More," Said the Baby: Three Love StoriesVera B. Williams1991 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Color ZooHonor1990Color ZooLois Ehlert1990 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Can't You Sleep Little Bear?Winner1988Can't You Sleep Little Bear?Martin Waddell1988 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of AlphabaticsHonor1987AlphabaticsSuse MacDonald1987 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Have You Seen My Duckling?Honor1985Have You Seen My Duckling?Nancy Tafuri1985 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Ten, Nine, EightHonor1984Ten, Nine, EightMolly Bang1984 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of On Market StreetHonor1982On Market StreetAnita Lobel1982 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of SunshineWinner1982SunshineJan Ormerod1982 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of TruckHonor1981TruckDonald Crews1981 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Freight TrainHonor1979Freight TrainDonald Crews1979 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Each Peach Pear PlumWinner1978Each Peach Pear PlumAllan Ahlberg1978 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Noah's ArkWinner1978Noah's ArkPeter Spier1978 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of DoggerWinner1977DoggerShirley Hughes1977 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of The Wind BlewWinner1974The Wind BlewPat Hutchins1974 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Mr Gumpy's OutingWinner1970Mr Gumpy's OutingJohn Burningham1970 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Just MeHonor1966Just MeMarie Hall Ets1966 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Mother Goose TreasuryWinner1966Mother Goose Treasurytraditional1966 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Mother Goose and Nursery RhymesHonor1964Mother Goose and Nursery RhymesPhilip Reed1964 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Snowy DayWinner1963The Snowy DayEzra Jack Keats1963 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Day We Saw the Sun Come UpHonor1962The Day We Saw the Sun Come UpAdrienne Adams1962 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of 1 Is OneHonor19571 Is OneTasha Tudor1957 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A Tree Is NiceWinner1957A Tree Is NiceJanice May Udry1957 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Play With MeHonor1956Play With MeMarie Hall Ets1956 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Book of Nursery and Mother Goose RhymesHonor1955Book of Nursery and Mother Goose RhymesMarguerite de Angeli1955 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Green EyesHonor1954Green EyesAbe Birnbaum1954 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of When Will the World Be Mine?Honor1954When Will the World Be Mine?Miriam Schlein1954 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Ape in a Cape: An Alphabet of Odd AnimalsHonor1953Ape in a Cape: An Alphabet of Odd AnimalsFritz Eichenberg1953 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Five Little MonkeysHonor1953Five Little MonkeysJuliet Kepes1953 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Happy DayHonor1950The Happy DayRuth Krauss1950 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Sing Mother GooseHonor1946Sing Mother GooseOpal Wheeler1946 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Rooster CrowsWinner1946The Rooster CrowsMaud and Miska Petersham1946 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of In the ForestHonor1945In the ForestMarie Hall Ets1945 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Mother GooseHonor1945Mother GooseTasha Tudor1945 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Prayer for a ChildWinner1945Prayer for a ChildElizabeth Orton Jones1945 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of A Child's Good Night BookHonor1944A Child's Good Night BookMargaret Wise Brown1944 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The ABC BunnyHonor1934The ABC BunnyWanda Gág1934 Newbery Medal Honor BookThe Emperor's EggRae TanWinner2026The Emperor's EggRae Tan2026 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerThe Wobbly BikeDarren McCallumWinner2025The Wobbly BikeDarren McCallum2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerThis Land Is a LullabyTonya SimpsonWinner2025This Land Is a LullabyTonya Simpson2025 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerGymnastica Fantastica!Briony StewartWinner2024Gymnastica Fantastica!Briony Stewart2024 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerWhere the Lyrebird LivesVicki ConleyWinner2023Where the Lyrebird LivesVicki Conley2023 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerJetty JumpingAndrea RoweWinner2022Jetty JumpingAndrea Rowe2022 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerNo! Never!Libby Hathorn and Lisa Hathorn-JarmanWinner2021No! Never!Libby Hathorn and Lisa Hathorn-Jarman2021 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerMy Friend FredFrances WattsWinner2020My Friend FredFrances Watts2020 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerTricky's Bad DayAlison LesterWinner2019Tricky's Bad DayAlison Lester2019 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerGo Home, Cheeky Animals!Johanna BellWinner2017Go Home, Cheeky Animals!Johanna Bell2017 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerAll the WorldMarla FrazeeHonor2010All the WorldMarla Frazee2010 Caldecott Medal Honor BookThe House in the NightBeth KrommesWinner2009The House in the NightBeth Krommes2009 Caldecott Medal winnerThe Owl and the PussycatEdward LearWinner2008The Owl and the PussycatEdward Lear2008 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerAmy and LouisLibby GleesonWinner2007Amy and LouisLibby Gleeson2007 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerA Year on Our FarmPenny MatthewsWinner2003A Year on Our FarmPenny Matthews2003 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerABCBrian WildsmithWinner1962ABCBrian Wildsmith1962 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerAll Falling DownMargaret Bloy GrahamHonor1952All Falling DownMargaret Bloy Graham1952 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Arlo The Lion Who Couldn't SleepShortlist2021Arlo The Lion Who Couldn't SleepCatherine Rayner2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of You're Snug with MeShortlist2020You're Snug with MeChitra Soundar2020 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of You're Safe With MeShortlist2019You're Safe With MeChitra Soundar2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of A Great Big CuddleShortlist2017A Great Big CuddleMichael Rosen2017 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Captain Jack and the PiratesShortlist2016Captain Jack and the PiratesPeter Bently2016 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of There's a Bear on My ChairShortlist2016There's a Bear on My ChairRoss Collins2016 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Smelly LouieShortlist2015Smelly LouieCatherine Rayner2015 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Once Upon a MemoryFinalist2014Once Upon a MemoryNina Laden2014 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Again!Shortlist2013Again!Emily Gravett2013 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of How ToFinalist2013How ToJulie Morstad2013 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of King Jack and the DragonShortlist2013King Jack and the DragonPeter Bently2013 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Oh No, George!Shortlist2013Oh No, George!Chris Haughton2013 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Puffin PeterShortlist2012Puffin PeterPetr Horáček2012 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Solomon CrocodileShortlist2012Solomon CrocodileCatherine Rayner2012 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Big Bear, Little BrotherShortlist2011Big Bear, Little BrotherCarl Norac2011 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of ErnestShortlist2011ErnestCatherine Rayner2011 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Red WagonFinalist2011Red WagonRenata Liwska2011 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The Quiet BookFinalist2010The Quiet BookDeborah Underwood2010 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of There Are Cats in This BookShortlist2010There Are Cats in This BookViviane Schwarz2010 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Banana!Shortlist2008Banana!Ed Vere2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Monkey and MeShortlist2008Monkey and MeEmily Gravett2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of PenguinShortlist2008PenguinPolly Dunbar2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Yellow Moon, Apple MoonFinalist2008Yellow Moon, Apple MoonPamela Porter2008 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Orange Pear Apple BearShortlist2007Orange Pear Apple BearEmily Gravett2007 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Lost and FoundShortlist2005Lost and FoundOliver Jeffers2005 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Russell the SheepShortlist2005Russell the SheepRob Scotton2005 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of One More SheepShortlist2004One More SheepMij Kelly2004 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Stella, Princess of the SkyFinalist2004Stella, Princess of the SkyMarie-Louise Gay2004 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of PantsShortlist2002PantsGiles Andrae2002 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Stella, Fairy of the ForestFinalist2002Stella, Fairy of the ForestMarie-Louise Gay2002 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalist

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