Please only add picture books published in 2024 that meet the terms and criteria for the Caldecott Award: https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants...
Terms and Criteria include:
The "picture book for children" must .. "have a collective unity of story-line, theme or concept developed through the series of pictures"; have an intended audience of children up to and including age 14; have a publication date and/or was first available for purchase in the year 2024; be in English (translated works already published elsewhere in the author's language are ineligible); and be a self-contained work with original illustrations that are distinguished and demonstrate excellence of artistic technique and appropriateness of style and interpretation of the story or theme.
Note: the criterion that most often excludes a work on this list is the requirement that the illustrator(s), who receives the award, must reside in or have a residence in the US or US territories.
Caldecott Nominees and Winners:
Caldecott Medal Winners
Caldecott Honor Books
Caldecott Contenders aka Mock Caldecotts by year:
2009
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Picture Books by Decade:
2020s, 2010s, 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s and before
Picture Books by Year:
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
See also:
Best Popular Picture Books on Goodreads
Best Picture Books
Charlotte Zolotow Award Winners and Honors
Children's Picture Books With Beautiful illustrations
Caldecott Medal Winners
Caldecott Honor Books
Wordless Picture Books
Terms and Criteria include:
The "picture book for children" must .. "have a collective unity of story-line, theme or concept developed through the series of pictures"; have an intended audience of children up to and including age 14; have a publication date and/or was first available for purchase in the year 2024; be in English (translated works already published elsewhere in the author's language are ineligible); and be a self-contained work with original illustrations that are distinguished and demonstrate excellence of artistic technique and appropriateness of style and interpretation of the story or theme.
Note: the criterion that most often excludes a work on this list is the requirement that the illustrator(s), who receives the award, must reside in or have a residence in the US or US territories.
Caldecott Nominees and Winners:
Caldecott Medal Winners
Caldecott Honor Books
Caldecott Contenders aka Mock Caldecotts by year:
2009
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Picture Books by Decade:
2020s, 2010s, 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s and before
Picture Books by Year:
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
See also:
Best Popular Picture Books on Goodreads
Best Picture Books
Charlotte Zolotow Award Winners and Honors
Children's Picture Books With Beautiful illustrations
Caldecott Medal Winners
Caldecott Honor Books
Wordless Picture Books
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Hello, again!I'm sorry this took me so long, but I've finally gone through the list and made sure we had all of the Caldecott-eligible picture books that were recognized at the ALA Youth Media Awards a couple weeks ago.
The 2025 Caldecott Medal went to Chooch Helped:, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz. It was #70 on our list at the time of the awards and has risen to #49. At the time of the awards, I had been waiting to get my hands on it at my local library and only just read it, but it easily fit into my top 5 picture books for the year and is well worth the look.
The Caldecott Honors were awarded to:
Home in a Lunchbox, written and illustrated by Cherry Mo (#5 on our list)
My Daddy Is a Cowboy, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza (#26 on our list)
Noodles on a Bicycle:, illustrated by Gracey Zhang (This was a miss for us - I was also on hold for this book when awards were announced and had to add it to our list.)
Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu (#56 on our list). My library doesn't even have this book, so I've had to request that they get it!
Personally, I was a bit disappointed by the winners. Only 2 were in my top 20 - Home in a Lunchbox and My Daddy Is a Cowboy - though 2 of my top 3 did win an award elsewhere: Aloha Everything won the Asian Pacific picture book award and Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava won a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor while The Last Zookeeper won no awards although it was our group's top pick.
Overall, I think our list did a nice job of featuring readers' favorite picture books this year. I think you should be proud, and I appreciate the additions you made over the year. I even still have some of your suggestions that I need to read!
Looking ahead, I've already begun a Mock Caldecott list for books coming out in the current year of 2025, so I hope you will participate again! The link for it is here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Beth
Beth, I was disappointed with this years picks as well. I think it was mostly a miss, but I did like Home in a Lunchbox. I was disappointed with The Last Zookeeper.
I'm wondering, can you set up 2026 Mock Caldecott?
Thanks
Hi, Calista - My apologies for the late response. I've been so wrapped up in the 2026 award prospects that I hadn't returned to this list since the winter! In case you have not found the 2026 Mock Caldecott list since your message in March, you can click on the link in my previous comment. We'd love to have your input there.Beth
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Adam Fites reads, writes, and makes his home in Seattle. He works in the library of a public school in nearby Kent, where he was the 2023–2024...
Anyone can add books to this list.









I just noticed that someone added A Perfect Fit by Mara Rockliff. Unfortunately, this book is not eligible for the 2025 Caldecott Award because it came out in 2022. If you added it, all you have to do is remove your vote, and it will automatically be removed, usually within a day. As the creator of the list, I do not have the ability to remove it, only the the person who added it. Thanks!