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2025 CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARDS2025 Awards Announcements
The Children’s Book Award Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association’s Youth Services Section annually selects outstanding books for youth by Wisconsin-connected authors and awards the Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award, Outstanding Books of the Year, and Notable Wisconsin Authors/Illustrators.
Elizabeth Burr/Sheridan Worzalla AwardAwarded to the most distinguished work in children’s and young adult literature written and/or illustrated by a Wisconsin book creator. The Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award is made possible by the Sheridan Worzalla Publishing Company, Stevens Point, through a contribution to the WLA Foundation Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier.
In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person's greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a painful illness, and unpaid debt...gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning.
Every wish demands a price. Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong. Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign, Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time-hope. But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape...that of the dragonfruit itself. About the Author:Makiia Lucier is the author of Year of the Reaper, the Isle of Blood and Stone duology, and A Death-Struck Year. Her stories are inspired by history and mythology and have been called “brilliant” (Booklist), “moving,” (New York Times), “masterful” (Horn Book), and “breathtaking” (School Library Journal). They can be found on many notable lists, including the Kids’ Indie Next and the American Library Association’s ‘Best Fiction for Young Adults.’ Makiia grew up on the Pacific island of Guam, not too far from the equator, and holds degrees in journalism and library science. She lives with her family in Portland, Oregon. You can visit her at www.makiialucier.com. Notable Wisconsin Author/Illustrator - Aaron BoydAaron Boyd is an illustrator and creator of children's books working in traditional mediums such as watercolors, paper, crayon and ink. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Aaron has always sought to represent the diversity and beauty of our world in the pages of children's books because he believes it's important for all children to see themselves represented in books. Aaron has illustrated over 40 books working with several publishers such as Lee and Low, Little Brown, Houghton Mifflin and Scholastic including Luigi and the Barefoot Races, Babu’s Song, Daddy Goes to Work, and the Panda Goes to School series. His pop-up Storybook Year won a Clio Top 4 award and was inducted into the Smithsonian Rare Books collection. He has also received Children’s Africana Book, Choices Sports, Notable Children’s Book, and Hermes Creative awards, and his advertising graphics have received Addy Gold and Graphis awards. And while he is proud of awards won over the years, Aaron feels the greatest reward is getting to keep inspiring children through his art. In addition, ten noteworthy honor titles written and/or illustrated by Wisconsin book creators were selected for Outstanding Achievement Award in children’s literature:
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