Lifetime Achievement Awards: the Children's Literature Award and Margaret A. Edwards Award

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Children's Literature Legacy Award

This is now awarded annually to: "an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children." (Previously it was given every two years.) Given for the author's or illustrator's body of work, this may be the most truly prestigious of the ALA and ALSC awards, though not the best known. (Formerly the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal--read about the name change here.)

When the name has a link, it goes to lists of books on Amazon by that recipient.

2021: Mildred D. Taylor.

2020: Kevin Henkes.

2019: Walter Dean Myers.

2018: Jacqueline Woodson.

2017: Nikki Grimes.

2016: Jerry Pinkney, who also received the Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

2015: Donald Crews.

2013: Katherine Paterson.

2011: Tomie dePaola.

2009: Ashley Bryan.

2007: James Marshall.

2005: Laurence Yep.

2003: Eric Carle.

2001: Milton Meltzer.

More information about the Children's Literature Legacy Award: this link leads to the official site for the Award, which includes a complete list of past winners.

The Margaret A. Edwards Award

This award honors an author's "lifetime contribution" in writing for young adults.

2021: Kekla Magoon.

2020: Steve Sheinkin.

2019: M. T. Anderson.

2018: Angela Johnson.

2017: Sarah Dessen.

2016: David Levithan.

2015: Sharon M. Draper.

2014: Markus Zusak.

2013: Tamora Pierce.

2012: Susan Cooper, author of the "Dark Is Rising" sequence.

2011: Sir Terry Pratchett.

2010: Jim Murphy.

2009: Laurie Halse Anderson.

2008: Orson Scott Card.

2007: Lois Lowry.

2006: Jacqueline Woodson.

2005: Francesca Lia Block.

2004: Ursula K. LeGuin.
More information about the Margaret A. Edwards Award: this link leads to the official site for the Award, which includes a complete list of past winners.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Awarded by the Coretta Scott King Award committee, this award recognizes "the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton." The award was first given in 2010.

2021: Dorothy L. Guthrie, an award-winning retired librarian, district administrator, author, and school board member.

2020: Mildred D. Taylor, Newbery Medal and CSK-Author-Award-winning author.

2019: Dr. Paulette Brown Bracy, professor of library science and director of university accreditation at NCCU.

2018: Eloise Greenfield, the award-winning author.

2017: Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

2016: Jerry Pinkney, the Caldecott- and Coretta-Scott-King-winning illustrator.

2015: Deborah D. Taylor, coordinator of School and Student Services, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore.

2014: Patricia and Frederick McKissack, authors.

2013: Demetria Tucker is a longtime library media specialist and youth services coordinator in Virginia.

2012: Ashley Bryan, illustrator.

2011: Dr. Henrietta Mays Smith is a noted children's librarian; see the press release for more information.

2010: Walter Dean Myers, author.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award

This is an international lifetime achievement award given every two years to an author and illustrator "whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature."

Learn about the award and past winners at the IBBY web site.

Children's Book Awards Index page

Newbery Medal | Caldecott Medal | Coretta Scott King Award | Young Adult Awards
NBA Young People's Award | Sibert Informational Book Award | Pura Belpré Award | Scott O'Dell Award

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