We have put together a list of beautifully illustrated books that have received awards and recognition. Scroll down to discover your next read from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
Letters from Bear
Written by Gauthier David
Illustrated by Marie Caudry
This adventurous story invites readers to consider just how far they’d go for their friends.
Awards & Recognition
- Booklist (starred)
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
What a Masterpiece
Illustrated by Riccardo Guasco
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5539-8
This picture book will inspire young artists to find wonder in their everyday lives. An art index after the story helps readers identify the cultural treasures behind the illustrations.
Awards & Recognition
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- School Library Connection (Highly Recommended)
Purchase What a Masterpiece! at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Eerdmans, Barnes & Nobles, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
I’ll Root for You
Written by Edward van de Vendel
Illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch
Translated by David Colmer
A collection of poems that’s sure to be a winner
- NCTE Notable Poetry Book
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- 2019–2020 Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee
Purchase I’ll Root for You at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Driftwood Days
Written by William Miniver
Illustrated by Charles Vess
Featuring breathtaking artwork by Charles Vess, Driftwood Days offers readers a beautiful, multilayered story about nature, science, childhood, and change.
Awards & Recognition
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- Publishers Weekly (starred)
- National Aquarium and Enoch Pratt Free Library Read to Reef List
Purchase Driftwood Days at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Vanishing Colors
A haunting, poignant story about refugees
Written by Constance Ørbeck-Nilssen
Illustrated by Akin Duzakin
Awards & Recognition
- USBBY Outstanding International Book
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- 2019–2020 Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee
Purchase Vanishing Colors at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Sweet Dreamers
A gorgeous bedtime book from an award-winning creator
Awards & Recognition
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- School Library Journal (starred)
- Shelf Awareness (starred)
- Publishers Weekly (starred)
- Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
- Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year 2020
- 2019-2020 Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee
Purchase Sweet Dreamers at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
The Second Sky
Written by Patrick Guest
Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley
An inspiring story about finding your true element
Awards & Recognition
- Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2019
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- ILA/CBC Children’s Choices 2020
- 2019 Parents’ Choice Book Awards—Recommended
- Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year 2020
- 2019–2020 Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee
Purchase The Second Sky at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Mexique: A Refugee Story from the Spanish Civil War
Written by María José Ferrada
Illustrated by Ana Penyas
This moving book invites readers onto the Mexique with the “children of Morelia,” many of whom never returned to Spain during Franco’s almost forty-year regime. Poignant and poetically told, Mexique opens important conversations about hope, resilience, and the lives of displaced people in the past and today.
Awards & Recognition
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- Junior Library Guild Selection
Purchase Mexique: A Refugee Story from the Spanish Civil War at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Birdie
A relatable novel-in-verse about loss… and what happens afterwards
Awards & Recognition
- Booklist (starred)
- 2020-2021 Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award Nominee
- 2021 Sequoyah Award Nominee
- 2021 Beehive Book Award Nominee
- 2019-2020 Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee
Purchase Birdie at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
A Story Like the Wind
A Story Like the Wind is a beautifully illustrated fable that shows how music and stories can bring people together. Readers of all ages will be entranced by this sweeping story that feels both new and timeless.
Written by Gill Lewis
Illustrated by Jo Weaver
Awards & Recognition
- 2019 USBBY Outstanding International Books
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- School Library Journal (starred)
- 2019 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
- 2019–2020 Alabama Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee
- New York Journal of Books Notable Children’s Books
Purchase A Story Like the Wind at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
The Little Barbarian
A wordless picture book that captures the imagination
Awards & Recognition
- Boston Globe Best Children’s Books of 2018
- The Horn Book (starred)
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
- Publishers Weekly (starred)
Purchase The Little Barbarian at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Paul Writes a Letter
Paul Writes (a Letter) celebrates how one of the most beloved biblical figures changed the world through the written word.
Awards & Recognition
- Booklist Top Ten Religion and Spirituality Books for Youth
- Booklist (starred)
- Publishers Weekly (starred)
Purchase Paul Writes a Letter at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
No Place Like Home
A hilarious story about finding your place in the world
Awards & Recognition
- ILA/CBC Children’s Choices 2020
- CBC/Every Child a Reader
- Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards Finalist 2020
Purchase No Place Like Home at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Hidden City: Poems of Urban Wildlife
Written by Sarah Grace Tuttle
Illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford
A poetic book highlighting everyday nature
Awards & Recognition
- Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators—Lee Bennett Hopkins Award
- NCTE Notable Poetry Book Society of Illustrators “The Original Art”Annual Exhibition 2018 Bank Street College Best
- Children’s Books of the Year 2019 List New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2018
2018 California Reading Association Eureka! Gold Award
Purchase Hidden City at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble or your local bookstore.
My Wild Cat
Written and Illustrated by Isabelle Simler
From beloved creator Isabelle Simler comes a sly, hilarious read sure to delight cat lovers of all ages.
Awards & Recognition
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Purchase My Wild Cat at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
As It Is in Heaven
This book is an opportunity to introduce—or rediscover—words that have been prayed by people around the world for centuries.
Awards & Recognition
- Junior Library Guild Selection
Purchase As It Is In Heaven at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
The Christmas Feast
Written by Nathalie Dargent
Illustrated by Magali Le Huche
Perfect for holiday story times, this festive book will provide plenty of laughs with its witty narration, amusing characters, and playful illustrations.
Awards & Recognition
- Booklist (starred)
- Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Purchase The Christmas Feast at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
Outside My Window
Written by Linda Ashman
Illustrated by Jamey Christoph
This beautiful book will spark readers’ curiosity and imagination with its celebration of global diversity.
Awards & Recognition
- 2019 Notable Social Studies Books for Young People
Purchase Outside My Window at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.
