2021 Northern Lights Book Awards Winners!
Winner of the Picture Book of the Year
Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies!
Authors: Megan Lacera and Jorge Lacera
Illustrator: Jorge Lacera
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Winner of the Middle School Book of the Year
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna
Author: Alda P. Dobbs
Publisher: SourceBooks
Winner of the Time-Honored Category
Aurora: A Tale of the Northern Lights
Author/Illustrator: Mindy Dwyer
Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books
Winner of the Board Book Category
Windy Days
Author: Deborah Kerbel
Illustrator: Miki Sato
Publisher: Pajama Press
Winner of the Board Book Category
I am a Polar Bear
Author/Illustrator: Paul Covello
Publisher: HarperCollins
Winner of the Concept Category
Two Dogs on a Trike
Author: Gabi Snyder
Illustrator: Robin Rosenthal
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Winner of the Mindfulness Category
Listen
Author: Gabi Snyder
Illustrator: Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Winner of the Mindfulness Category
Peace
Authors: Baptiste Paul & Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Esteli Meza
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Winner of the Picture Book – Preschool Category
My City Speaks
Author: Darren Lebeuf
Illustrator: Ashley Barron
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Picture Book – Preschool Category
A Kite for Melia
Authors: Samuel Narh and Freda Narh
Illustrator: Valeria Suria
Publisher: Chasing A Spider Publishing
Winner of the Picture Book 4-8 Category
The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn’t
Author: Artie Bennett
Illustrator: Dave Szalay
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Winner of the Picture Book 4-8 Category
Poem in My Pocket
Author: Chris Tougas
Illustrator: Josee Bisaillon
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Picture Book – All Ages Category
Arnold the Super-ish Hero
Author: Heather Tekavec
Illustrator: Guillaume Perreault
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Picture Book – All Ages Category
Ling Li’s Lantern
Author: Steve Heron
Illustrator: Benjamin Johnston
Publisher: Midnight Sun Publishing
Winner of the Author/Illustrator Category
Hector Fox and the Giant Quest
Author/Illustrator: Astrid Sheckels
Publisher: Islandport Press
Winner of the Author/Illustrator Category
Share Some Kindness Bring Some Light
Author/Illustrator: Apryl Stott
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Winner of the Best Illustrator Category
The Old Mainer and the Sea
Author: Jean Flahive
Illustrator: Mari Dieumegard
Publisher: Islandport Press
Winner of the Best Illustrator Category
Every Color of Light: A Book about the Sky
Author: Hiroshi Osada
Illustrator: Ryoji Arai
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Winner of the Picture Book Non-Fiction Category
Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery
Author: Meeg Pincus
Illustrator: Yas Imamura
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Winner of the Picture Book Non-Fiction Category
Walking for Water: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality
Author: Susan Hughes
Illustrator: Nicole Miles
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Historical Category
Miep and the Most Famous Diary: The Woman Who Rescued Anne Frank’s Diary
Author: Meeg Pincus
Illustrator: Jordi Solano
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Winner of the Historical Category
Books by Horseback: A Librarian’s Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children
Author: Emma Carlson Berne
Illustrator: Ilaria Urbinati
Publisher: little bee books
Winner of the Biography Category
Little Giants: 10 Hispanic Women Who Made History
Author: Raynelda A. Calderon
Illustrator: Donna Wiscombe
Publisher: Cayena Press, Inc.
Winner of the Biography Category
Her Epic Adventure: 25 Daring Women Who Inspire a Life Less Ordinary
Author: Julia De Laurentiis Johnston
Illustrator: Salini Perera
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the STEAM Category
I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast
Author: Michael Holland
Illustrator: Phillip Giordano
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Winner of the Poetry Category
Basho’s Haiku Journeys
Author: Freeman Ng
Illustrator: Cassandra Rockwood Ghanem
Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
Winner of the Poetry Category
A Poem is a Firefly
Author: Charles Ghigna
Illustrator: Michelle Hazelwood Hyde
Publisher: Schiffer Kids
Winner of the Art Category
Before I Grew Up
Author: John Miller
Illustrator: Giuliano Cucco
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Winner of the Graphic Novel Category
Stealing Home
Author: J. Torres
Illustrator: David Namisato
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Sports Category
On the Line
Author: Kari-Lynn Winters
Illustrator: Scot Ritchie
Publisher: Pajama Press
Winner of the Sports Category
The Golden Goal
Author: Matthew Cade
Illustrator: Patrick Gray
Publisher: HarperCollins
Winner of the Family Category
Ten Beautiful Things
Author: Molly Griffin
Illustrator: Maribel Lechuga
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Winner of the Family Category
Off to See the Sea
Author: Nikki Grimes
Illustrator: Elizabeth Zunon
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Winner of the Multicultural Category
Star of Anise
Author: Jane Jolly
Illustrator: Di Wu
Publisher: National Library of Australia
Winner of the Multicultural Category
Chirri & Chirra on the Town
Author/Illustrator: Kaya Doi
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Winner of the Activity Book Category
100 Ways to Make the World a Better Place: An Activity Book to Inspire Change
Authors: Karen Ng & Kirsten Liepmann
Illustrator: Mona Karaivanova
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Holiday/Notable Days Category
‘Twas the Morning of Easter
Author: Glenys Nellist
Illustrator: Elena Selivanova
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Winner of the Holiday/Notable Days Category
When Pumpkins Fly
Author: Margaret Lawrence
Illustrators: Amiel Sandland and Margaret Lawrence
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Winner of the Environment Category
Lobstah Gahden: Speak Out Against Pollution with a Wicked Awesome Boston Accent!
Authors: Alli Brydon and EG Keller
Illustrator: EG Keller
Publisher: Sourcebooks Explore
Winner of the Nature Category
Outside, You Notice
Author: Erin Alladin
Illustrator: Andrea Blinick
Publisher: Pajama Press
Winner of the Nature Category
What Can You Do with a Rock?
Author: Pat Zietlow Miller
Illustrator: Katie Kath
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Winner of the Animals Category
The Crow and the Peacock
Author/Illustrator: Jo Fernihough
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Winner of the Humor Category
Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle
Author: Cathy Ballou Mealey
Illustrator: Kelly Collier
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Humor Category
I Am a Thief!
Author: Abigail Rayner
Illustrator: Molly Ruttan
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Winner of the Food Category
I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon
Author: Baptiste Paul & Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Elizabeth Zunon
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Winner of the Food Category
Chowder Rules! The True Story of an Epic Food Fight
Author: Anna Crowley Redding
Illustrator: Vita Lane
Publisher: Islandport Press
Winner of the Religious/Spiritual Category
I Wonder: Exploring God’s Grand Story
Author: Glenys Nellist
Illustrator: Alessandra Fusi
Publisher: Zonderkids
Winner of the Religious/Spiritual Category
Love Is
Illustrator: Paola Escobar
Publisher: Zonderkids
Winner of the Educational Category
When Elephants listen with their feet: Discover Extraordinary Animal Senses
Author: Emmanuelle Grundmann
Illustrator: Clemence Dupont
Publisher: Pajama Press
Winner of the Educational Category
A Children’s Guide to Arctic Butterflies
Author: Mia Pelletier
Illustrator: Danny Christopher
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Winner of the Emotional Health Category
A Smile
Author: Raoul Follereau
Illustrator: Hoda Hadadi
Publisher: Pajama Press
Winner of the Emotional Health Category
It Will Be OK: A story of empathy, kindness, and friendship
Author: Lisa Katzenberger
Illustrator: Jaclyn Sinquett
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Winner of the Early Reader/Chapter Book
Dot’s Pot
Author: Amani Uduman
Illustrator: Romulo Reyes III
Publisher: Library for All
Winner of the Early Reader/Chapter Book
Snozzie, Sunny, and So-So
Author: Dafna Ben-Zvi
Illustrator: Ofra Amit
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Winner of the Best Book Series Category
Jesse Steam Mysteries
The Clue in the Painted Pattern: Solving Mysteries Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math
Author/Illustrator: Ken Bowser
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Winner of the Best Book Series Category
The Secret in the Jelly Bean Jar: Solving Mysteries Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math
Author/Illustrator: Ken Bowser
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Winner of the Best Book Series Category
The Conundrum of the Crooked Crayon: Solving Mysteries Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math
Author/Illustrator: Ken Bowser
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Winner of the Best Book Series Category
The Case of the Clicking Clock: Solving Mysteries Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math
Author/Illustrator: Ken Bowser
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Winner of the Best Book Series Category
The Riddle of the Spinning Sycamore Seed: Solving Mysteries Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math
Author/Illustrator: Ken Bowser
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Winner of the Middle-Grade Fantasy Category
The Gilded Girl
Author: Alyssa Colman
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Winner of the Middle-Grade Fiction Category
Bloom
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Publisher: HarperCollins
Winner of the Middle-Grade Fiction Category
Leo: Inventor Extraordinaire
Author: Luke Cunningham
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Winner of the Middle-Grade Non-Fiction Category
Orca Rescue! The True Story of an Orphaned Orca named Springer
Author: Donna Sandstrom
Illustrator: Sarah Burwash
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Winner of the Middle-Grade Historical Fiction Category
The Summer We Found the Baby
Author: Amy Hest
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Winner of the Mystery Category
Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery
Author: Raj Haldar
Illustrator: Neha Rawat
Publisher: Sourcebooks
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