Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Announces Winners of the 2026 Crystal Kite Awards

LOS ANGELES, CA, July 29, 2026 - The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) proudly announces the winners and honor recipients of the 2026 Crystal Kite Awards, recognizing outstanding books created by SCBWI members across fifteen international regions. 

Unique among literary honors, the Crystal Kite Awards are peer-voted, making them a meaningful accolade within the children’s book community.

Each winning title showcases exceptional storytelling, imaginative illustration, and creative excellence, representing the very best of children’s literature produced by SCBWI members worldwide.

Atlantic

Winner: Sparkles for Sunny: A Lunar New Year Story written by Sylvia Chen, illustrated by Thai My Phuong

(Flamingo Books)

Honor: Lighthouse Ladies: Shining a Spotlight on Hardy Heroines

Written by Kris Coronado, illustrated by Islenia Mil

(Clarion Books)

California & Hawaii

Winner: I AM NOT HAPPY! written by Caroline Perry, illustrated by Sydney Hanson

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Honor: Firefly Song: Lynn Frierson Faust and The Great Smoky Mountain Discovery

Written by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Ji-Hyuk Kim

(Margaret K. McElderry Books)

Midsouth

Winner: You Can Sit With Me written by Rachel Tawil Kenyon, illustrated by Tatiana Kasmshilina

(Feiwel & Friends)

Honor: Henry's Picture-Perfect Day

Written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song

(Chronicle Books)

Midwest

Winner: STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits written by Joyce P. Uglow, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova

(Bushel & Peck Books)

Honor: Maybe Just Ask Me! 

Written and illustrated by Katie Mazeika

(Beach Lane Books)

New England

Winner: Cat Nap written and illustrated by Brian Lies

(Greenwillow Books)

Honor: Woody’s Word’s: Woodrow Wilson Rawls and Where the Red Fern Grows

Written by Lisa Rogers, illustrated by Susan Reagan

(Calkins Creek)

New York

Winner: The Trouble with Heroes written by Kate Messner

(Bloomsbury Children's Books)

Honor: Dinos That Drive

Written by Suzy Levinson, illustrated by Dustin Harbin

(Tundra Books)

Southeast

Winner: The Blue Jays That Grew a Forest written by Lynn Street, illustrated by Anne Hunter

(Margaret Quinlin Books)

Honor: A Flea For Justice: Marian Wright Edelman Stands Up for Change

Written by Valerie Bolling, illustrated by TeMika Grooms

(Charlesbridge)

Southwest

Winner: The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang written and illustrated by Stan Yan

(Atheneum Books for Young Readers)

Honor: It Started With a P

Written by Brittany Pomales, illustrated by Andrew Joyner

(Flamingo Books)

Texas & Oklahoma

Winner: Racing the Clouds written by Sydney Dunlap

(Jolly Fish Press)

Honor: So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story

Written by Anne Wynter, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey

(Clarion Books)

West

Winner: I Am We: How Crows Come Together to Survive written by Leslie Barnard Booth, illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey

(Chronicle Books)

Honor: The Arguers

Written and illustrated by Corinna Luyken

(Rocky Pond Books)

Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania

Winner: Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West written by Jacinta Liu, illustrated by Freda Chiu

(Lothian Children's Books)

Honor: Emmie Builds Something New 

Written and illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall

(Red Comet Press)

Canada & North America

Winner: The Dog Who Saved the Bees by Stephanie Gibeault, illustrated by David Hohn

(Sleeping Bear Press)

Honor: Will and Krill

Written and illustrated by Stacey Byer

(Beaming Books)

Europe & Central, South and Latin America & Africa

Winner: Seven, A Most Remarkable Pigeon by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Aimee Sicuro

(Candlewick Press)

Honor: How to Reach the Moon

Written by Nicolás Schuff, illustrated by Ana Sender, translated by Lawrence Schimel

(Amazon Crossing Kids)

Middle East & Asia

Winner: Under Pressure: Freddie Mercury's Countdown to Fame written by Shyamala Shanmugasundaram, illustrated by Pankaj Saikia

(Niyogi Books)

Honor: Little Sheku and the Animal Orchestra

Written by Sheku Kanneh-Mason, illustrated by Rekha Salin

(Puffin Books)

Honor: The Beat of the Dragon Boat

Written by Christina Matula, illustrated by Nicole Wong

(Sleeping Bear Press)

United Kingdom and Ireland

Winner: Street Puppy, Masjid Cat written by Moniza Hossain, illustrated by Wastana Haikal

(little bee books)

Honor: Atlas of Mythical Journeys

Written by Emily Hawkins, illustrated by Iryna Dobrovetska

(Wide Eyed Editions)