The Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The award is named for the world-renowned children’s author, Theodor Geisel. "A person’s a person no matter how small," Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, would say. "Children want the same things we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted.

(Theodor Seuss) Geisel Award winners and honor books

2021

Medal Winner

See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick Press)

Honor Books

The Bear in My Family, written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa (Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House)

Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!, written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata (HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)

What About Worms!?, written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)

Where’s Baby?, written and illustrated by Anne Hunter (Tundra Books of Northern New York, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, a Penguin Random House Company)

2006 - present

2020

Medal Winner

Stop! Bot!, written and illustrated by James Yang (Viking/Penguin)

Honor Books

Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! written and illustrated by Cece Bell (Candlewick)
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! written and illustrated by J.E. Morris (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
The Book Hog, written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli (Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group)

2019

Medal Winner

Fox the Tiger, written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins)

Honor Books

The Adventures of Otto: See Pip Flap, written and illustrated by David Milgrim (Simon Spotlight/Simon & Schuster)
Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories, written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier (Chronicle)
King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth, written by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Nancy Meyers (Peachtree)
Tiger vs. Nightmare, written and illustrated by Emily Tetri (First Second/Roaring Brook/Holtzbrinck)

2018

Medal Winner

Honor Books

I See a Cat by Paul Meisel (Holiday)
King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats, written by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Nancy Meyers (Peachtree)
My Kite Is Stuck! And Other Stories, written and illustrated by Salina Yoon (Bloomsbury)
Noodleheads See the Future, written by Tedd Arnold, Martha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss, illustrated by Tedd Arnold (Holiday)
Snail & Worm Again, by Tina Kügler (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

2017

Medal Winner

We Are Growing! written and illustrated by Laurie Keller (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)

Honor Books

Good Night Owl, written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli (Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group
Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper written and illustrated by Mike Twohy (Balzer + Bray, an imprintn of HarperCollins Publishers)
Go, Otto, Go! written and illustrated by David Milgrim (Simpon Spotlight, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Divsion) 
The Infamous Ratsos, written by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Matt Myers (Candlewick Press)

2016

Medal Winner

Honor Books

A Pig, a Fox, and a Box, written and illustrated by Jonathan Fenske, and published by Penguin Young Readers, an Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Supertruck, written and illustrated by Stephen Savage (A Neal Porter Book/Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership)
Waiting, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

2015

Medal Winner

You Are (Not) Small, written by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant (Two Lions, New York)

Honor Books

Mr. Putter & Tabby Turn the Page, written by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing)
Waiting Is Not Easy! written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)

2014

Medal Winner

Honor Books

Ball, written and illustrated by Mary Sullivan (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
A Big Guy Took My Ball! written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)
Penny and Her Marble, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins)

2013

Medal Winner

Up, Tall and High!, written and illustrated by Ethan Long (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Honor Books

Let’s Go for a Drive!, written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, created and illustrated by James Dean (HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)
Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover, written and illustrated by Cece Bell (Candlewick Press)

2012

Medal winner

Tales for Very Picky Eaters, written and illustrated by Josh Schneider (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company)

Honor books

I Broke My Trunk, written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)
I Want My Hat Back, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen (Candlewick Press)
See Me Run, written and illustrated by Paul Meisel (Holiday House)

2011

Medal winner

Bink and Gollie, written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile (Candlewick Press)

Honor books

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!, written and illustrated by Grace Lin (Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.)
We Are in a Book!, written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)

2010

Medal winner

Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!  by Geoffrey Hayes (Toon Books, a division of RAW Junior, LLC)

Honor books

I Spy Fly Guy! by Tedd Arnold, (Scholastic, Inc.)
Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith (Toon Books, a division of RAW Junior, LLC) 
Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends by Wong Herbert Yee (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) 
Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day, written by Kate McMullan, illustrated by R.W. Alley (Dial Books for Young Readers)

2009

Medal winner

Are You Ready to Play Outside?  by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children , an imprint of Disney Book Group)

Honor books

Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!’ by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell (HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)
One Boy , written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (A Neal Porter Book published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership)
Stinky, written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis (RAW Junior/TOON Books)
Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell, photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell (Boyds Mills Press)

2008

Medal winner

There Is a Bird on Your Head  by Mo Willems (Hyperion)

Honor books

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook/Neal Porter)
Hello, Bumblebee Bat , written by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne (Charlesbridge)
Jazz Baby , written by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Harcourt)
Vulture View , written by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Holt)

2007

Medal winner

Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways  by Laura McGee Kvasnosky (Candlewick)

Honor books

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride  written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick)
Move Over, Rover!  by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by Jane Dyer (Harcourt)
Not a Box  by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins)

2006

Medal winner

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Suçie Stevenson (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Honor books

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.)
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom (Boyds Mills Press)
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa written by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Harcourt, Inc.)
Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day written by Jean Van Leeuwen and illustrated by Ann Schweninger (Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group)

http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward/geiselawardpastwinners