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The California Young Reader Medal (CYRM) program encourages recreational reading of popular literature among the young people of our state. Since its inception in 1974, millions of California children have nominated, read, and voted for the winners of the California Young Reader Medal.
CYRM is supported by the California Reading Association, the California Association of Teachers of English, California Library Association, and the California School Library Association.
Young people recommend the titles of their favorite books for nomination, or teachers and librarians note repeatedly read or requested titles, and these are submitted to the California Young Reader Medal Committee. Members of the committee read the suggested books, discuss their merits and appeal to children, and then decide upon a well-balanced list of nominees.
To be considered for nomination, a book must be an original work of fiction published within the last four years by a living author. Recommendations for nomination are due each year by June 1 for consideration as a nominee the following year. It is a two-year cycle from the time of nomination by students to the presentation of the California Young Reader medal to the winning authors and illustrators.
Important Dates
April 1: Deadline to submit votes via online Google Doc or paper ballot, annually.
October-June: Join our CYRM celebrations at one of the four sponsoring conferences here.
NOMINEES & WINNERS - COMPLETE LIST | Download PDF
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winners 2024
Authors
Kimberly Jones
Gilly Segal
Publisher
Sourcebooks Fire
Author
Megan E. Freeman
Publisher
Aladdin Books
Author
Dusti Bowling
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Author
Kim Tomsick
Illustrators
Hadley Hooper
Publisher
Chronicle Books
Author
Bob Shea
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
winners 2023
Author
Elizabeth Acevedo
Publisher
Harper Collins
Author
Ben Guterson
Publisher
Macmillan
Author
Jennifer L. Holm
Publisher
Random House Children’s Books
Author
Caron Levis
Illustrator
Charles Santoso
Publisher
Abrams Books for Young Readers
Author & Illustrator
Ryan T. Higgins
Publisher
Disney
winners 2022
Writer
Susan Wood
Illustrator
Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Publisher
Sleeping Bear Press
Writer
Ruta Sepetys
Publisher
Penguin
Writer
Kristine Levine
Publisher
GP Putnam’s Sons
Writer
Dan Gemeinhart
Publisher
Henry Holt & Co
Writer
Minh Lê
Illustrator
Dan Santat
Publisher
Hachette
Winners 2021
Writer
Patricia McCormick
Illustrator
Iacopo Bruno
Publisher
Balzer and Bray
Writer
Wendy Mills
Publisher
Bloomsbury
Writer
Donna Gephart
Publisher
Delacorte Press
Writer
Gordon Korman
Publisher
Scholastic
Writer
Tony Fucile
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Winners 2020
Writer
Neal Shusterman
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
Writer
Alan Gratz
Publisher
Scholastic
Writer
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Publisher
Penguin Random House
Writer
Dave Eggers
Illustrator
Shawn Harris
Publisher
Chronicle Books
Written by Drew Daywalt
Illustrated by Adam Rex
Published by Harper Collins, 2018
Winners 2019
Written by David Litchfield
Published by Frances Lincoln, 2016
Writer
Laurie Ann Thompson
Illustrator
Sean Qualls
Publisher
Schwartz & Wade
Writer
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Publisher
Puffin Books
Writer
Pam Munoz Ryan
Publisher
Scholastic Press
Writer
Aisha Saeed
Publisher
Speak
Winners 2018
Written by B.J. Novak
Published by Penguin Random House, 2014
Written by Marissa Moss
Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2016
Written by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Published by HarperCollins, 2016
Written by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Published by Scholastic, 2016
Written by Ruta Sepetys
Published by Penguin Random House, 2016
Winners 2017
Written by Mac Barnett
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Published by Candlewick Press, 2014
Written by Chris Grabenstein
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers, 2013
Written by Shannon Messenger
Published by Aladdin Books, 2012
Written by Victoria Aveyard
Published by HarperCollins, 2015
Written by Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012
WINNERS 2016
Written by Drew Daywalt
Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Published by Philomel, 2013
Written by Sarah Lean
Published by Katherine Tegen Books, 2012
Written by Elizabeth Partridge
Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's, 2011
Written by Marissa Meyer
Published by Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, 2012
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Matt Tavares
Published by Disney-Hyperion, 2012
Nominees 2017-2018
Written by Kelly Dipucchio
Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2014
Written by Helen Docherty
Illustrated by Thomas Docherty
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2013
Written by Jen Bryant
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2014
Written by Marissa Moss
Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2016
Written by Barb Rosenstock
Illustrated by Mary GrandPre
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2014
WINNERS 2015
Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Published by Scholastic Press, 2013
Written by R.J. Palacio
Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2012
Written by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Published by Scholastic, 2012
Written by John Green
Published by Dutton Books, 2012
Written by Audrey Vernick
Illustrated by Steven Salerno
Published by Clarion, 2012
Written by Gary D. Schmidt
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt