MITTEN AWARD

The Mitten Award recognizes and promotes quality literature for youth in picture book format. First given in 1999 by the Children’s Services Division of the Michigan Library Association, the award is given annually to one children’s book originally published in the United States during the calendar year that has captured the attention of youth librarians throughout the State of Michigan for its ability to communicate through literature to an intended audience. The award selection work group is comprised of Michigan librarians who consider hundreds of children’s books annually to determine a winner.

Mitten Award Guidelines (pdf)

Mitten Award Seals

Download the Mitten Award seals to use at your library! Winner, Honor Book and Top Ten Title award seals are available for download here: (To download, right-click on the seal and save it as an image.)

2023 Mitten Award Winner

The winner of the 2023 Mitten Award is Sometimes I Grumblesquinch written by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Hyewon Yum, and published by Orchard Books.

MLA announced the winners and honor books of the 2023 Mitten, YouPer and Thumbs Up! Awards oat the MLA 2023 Youth Literary Awards. The awards selection group members worked throughout the year spending thousands of hours reading, reviewing and ranking hundreds of books to determine the top titles published in 2022. Watch the announcement below! 

2023 Mitten Award Winner

2023 Mitten Award Top Ten Titles

(Listed in random order) 

Lou
Author: Breanna Carzoo
Illustrator: Breanna Carzoo
Publisher: HarperCollins

Mariana and Her Familia
Author: Mónica Mancillas
Illustrator: Erika Meza
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Mina
Author: Matthew Forsythe
Illustrator: Matthew Forsythe
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Berry Song
Author: Michaela Goade
Illustrator: Michaela Goade
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Every Dog in the Neighborhood
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Big Truck, Little Island
Author: Chris Van Dusen
Illustrator: Chris Van Dusen
Publisher: Candlewick

Fire Chief Fran
Author: Linda Ashman
Illustrator: Nancy Carpenter
Publisher: Astra Young Readers

The Sun Is Late and So Is the Farmer
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Erin Stead
Publisher: Neal Porter Books

My Fade Is Fresh
Author: Shauntay Grant
Illustrator: Kitt Thomas
Publisher: Penguin Workshop

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch
Author: Rachel Vail
Illustrator: Hyewon Yum
Publisher: Orchard Books

The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Author: Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Publisher: Orchard Books

Past Mitten Award Winners and Honor Books

2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022

Mitten Award Winners and Honor Books (pdf)

Mitten Award Home