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)

Submit a nomination for the 2020 Mitten Award using the online form:

2020 Mitten Award Nomination Form

2019 Mitten Award

Saline District Library Mitten Display

The 2019 Mitten Award Work Group scrutinized more than 250 picture books to select this year's winning title and honor books. Collectively, work group members devoted nearly 500 hours to reading and evaluating picture books to select the titles that best meet the criteria as books of especially commendable quality that exhibit venturesome creativity and reflect and encourage children’s interest in a unique or innovative fashion.

2019 Work Group:

Co-Chair: Dawn Heerspink, Kent District Library- Byron Twp. Branch
Co-Chair: Kathy Merucci, Salem-South Lyon District Library
Kyra Dalrymple, Paw Paw District Library
Mary Daugherty, Salem-South Lyon District Library
Carrie Gawne, Jackson District Library
Michael Golczynski, Ionia Community Library
Ashley Lehman, Orion Township Library
Jocelyn Levin, Lyon Township Public Library
Peggy Parrish, Clinton Township Public Library
Mindy Schafer, DeWitt District Library
Angela Warsinske, Rochester Hills Public Library
Loni Wetherell, Cromaine District Library
Ashten Wilkey, Kent District Library - Wyoming Branch
Amy Young, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

2019 Mitten Award Top Ten Titles

The work group read throughout the year to narrow selections to the Top Ten Titles and determine the winning title and honor books. The Mitten Top Ten Titles were announced at Spring Institute 2019. The winning title and honor books will be announced at the 2019 MLA Annual Conference, October 16-18, 2019 in Novi.

2019 Top Ten Titles (In random order)

The Honeybee by Kristin Hall, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
The Rough Patch by Brian Lies
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates! by Ryan T. Higgins
I am a Cat by Galia Bernstein
Tiger vs. Nightmare by Emily Tetri
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
Lovely Beasts: The Surprising Truth by Kate Gardner, illustrated by Heidi Smith
Zola’s Elephant by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Ocean Meets Sky by The Fan Brothers (Eric and Terry Fan)