Award-winning Illustrations

The Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2017

​This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award — and the first year of the Times’ partnership with the New York Public Library on the honor. We’re unveiling a new name: The New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award. The Times and NYPL share a mission: to recognize the best in children’s literature and bring great books to young readers.
As always, the winners were selected by a panel of three judges, who based their decision purely on artistic merit. The 2017 judges are Steven Guarnaccia, an associate professor of illustration at Parsons The New School for Design and the author and illustrator of numerous books; Marjorie Priceman, the author and illustrator of many children’s books and the winner of two Caldecott Honors and two New York Times Best Illustrated Books Awards; and Louise Lareau, the head librarian of the New York Public Library Children’s Center.   New York Times November 2, 2017

What a superb selection!  Take a look at some of the art from this year's award-winning picture books. Because the award is based on artistic merit, I have arranged the titles by the last name of the illustrator. 

On a Magical Do-Nothing Day 
Written and illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos
Written by Monica Brown Illustrated by John Parra

King of the Sky
Written by Nicola Davies Illustrated by Laura Carlin

Feather
Rémi Courgeon

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality
Written by Jonah Winter Illustrated by Stacy Innerst

A River
​Marc Martin

The Way Home in the Night
Akiko Miyakoshi

Plume
Isabelle Simler

Town Is By the Sea
Joanne Schwartz Illustrated by Sydney Smith

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters
Michael Mahin Illustrated by Evan Turk