Golden Duck Award facts for kids

The Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction were annual prizes given to amazing science fiction books for young readers. These awards were presented every year from 1992 to 2017. They were usually given out at big science fiction events like Worldcon or the North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC).

After 2017, the awards changed. In 2018, they became "Notable Book Lists." These lists still highlight great science fiction books for kids. The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) now sponsors these lists.

The Golden Duck Awards were supported by Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, Inc. This group also sponsors a science fiction convention called DucKon in the U.S. Midwest. A special group of people chose the winners. This group included teachers, librarians, parents, technology workers, and book reviewers.

Award Categories

The Golden Duck Awards had different categories for books. Each category was for a specific age group or type of book.

Picture Book Award

This award was for picture books. These books often had science content mixed with a story. They could also be traditional science fiction themes.

• 1992 – Time Train by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Claire Ewart
• 1993 – June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner
• 1994 – Richie's Rocket by Joan Anderson, photographed by George Ancona
• 1995 – Time Flies by Eric Rohmann
• 1996 – Insects from Outer Space by Vladimir Vagin and Frank Asch
• 1997 – Grandpa Takes Me to the Moon by Timothy Gaffney, illustrated by Barry Root
• 1998 – Floating Home by David Getz, illustrated by Michael Rex
• 1999 – Noah and the Space Ark by Laura Cecil, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
• 2000 – Hush, Little Alien by Daniel Kirk
• 2001 – Rex by Robert Gould and Kathleen Duey, illustrated by Eugene Epstein
• 2002 – Baloney (Henry P.) by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
• 2003 – Incredible Cross-Sections of Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones by Curtis Saxton and Richard Chasemore
• 2004 – Hazel Nutt, Mad Scientist by David Elliot, illustrated by True Kelley
• 2005 – Science Verse by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
• 2006 – Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery by Kevin O'Malley, illustrated by Patrick O'Brien
• 2007 – Night of the Homework Zombies by Scott Nickel, illustrated by Steve Harpster
• 2008 – Mars Needs Moms by Berkeley Breathed
• 2009 – We're Off to Look for Aliens by Colin McNaughton
• 2010 – Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky
• 2011 – Oh No! (Or, How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat
• 2012 – Earth to Clunk by Pam Smallcomb, illustrated by Joe Berger
• 2013 – Oh No! Not Again!: (Or How I Built a Time Machine to Save History) (Or At Least My History Grade) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat
• 2014 – Vader's Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown
• 2015 – Max Goes to the Space Station by Jeffrey Bennett, illustrated by Michael Carroll
• 2016 - Interstellar Cinderella, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Meg Hunt.
• 2017 - Blip! written and illustrated by Barnaby Richards

Eleanor Cameron Award (Middle Grades)

This award was for chapter books and novels for middle schoolers. The main characters in these books often used science to solve problems. Sometimes, books with a bit of fantasy but a strong science fiction idea also won.

• 1992 – My Teacher Glows in the Dark by Bruce Coville
• 1993 – Weirdos of the Universe Unite! by Pamela Service
• 1994 – Worf's First Adventure by Peter David
• 1995 – Shape Changer by Bill Brittain
• 1996 – Star Hatchling by Margaret Bechard
• 1997 – Kipton and the Tower of Time by Charles L. Fontenay
• 1998 – The Andalite Chronicles by Katherine Applegate
• 1999 – Young Jedi Knights series by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
• 2000 – I Was a Sixth Grade Alien by Bruce Coville
• 2001 – The Power of Un by Nancy Etchemendy
• 2002 – Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars by Quentin Dodd
• 2003 – Andrew Lost series: Andrew Lost on the Dog; Andrew Lost in the Bathroom; Andrew Lost in the Kitchen by J. C. Greenburg
• 2004 – Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• 2005 – The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
• 2006 – (tie)
  • Whales on Stilts by M. T. Anderson
  • The Fran That Time Forgot by Jim Benton
• 2007 – Apers by Mark Jansen with Barbara Day Zinicola
• 2008 – (tie)
  • Shanghaied to the Moon by Michael J. Daley
  • Gravity Buster: Journal #2 of a Cardboard Genius by Frank Asch
• 2009 – Lighter than Air by Henry Melton
• 2010 – Z Rex by Steve Cole
• 2011 – Alien Encounter by Pamela Service and Mike Gorman
• 2012 – Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! by Hena Kahn and David Borgenicht
• 2013 – Alien on a Rampage from the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series by Clete Barrett Smith
• 2014 – Two books from the Galaxy Zack series: Hello, Nebulon! and Journey to Juno by Ray O'Ryan and Colin Jack
• 2015 – Ambassador by William Alexander
• 2016 - Fuzzy Mud, by Louis Sacher

Hal Clement Award (Young Adult)

This award was for young adult (YA) books. It is named after Hal Clement, who was a high school science teacher. The books in this category had correct science ideas. They also featured characters who solved problems on their own.

• 1992 – Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes
• 1993 – River Rats by Caroline Stevermer
• 1994 – The Giver by Lois Lowry
• 1995 – The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
• 1996 – (tie)
  • The Winds of Mars by H. M. Hoover
  • The Night Room by E. M. Goldman
• 1997 – Wildside by Steven Gould
• 1998 – Shade's Children by Garth Nix
• 1999 – Alien Dreams by Larry Segriff
• 2000 – The Game of Worlds by Roger McBride Allen from David Brin's Out of Time series
• 2001 – Jumping Off the Planet by David Gerrold
• 2002 – This Side of Paradise by Steven Layne
• 2003 – Feed by M.T. Anderson
• 2004 – Gunpowder Empire by Harry Turtledove
• 2005 – Balance of Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
• 2006 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• 2007 – Rash by Pete Hautman
• 2008 – Sky Horizon by David Brin and illustrated by Scott Hampton
• 2009 – (tie)
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  • Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
• 2010 – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• 2011 – WWW: Watch by Robert J. Sawyer
• 2012 – (tie)
  • A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber
  • A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
• 2013 – Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• 2014 – The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos
• 2015 – Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell
• 2016 - Armada, by Ernest Cline

Special Award Winners

Sometimes, a book was so good but didn't fit into the usual categories. In these cases, a Special Award could be given.

• 1997 Strong Female Characters – Kipton and the Android by Charles L. Fontenay
• 1999 Australian Contribution to Children's Science Fiction – Garth Nix
• 2000 Promotion of Reading – Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
• 2003 Best Science and Technology Education – Tales from the Wonder Zone (entire series) by Julie E. Czerneda
• 2007 Nonfiction – Write Your Own Science Fiction Story by Tish Farrell
• 2008 Nonfiction – World of Science Fiction – 12 titles by John Hamilton
  • + Stone Arch Books for publishing quality science fiction graphic novels
• 2010 Nonfiction – You Write It: Science Fiction by John Hamilton