Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction facts for kids

The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction is a special yearly award for children's books that tell stories based on real history. It was started in 1982 by Scott O'Dell, a famous author who wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins and many other books for young readers. He wanted kids to get excited about history and learn how past events shaped their nation and the world. To win this award, a book must be written in English for kids or teens, published by an American company, and the author must be a citizen of the United States. This award is well-known and respected by publishers and libraries across the U.S.

Who Chooses the Winners?

Each year, a special group called the O'Dell Committee picks the winning book. From 1982 until 2002, Zena Sutherland, a professor who taught about children's literature at the University of Chicago, led this committee. Today, the committee has three members: Roger Sutton, who is the Editor in Chief of The Horn Book Magazine; Ann Carlson, a librarian at Oak Park and River Forest High School; and Deborah Stevenson, who edits The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. They carefully read many books to choose the best historical fiction story.

Award-Winning Books

Here is a list of the books that have won the Scott O'Dell Award: