# California Young Reader Medal

The California Young Reader Medal is a set of five annual literary awards conferred upon picture books and fiction books selected by vote of California schoolchildren from a ballot prepared by committee. The program was established in 1974 with Intermediate, Primary, and Young Adult Medals that were inaugurated in 1975, 1976, and 1977 and were conferred biennially, and annually beginning in 1983.
The program is intended to encourage recreational reading and is sponsored by four organizations that promote reading and literacy: the California Association of Teachers of English, the California Library Association, the California Reading Association, and the California School Library Association.
There are five medals, last modified for 2002: Primary (grades K-3), Intermediate (grades 3–6), Middle School/Junior High (grades 6–9), Young Adult (grades 9–12), and Picture Books for Older Readers (grades 4 and up)—that is, roughly age 10 and up. Both writer and illustrator receive the Primary and Picture Book Medals, where applicable.
The ballot for each medal comprises 3–5 books published during the preceding four years—two to five years ago when the process concludes. For example, 17 books published from 2010 to 2013 were nominated for 2014–2015.

## Rules and process

Young readers, their parents, educators, librarians, and "anyone who works with young people" may recommend books. Candidates must be original works of fiction by living authors, available in English, published during the four preceding years and still in print.
Nominations are made by award category and the books should be "often read or requested" and have "strong appeal for the age group". A committee of the sponsoring organizations selects "a well-balanced list of nominees" (finalists), considering merit and appeal.
Children may vote in all categories where they know all of the candidates by reading or hearing read aloud. They cast a combined paper ballot at once, in a classroom or library monitored by an adult.

## Winners

The medals in four categories inaugurated in 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1980 were biennial until 1983, and thereafter annual. For each category (now five) CYRM maintains a "Booklist" of finalists (3–5 annually) that provides basic bibliographic data for all, and cover images beginning in 2005 or so.

### 1970s

California Young Reader Medal winners, 1975–1979 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
| 1975 | Intermediate | Thomas Rockwell | How to Eat Fried Worms |
| 1976 | Primary | Bill Peet | How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head |
| 1977 | Intermediate | Mary Rodgers | Freaky Friday |
| 1977 | Young Adult | Richard Adams | Watership Down |
| 1978 | Primary | Lucy Bate, illus. by Diane de Groat | Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth |
| 1979 | Intermediate | Roald Dahl | Danny, the Champion of the World |
| 1979 | Young Adult | Sandra Scoppettone | The Late Great Me |

### 1980s

California Young Reader Medal winners, 1980–1989 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
| 1980 | Middle School/Junior High | Betsy Byars | The Pinballs |
| 1980 | Primary | Bill Peet | Big Bad Bruce |
| 1981 | Intermediate | Wilson Rawls | Summer of the Monkeys |
| 1981 | Young Adult | Lois Lowry | A Summer to Die |
| 1982 | Primary | Harry Allard, illus. by James Marshall | Miss Nelson is Missing |
| 1982 | Middle School/Junior High | Ellen Conford | Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood |
| 1983 | Primary | Mercer Mayer | Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp |
| 1983 | Intermediate | Judy Blume | Superfudge |
| 1983 | Middle School/Junior High | Judy Blume | Tiger Eyes |
| 1983 | Young Adult | Lois Duncan | Summer of Fear |
| 1984 | Primary | Phyllis Green, illus. by Joel Schick | Bagdad Ate It |
| 1984 | Intermediate | Theodore Taylor | The Trouble with Tuck |
| 1984 | Middle School/Junior High | Paula Danziger | There's a Bat in Bunk Five |
| 1984 | Young Adult | Lois Duncan | Stranger with My Face |
| 1985 | Primary | Carol Chapman, illus. by Kelly Oechsli | Herbie's Troubles |
| 1985 | Intermediate | Lynne Reid Banks | The Indian in the Cupboard |
| 1985 | Middle School/Junior High | Norma Fox Mazer | Taking Terri Mueller |
| 1985 | Young Adult | Frances Miller | The Truth Trap |
| 1986 | Primary | Edward Marshall, illus. by James Marshall | Space Case |
| 1986 | Intermediate | Barthe DeClements | Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade |
| 1986 | Middle School/Junior High | Willo Davis Roberts | Girl with the Silver Eyes |
| 1986 | Young Adult | Meredith Pierce | The Darkangel |
| 1987 | Primary | Audrey Wood, illus. by Don Wood | The Napping House |
| 1987 | Intermediate | Betty Ren Wright | The Dollhouse Murders |
| 1987 | Middle School/Junior High | Patricia Hermes | You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye |
| 1987 | Young Adult | Michael French | Pursuit |
| 1988 | Primary | Laura Joffe Numeroff, illus. by Felicia Bond | If You Give a Mouse a Cookie |
| 1988 | Intermediate | Stephen Manes | Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days |
| 1988 | Middle School/Junior High | Janet Lunn | The Root Cellar |
| 1988 | Young Adult | William Sleator | Interstellar Pig |
| 1989 | Primary | Carol Carrick, illus. by Donald Carrick | What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs? |
| 1989 | Intermediate | Elizabeth Winthrop | The Castle in the Attic |
| 1989 | Middle School/Junior High | Joan Lowery Nixon | The Stalker |
| 1989 | Young Adult | Eve Bunting | The Face at the Edge of the World |

### 1990s

California Young Reader Medal winners, 1990–1999 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
| 1990 | Primary | Margaret Leaf, illus. by Ed Young | Eyes of the Dragon |
| 1990 | Intermediate | Robert Kimmel Smith | The War with Grandpa |
| 1990 | Middle School/Junior High | Joan Lowery Nixon | The Other Side of Dark |
| 1990 | Young Adult | Cynthia Voigt | Izzy, Willy Nilly |
| 1991 | Primary | Helen Lester, illus. by Lynn M. Munsinger | Tacky the Penguin |
| 1991 | Intermediate | Dick King-Smith | Harry's Mad |
| 1991 | Middle School/Junior High | Mary Downing Hahn | December Stillness |
| 1991 | Young Adult | M.E. Kerr | Night Kites |
| 1992 | Primary | Denys Cazet | Never Spit on Your Shoes |
| 1992 | Intermediate | Lois Lowry | All About Sam |
| 1992 | Middle School/Junior High | Theodore Taylor | Sniper |
| 1992 | Young Adult | Eve Bunting | A Sudden Silence |
| 1993 | Primary | Kevin Henkes | Julius, the Baby of the World |
| 1993 | Intermediate | Judy Blume | Fudge-a-Mania |
| 1993 | Middle School/Junior High | Avi | Something Upstairs |
| 1993 | Young Adult | Annette Curtis Klause | The Silver Kiss |
| 1994 | Primary | Mary Calhoun, illus. by Erick Ingraham | High-Wire Henry |
| 1994 | Intermediate | Willo Davis Roberts | Scared Stiff |
| 1994 | Middle School/Junior High | Jerry Spinelli | There's a Girl in My Hammerlock |
| 1994 | Young Adult | Robert Cormier | We All Fall Down |
| 1995 | Primary | Susan Meddaugh | Martha Speaks |
| 1995 | Intermediate | Pam Conrad | Stonewords |
| 1995 | Middle School/Junior High | Ben Mikaelsen | Rescue Josh McGuire |
| 1995 | Young Adult | Will Hobbs | Downriver |
| 1996 | Primary | Janell Cannon | Stellaluna |
| 1996 | Intermediate | Mary Downing Hahn | Time for Andrew |
| 1996 | Middle School/Junior High | Rodman Philbrick | Freak the Mighty |
| 1996 | Young Adult | Sherry Garland | Shadow of the Dragon |
| 1997 | Primary | Erica Silverman, illus. by S. D. Schindler | Don't Fidget a Feather! |
| 1997 | Intermediate | Bruce Coville | Jennifer Murdley's Toad |
| 1997 | Middle School/Junior High | Ben Mikaelsen | Sparrow Hawk Red |
| 1997 | Young Adult | Chris Crutcher | Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes |
| 1998 | Primary | Dav Pilkey | Dog Breath |
| 1998 | Intermediate | Erika Tamar | The Junkyard Dog |
| 1998 | Middle School/Junior High | Christopher Paul Curtis | The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 |
| 1998 | Young Adult | Chris Crutcher | Ironman |
| 1999 | Primary | Pamela Duncan Edwards, illus. by Henry Cole | Livingstone Mouse |
| 1999 | Intermediate | Sid Fleischman, illus. by Peter Sis | The 13th Floor |
| 1999 | Middle School/Junior High | Graham Salisbury | Under the Blood Red Sun |
| 1999 | Young Adult | Kristen Randle | The Only Alien on the Planet |

### 2000s

California Young Reader Medal winners, 2000–2009 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
| 2000 | Primary | Paul Brett Johnson and Celeste Lewis, illus. by Johnson | Lost |
| 2000 | Intermediate | Pam Muñoz Ryan | Riding Freedom |
| 2000 | Middle School/Junior High | Gail Carson Levine | Ella Enchanted |
| 2000 | Young Adult | A. M. Jenkins | Breaking Bones |
| 2001 | Primary | Rod Clement | Grandpa's Teeth |
| 2001 | Intermediate | Dan Gutman | Honus & Me |
| 2001 | Middle School/Junior High | Margaret Peterson Haddix | Among the Hidden |
| 2001 | Young Adult | Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville | Armageddon Summer |
| 2002 | Primary | Helen Lester, illus. by Lynn M. Munsinger | Hooway for Wodney Wat |
| 2002 | Intermediate | Dan Gutman | The Million Dollar Shot |
| 2002 | Middle School/Junior High | Jack Gantos | Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key |
| 2002 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Paul Fleischman | Weslandia |
| 2002 | Young Adult | Jean Ferris | Bad |
| 2003 | Primary | Lauren Child | I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat a Tomato |
| 2003 | Intermediate | Kate DiCamillo | Because of Winn-Dixie |
| 2003 | Middle School/Junior High | Ben Mikaelsen | Touching Spirit Bear |
| 2003 | Picture Books for Older Readers | David A. Adler | The Babe and I |
| 2003 | Young Adult | Julie Anne Peters | Define Normal |
| 2004 | Primary | Sharon Creech, illus. by Harry Bliss | A Fine, Fine School |
| 2004 | Intermediate | Andrew Clements | The School Story |
| 2004 | Middle School/Junior High | Wendelin Van Draanen | Flipped |
| 2004 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Janet Stevens | And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon |
| 2004 | Young Adult | Lensey Namioka | Ties that Bind, Ties that Break |
| 2005 | Primary | Candace Fleming, illus. by G. Brian Karas | Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! |
| 2005 | Intermediate | Sharon Creech | Ruby Holler |
| 2005 | Middle School/Junior High | Andrew Clements | Things Not Seen |
| 2005 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Patricia Polacco | Mr. Lincoln's Way |
| 2005 | Young Adult | Anthony Horowitz | Stormbreaker |
| 2006 | Primary | Michael Garland | Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook |
| 2006 | Intermediate | Avi | The Good Dog |
| 2006 | Middle School/Junior High | Sue Corbett | 12 Again |
| 2006 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Candace Fleming, illus. by Stacey Dressen-McQueen | Boxes for Katje |
| 2006 | Young Adult | Francine Prose | After |
| 2007 | Primary | Keiko Kasza | My Lucky Day |
| 2007 | Intermediate | William Wise | Christopher Mouse |
| 2007 | Middle School/Junior High | Gennifer Choldenko | Al Capone Does My Shirts |
| 2007 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Karen Hesse, illus. by Wendy Watson | The Cats in Krasinski Square |
| 2007 | Young Adult | Gail Giles | Shattering Glass |
| 2008 | Primary | Caralyn Buehner, illus. by Mark Buehner | Superdog: The Heart of a Hero |
| 2008 | Intermediate | Deborah Wiles | Each Little Bird That Sings |
| 2008 | Middle School/Junior High | Neal Shusterman | The Schwa Was Here |
| 2008 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Frank Asch, illus. by Devin Asch | Mr. Maxwell's Mouse |
| 2008 | Young Adult | Michael Morpurgo | Private Peaceful |
| 2009 | Primary | Linda Bailey, illus. by Bill Slavin | Stanley's Wild Ride |
| 2009 | Intermediate | Valerie Hobbs | Sheep |
| 2009 | Middle School/Junior High | Mike Lupica | Heat |
| 2009 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Doug Cushman | Mystery at the Club Sandwich |
| 2009 | Young Adult | Patricia McCormick | Sold |

### 2010s

California Young Reader Medal winners, 2010–2019 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
| 2010 | Primary | Alexander Steffensmeier | Millie Waits for the Mail |
| 2010 | Intermediate | Andrew Clements | No Talking |
| 2010 | Middle School/Junior High | Watt Key | Alabama Moon |
| 2010 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Mona Kerby, illus. by Lynne Barasch | Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch |
| 2010 | Young Adult | Sherman Alexie | The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian |
| 2011 | Primary | Carmen Agra Deedy, illus. by Michael Austin | Martina the Beautiful Cockroach |
| 2011 | Intermediate | Robert Paul Weston | Zorgamazoo |
| 2011 | Middle School/Junior High | Cynthia Kadohata | Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam |
| 2011 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Lane Smith | John, Paul, George & Ben |
| 2011 | Young Adult | Suzanne Collins | The Hunger Games |
| 2012 | Primary | Amanda Noll, illus. by Howard McWilliam | I Need My Monster |
| 2012 | Intermediate | Danette Haworth | Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning |
| 2012 | Middle School/Junior High | Wendy Mass | Every Soul a Star |
| 2012 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Ellen Levine, illus. by Kadir Nelson | Henry's Freedom Box |
| 2012 | Young Adult | Kristin Cashore | Graceling |
| 2013 | Primary | Mo Willems | We Are in a Book! |
| 2013 | Intermediate | Iain Lawrence | The Giant Slayer |
| 2013 | Middle School/Junior High | Sharon Draper | Out of My Mind |
| 2013 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, and Mary Nethery, illus. and photos from members of the Marines team | Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle |
| 2013 | Young Adult | Ally Condie | Matched |
| 2014 | Primary | Herve Tullet | Press Here |
| 2014 | Intermediate | Lisa McMann | The Unwanteds |
| 2014 | Middle School/Junior High | Brian Selznick | Wonderstruck |
| 2014 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Chris Van Allsburg | Queen of the Falls |
| 2014 | Young Adult | Veronica Roth | Divergent |
| 2015 | Primary | Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. by Tom Lichtenheld | Exclamation Mark |
| 2015 | Intermediate | R. J. Palacio | Wonder |
| 2015 | Middle School/Junior High | Jennifer A. Nielsen | The False Prince |
| 2015 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Audrey Vernick, illus. by Steven Salerno | Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Team |
| 2015 | Young Adult | John Green | The Fault in Our Stars |
| 2016 | Primary | Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers | The Day the Crayons Quit |
| 2016 | Intermediate | Sarah Lean | A Dog Called Homeless |
| 2016 | Middle School/Junior High | Elizabeth Partridge | Dogtag Summer |
| 2016 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Doreen Rappaport, illus. by Matt Tavares | Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller |
| 2016 | Young Adult | Marissa Meyer | Cinder |
| 2017 | Primary | Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen | Sam & Dave Dig a Hole |
| 2017 | Intermediate | Chris Grabenstein | Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library |
| 2017 | Middle School/Junior High | Shannon Messenger | Keeper of the Lost Cities |
| 2017 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E. B. Lewis | Each Kindness |
| 2017 | Young Adult | Victoria Aveyard | Red Queen |
| 2018 | Primary | B. J. Novak | The Book with No Pictures |
| 2018 | Intermediate | Sara Pennypacker, illus. by Jon Klassen | Pax |
| 2018 | Middle School/Junior High | Jennifer A. Nielsen | A Night Divided |
| 2018 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Marissa Moss, illus. by Yuko Shimizu | Barbed Wire Baseball |
| 2018 | Young Adult | Ruta Sepetys | Salt to the Sea |
| 2019 | Primary | David Litchfield | The Bear and the Piano |
| 2019 | Intermediate | Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | The War That Saved My Life |
| 2019 | Middle School/Junior High | Pam Muñoz Ryan | Echo |
| 2019 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Laurie Ann Thompson, illus. by Sean Qualls | Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah |
| 2019 | Young Adult | Aisha Saeed | Written in the Stars |

### 2020s

California Young Reader Medal winners, 2020–present :
| Year | Category | Author | Title |
| 2020 | Primary | Drew Daywalt, illus. by Adam Rex | The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors |
| 2020 | Intermediate | Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | The War I Finally Won |
| 2020 | Middle School/Junior High | Alan Gratz | Refugee |
| 2020 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Dave Eggers, illus. by Shawn Harris | Her Right Foot |
| 2020 | Young Adult | Neal Shusterman | Scythe |
| 2021 | Primary | Tony Fucile | Poor Louie |
| 2021 | Intermediate | Gordon Korman | Restart |
| 2021 | Middle School/Junior High | Donna Gephart | Lily and Dunkin |
| 2021 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Patricia McCormick, illus. by Iacopo Bruno | Sergeant Reckless |
| 2021 | Young Adult | Wendy Mills | All We Have Left |
| 2022 | Primary | Minh Lê, illus. by Dan Santat | Drawn Together |
| 2022 | Intermediate | Dan Gemeinhart | The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise |
| 2022 | Middle School/Junior High | Kristin Levine | The Jigsaw Jungle |
| 2022 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Susan Wood, illus. by Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen | The Skydiving Beavers |
| 2022 | Young Adult | Ruta Sepetys | The Fountains of Silence |
| 2023 | Primary | Ryan T. Higgins | We Don't Eat Our Classmates |
| 2023 | Intermediate | Jennifer L. Holm | The Lion of Mars |
| 2023 | Middle School/Junior High | Ben Guterson | Winterhouse |
| 2023 | Picture Books for Older Readers | Caron Levis, illus. by Charles Santoso | This Way, Charlie |
| 2023 | Young Adult | Elizabeth Acevedo | With the Fire on High |