[National Council of Teachers of English](https://ncte.org)

October 15, 2026 (Nominations for Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels)

No monetary award; recognition includes a plaque and promotional opportunities at the NCTE Annual Convention.

Recognizes outstanding poetry for children by honoring poets and notable books that demonstrate literary merit and impact on young readers.

--- ## Description The NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, established by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), honors a living American poet for their body of work for children ages 3–14, emphasizing literary merit, artistic development, and the poet’s contributions to children’s poetry. The award is presented biennially at the NCTE Annual Convention. In addition to the main award, the NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee compiles an annual Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels list, recognizing exceptional new poetry and verse novels for young readers published in the United States. --- ## Due Dates - October 15, 2026: Nominations deadline for the Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels list (annual) Nominations must be submitted to the Award Committee by October 15 each year. --- ## Funding Amount - No direct financial award is provided. - Award recipients receive a plaque and are recognized at the NCTE Annual Convention, including opportunities to speak and present. - Notable books/authors may receive digital and physical award seals for promotional use. --- ## Eligibility ### For the Main Award - Only living American poets are eligible for the biennial Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. - Nominations are not accepted for the main award; the committee selects the recipient based on aggregate work. ### For the Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels List - Books must be published or distributed in the United States or its territories during the preceding year. - Eligible for children ages 3–14 (preK–grade 8). - Dual-language books (English plus another language) are permitted. - Adaptations of adult texts and reissued books are not eligible. - Both individual poems and collections/anthologies are considered, as well as verse novels. - Authors/poets may be of any nationality for the Notable Books list. --- ## Application Process - Nominations for the Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels list must be submitted by October 15. - Submit one copy of each nominated book to committee members for review (digital copies accepted; hard copies requested for full evaluation). - Advance copies or galley proofs are encouraged, especially for October publications. - Books published in November or December may be considered for the next cycle. - Publishers or authors should contact NCTE at [bookawards@ncte.org](mailto:bookawards@ncte.org) to confirm submission details and receive committee contact information. - NCTE members may use the submission form on the [Children’s Book Award homepage](https://ncte.org/awards/ncte-childrens-book-awards/). - No additional forms required. --- ## Additional Information - Award seals are available for winning books and notable list titles (digital seals are complimentary; physical seals can be purchased). - Winners and notable lists are announced at the NCTE Annual Convention. - The main poetry award is presented every other year, while the notable books list is compiled annually. --- ## External Links - [NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children – Program Page](https://ncte.org/awards/excellence-in-poetry-for-children-living-american-poet/) - [Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels Lists (2021–2026)](https://ncte.org/awards/excellence-in-poetry-for-children-living-american-poet/#coll-99782) - [Children’s Book Award Submission Form](https://ncte.org/awards/ncte-childrens-book-awards/) - [NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee](https://ncte.org/get-involved/volunteer/groups/ncte-childrens-poetry-awards-committee/) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Email | Phone | Web Contact | |--------------------|----------------------------------------|---------------|----------------------------------------------| | NCTE Book Awards | [bookawards@ncte.org](mailto:bookawards@ncte.org) | 217-328-3870 | [NCTE Contact Page](https://ncte.org/contact-us/) | ---

NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children

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