Funder: National Council of Teachers of English
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2027 (Nomination deadline)
Funding Amounts: Recognition includes a winner’s plaque and Honor book certificates
Summary: Recognizes outstanding original nonfiction for children, emphasizing factual accuracy, engaging presentation, and contributions to the K–8 curriculum.
Key Information: Books must be published or distributed in the United States or its territories during the nomination year.
Description
Established in 1989, the National Council of Teachers of English’s Orbis Pictus Award promotes and recognizes excellence in nonfiction writing for children. It honors books written, designed, and organized to interpret documentable factual material, including biography. Its name commemorates Johannes Amos Comenius’s Orbis Pictus—The World in Pictures, considered the first book planned specifically for children.
The Orbis Pictus Award Committee considers how factual accuracy, clear organization, distinctive writing, informative illustrations, and thoughtful design work together for young readers. Potential contributions to the K–8 curriculum are also central to its review. Each year, the committee selects one award recipient, up to five Honor books, and up to eight Recommended books, with authors and illustrators recognized at NCTE’s Children’s Book Awards Luncheon.
