Aesop Prize
The Aesop Prize and Aesop Accolades are conferred annually by the Children’s Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society upon English language books for children and young adults, both fiction and nonfiction.

2005

Winners:
From the Winds of Manguito: Cuban Folktales in English and Spanish. Retold by Elvia Pérez. Edited by Margaret Read MacDonald. Translated by Paula Martin. Illustrated by Víctor Francisco Hernández Mora
Roy Makes a Car by Mary E. Lyons. Illustrated by Terry Widener

Accolades:
  • The Flying Canoe. Retold by Roch Carrier. Translated by Sheila Fischman. Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
  • Grandma Lena's Big Ol' Turnip by Denia Lewis Hester. Illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic
  • The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn

2004

Winners:
Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents.  Collected and adapted by Sarah Conover and Freda Crane. Illustrated by Valerie Wahl
The Magic Gourd. Written and illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité

Accolades:
  • Bottle Houses: The Creative World of Grandma Prisbrey.  Written by Melissa Eskridge Slaymaker. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis
  • The Painted Wall and Other Strange Tales. Selected and adapted by Michael Bedard from the Liao-Chai of Pu Sung-ling
  • Sure as Sunrise: Stories of Bruh Rabbit & His Walkin’ Talkin’ Friends.  Written by Alice McGill. Illustrated by Don Tate
  • Walking on Solid Ground. By Shu Pui Cheung, Shuyuan Li, Aaron Chau and Deborah Wei

2003

Winners:

Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales. Selected by Neil Philip. Illustrated by Jacqueline Mair.
Mightier Than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys. Collected and told by Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Raul Colon.

Accolades:
  • Invisible Kingdoms: Jewish Tales of Angels, Spirits, and Demons. Retold by Howard Schwartz, illustrated by Stephen Fieser.
  • Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales. [written and illustrated by various hands]
  • Pajaro Verde: The Green Bird. By Joe Hayes, illustrated by Antonio Castro L.
  • Something for Nothing. By Ann Redisch Stampler, illustrated by Jacqueline M. Cohen.
  • The Sun, the Rain, and the Apple Seed: A Novel of Johnny Appleseed's Life. By Lynda Durrant.
  • Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee Legend. Told by Robert H. Bushyhead, written by Kay Thorpe Bannon, illustrated by Kristina Rodana.

2002

Winners:

Can you Guess My Name? Traditional Tales Around the World.  Selected and retold by Judy Sierra. Illustrated by Stefano Vitale.
One Time Dog Market at Buda and Other Hungarian Folktales. Translated and retold by Irma Molnar. Illustrations by Georgeta-Elena Enesel.

Accolades:

  • Head, Body, Legs : A Story From Liberia.  Retold by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert. Illustrated by Julie Pashkis.
  • The Race of the Birkebeiners. Written by Lise Lunge-Larsen. Illustrated by Mary Azarian.
  • Shakespeare's Storybook: Folktales That Inspired the Bard. Retold by Patrick Ryan. Illustrated by James Mayhew.

2001

Winner:

Fiesta Feminina. Celebrating Women in Mexican Folktale. Retold by Mary-Joan Gerson. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez.

Accolades:

  • Mabela the Clever. Retold by Margaret Read MacDonald. Illustrated by Tim Coffey.
  • Daisy and the Doll. by Michael Medearis and Angela Shelf Medearis. Paintings by Larry Johnson.

2000

Winner:

The Day the Rabbi Disappeared: Jewish Holiday Tales of Magic.  Text by Howard Schwartz. Illustrations by Monique Passicot.

Accolades:

  • The Hunter: A Chinese Folktale. Text by Mary Casanova. Illustrations by Ed Young
  • In the Hollow of Your Hand: Slave Lullabies. Text by Alice McGill. Illustrations by Michael Cummings
  • Stockings of Buttermilk: American Folktales. Text by Neil Philip. Illustrations by Jacqueline Mair

1999

Winners:

King Solomon And His Magic Ring. Text by Elie Wiesel. Illustrations by Mark Podwal. 
Trickster And The Fainting Birds. Text by Howard Norman. Illustrations by Tom Pohrt.

Accolades:

  • The Deetkatoo: Native American Stories About Little People. Text by John Bierhorst. Illustrations by Ron Hilbert Coy.
  • The Donkey And The Rock. Text and illustrations by Demi. 
  • The Hatseller And The Monkeys. Text and illustrations by Baba Wagu‚ Diakit‚. 
  • Why Leopard Has Spots: Dan Stories From Liberia. Text by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert.  Illustrations by Ashley Bryan

1998

Winner:

Echoes Of The Elders: The Stories And Paintings Of Chief Lelooska. Text and illustrations by Chief Lelooska.

Accolades:

  • The Girl Who Dreamed Only Geese And Other Tales Of The Far North. Text by Howard Norman. Illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon.
  • The Hatmaker's Sign: A Story By Benjamin Franklin. Text by Candace Fleming. Illustrations by Robert Andrew Parker.
  • The Legend Of The White Buffalo Woman. Text and illustrations by Paul Goble.
  • Momentos Magicos/Magic Moments: Tales From Latin America. English and Spanish texts by Olga Loya.

1997

Winners:

Earth Tales From Around The World. Text by Michael J. Caduto. Illustrations by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol.
The Hired Hand: An African-American Folktale. Text by Robert D. San Souci. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney.

Accolades:

  • Bouki Dances The Kokioko: A Comical Tale From Haiti. Text by Diane Wolkstein. Illustrations by Jesse Sweetwater.
  • The Cricket's Cage: A Chinese Folktale. Text and illustrations by Stefan Czernecki.
  • Esther's Story. Text by Diane Wolkstein. Illustrations by Juan Wijngaard.
  • Full Moon Stories: Thirteen Native American Legends. Text and illustrations by Eagle Walking Turtle.
  • Musicians Of The Sun. Text and illustrations by Gerald McDermott.
  • The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend. Text by Aaron Shepard. Illustrations by Gennady Spirin.

1996

Winners:

Next Year In Jerusalem. Text by Howard Schwartz. Illustrations by Neil Waldman.
Nursery Tales Around The World. Text by Judy Sierra. Illustrations by Stefano Vitale.

Accolades:

  • The Biggest Frog In Australia. Text and illustrations by Susan L. Roth. 
  • The Maiden Of the Northland: A Hero Tale Of Finland. Text by Aaron Shepard. Illustrations by Carol Schwartz. 
  • Medio-Pollito/Half-Chicken. Text by Alma Flor Ada. Illustrations by Kim Howard. 
  • Mysterious Tales Of Japan. Text by Rafe Martin. Illustrations by Tatsuro Kiuchi.
  • Princess Florecita And The Iron Shoes. Text by John Warren Stewig. Illustrations by K. Wendy Propp.
  • Songs For Survival: Songs And Chants From Tribal Peoples Around The World. Compiled by Nikki Siegen-Smith. Illustrations by Bernard Lodge. 
  • The Story Of The Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale. Text by Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross. Illustrations by Virginia A. Stroud. 
  • The Turkey Girl. Text by Penny Pollock. Illustrations by Ed Young. 
  • When The World Was Young: Creation And Pourquoi Tales. Text by Margaret Mayo. Illustrations by Louise Brierley.
  • Wicked Jack. Text by Connie N. Wooldridge. Illustrations by Will Hillenbrand.
  • The Woman In The Moon: A Story From Hawai'i. Text by Jama Kim Rattagan. Illustrations by Carla Golembe.

1995

Winner:

Fair Is Fair: World Folktales Of Justice. Text by Sharon Creeden.

Accolades:

  • Coyote And The Winnowing Birds: A traditional Hopi tale. Based on a story told by Eugene Sekaquaptewa. Translated by Emory Sekaquaptewa and Barbara Pepper and illustrated by Hopi children.
  • Duppy Talk: West Indian Tales Of Magic And Mystery. Text by Gerald Hausman.
  • Giants! Stories From Around The World. Text by Paul Robert Walker. Illustrations by James Bernardin. 
  • The Gifts Of Wali Dad: A Tale Of India And Pakistan. Text by Aaron Shepard. Illustrations by Daniel San Souci. 
  • When The World Ended, How Hummingbird Got Fire, How People Were Made: Rumsien Ohlone Stories. Text and illustrations by Linda Yamane.
  • Why Alligator Hates Dog: A Cajun Folktale. Text by J.J. Reneaux. Illustrations by Donnie Lee Green.

1994

Winner:

John Henry. Text by Julius Lester. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney.

Accolades:

  • Baba Yaga: A Russian Folktale. Text and illustrations by Katya Arnold. 
  • The Bossy Gallito. Text by Lucia M. Gonzalez. Illustrations by Lulu Delacre. 
  • Christopher: The Holy Giant. Text and illustrations by Tomie de Paola.
  • Coyote And Little Turtle: A Traditional Hopi Tale. Told by Herschel Talashoema and illustrated by Hopi children of the Hotevilla-Bacavi Community School. Translated and edited by Emory Sekaquaptewa and Barbara Pepper. 
  • The Girl Who Wanted To Hunt: A Siberian Tale. Text by Emery Bernhard. Illustrations by Durga Bernhard.
  • The Magic Storysinger From The Finnish Epic Tale Kalevala. Text and illustrations by M.E.A. McNeil.
  • The Mummer's Song. Text by Bud Davidge. Illustrations by Ian Wallace. Afterword by Kevin Major. 
  • Shadow Of A Flying Bird: A Legend Of The Kurdistani Jews. Text and illustrations by Mordecai Gerstein.

1993

Winners:
Cut From The Same Cloth: American Women In Myth, Legend, And Tall Tale. Text by Robert D. San Souci. Illustrations by Brian Pinkney.
Love Flute. Text and illustrations by Paul Goble.

Accolades:

  • Big Men, Big Country: A Collection Of American Tall Tales. Text by Robert Paul Walker. Illustrations by James Bernardin.
  • The Green Gourd: A North Carolina Folktale. Text by C.W. Hunter. Illustrations by Tony Griego.
  • Ishi's Tale Of Lizard. Text by Leanne Hinton. Illustrations by Susan L. Roth.
  • Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails. Text by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak. Illustrations by Vladyana Krykorka.
  • Sundiata: Lion King Of Mali. Text and illustrations by David Wisniewski. 
  • Surtsey: The Newest Place On Earth. Text by Kathryn Lasky. Photographs by Christopher G. Knight

1992

Winners:

Aesop And Company With Scenes From His Legendary Life. Text by Barbara Bader. Illustrations by Arthur Geisert.
Days Of Awe: Stories For Rosh Hashanah And Yom Kippur. Text by Eric A. Kimmel. Illustrations by Erika Weihs.

Accolades:

No accolades awarded.


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