The Charlotte Zolotow Award
The Charlotte Zolotow Award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year.  The award is administered by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, a children's literature library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
2004

Winner:

  • What James Likes Best, by Amy Schwartz.
Honor Books: 
  • Two Old Potatoes and Me, by John Coy.  Illustrated by Carolyn Fisher.
  • The Baby Goes Beep, by Rebecca O'Connell.  Illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max.
  • Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile, by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis.
  • Calabash Cat and His Amazing Journey, by James Rumford.
  • Tippy-Toe Chick, Go!, by George Shannon. Illustrated by Laura Dronzek. 
Highly Commended:
  • Mama's Coming Home, by Kate Banks. Illustrated by Tomek Bogacki.
  • George Washington's Teeth, by Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora. Illustrated by Brock Cole.
  • Buster, by Denise Fleming.
  • Yesterday I Had the Blues, by Jeron Ashford Frame. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.
  • What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?, by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.
  • Baby Radar, by Naomi Shihab Nye. Illustrated by Nancy Carlson.
  • Snow Music, by Lynne Rae Perkins.
  • Mary Smith, by Alison U'Ren.
  • Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems.
2003

Winner:

  • Farfallina & Marcel, by Holly Keller.
Honor Book: 
  • The First Thing My Mama Told Me, by Susan Marie Swanson. Illustrated by Christine Davenier.
Highly Commended: 
  • The Pot That Juan Built, by Nancy Andrews-Goebel. Illustrated by David Diaz.
  • Close Your Eyes, by Kate Banks. Illustrated by Georg Hallensleben.
  • Owen's Marshmallow Chick, by Kevin Henkes.
  • Grandma and Me at the Flea, by Juan Felipe Herrera. Illustrated by Anita de Lucio-Brock.
  • I Stink!, by Kate & Jim McMullan.
  • The White Swan Express: A Story about Adoption, by  Jean Davies Okimoto and Elaine M. Aoki.  Illustrated by Meilo So.
  • All You Need for a Snowman, by Alice Schertle. Illustrated by Barbara Lavallee.
  • Duck on a Bike, by David Shannon.
  • Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Jane Chapman.
  • Apple Pie Fourth of July, by Janet S. Wong. Illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine.
2002

Winner:

  • Clever Beatrice, by Margaret Willey. Illustrated by Heather Solomon.
Honor Book: 
  • Five Creatures, by Emily Jenkins.
Highly Commended:
  • Henry's First Moon Birthday, by Lenore Look. Illustrated by Yumi Heo.
  • Mabela the Clever, by Margaret Read MacDonald. Illustrated by Tim Coffey.
  • Come Back, Hannah, by Marisabina Russo.
  • Gugu's House, by Catherine Stock.
  • Grump, by Janet S. Wong. Illustrated by John Wallace.
2001

Winner:

  • The Night Worker, by Kate Banks. Illustrated by Georg Hallensleben.
Honor Book: 
  • Wings, by Christopher Myers.
Highly Commended:
  • If You Find a Rock, by Peggy Christian. Illustrated by Barbara Hirsch Lember.
  • Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type, by Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin.
  • The Good Luck Cat, by Joy Harjo. Illustrated by Paul Lee.
  • Yoshi's Feast, by Kimiko Kajikawa. Illustrated by Yumi Heo.
  • Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children, by Sandra L. Pinkney. Photographs by Myles C. Pinkney.
  • When Winter Comes, by Nancy Van Laan. Illustrated by Susan Gaber.
2000

Winner: 

  • When Sophie Gets Angry -- Really, Really Angry . . . , by Molly Bang
Honor Books: 
  • Three Cheers for Catherine the Great!, by Cari Best. Illustrated by Giselle Potter.
  • Bark, George, by Jules Feiffer.
Highly Commended: 
  • The Hatseller and the Monkeys, by Baba Wagué Diakité.
  • Little Dog Poems, by Kristine O'Connell George. Illustrated by June Otani.
  • Flicker Flash, by Joan Bransfield Graham. Illustrated by Nancy Davis.
  • When Will Sarah Come?, by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard.  Illustrated by Nina Crews.
  • How to Catch an Elephant, by Amy Schwartz.
  • You Are My Perfect Baby, by Joyce Carol Thomas. Illustrated by Nneka Bennett.
  • Trashy Town, by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha.
1999

Winner: 

  • Snow, by Uri Shulevitz.
Honor Books: 
  • John Willy and Freddy McGee, by Holly Meade.
  • Pete's a Pizza, by William Steig.
Highly Commended: 
  • Mama Cat Has Three Kittens, by Denise Fleming.
  • Circle Dogs, by Kevin Henkes. Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino.
  • Dance, by Bill T. Jones and Susan Kuklin. Photographs by Susan Kuklin.
  • Little Clam, by Lynn Reiser.
  • Elizabeti's Doll, by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen. Illustrated by Christy Hale.
1998

Winner: 

  • Lucky Song, by Vera B. Williams.
Honor Book: 
  • Don't Laugh, Joe!, by Keiko Kasza.
Highly Commended: 
  • If You Were Born a Kitten, by Marion Dane Bauer. Illustrated by JoEllen McAllister Stammen.
  • Country Fair, by Elisha Cooper.
  • Time to Sleep, by Denise Fleming.
  • Ma Dear's Aprons, by Patricia C. McKissack. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper.
  • Bearsie Bear and the Surprise Sleepover Party, by Bernard Waber.
  • Bunny Cakes, by Rosemary Wells.
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