The Red Clover Book Award is designed for children in kindergarten through fourth grade. Each year thousands of Vermont school children read the 10 nominated picture books and cast their votes for their favorite in the spring. The award has been presented annually since 1997.
Red Clover Book Award Committee Website
Find this year's nominees with links to book details, teaching resources, and related STEAM activities.
Order Vermont Youth Book Award Labels
2025-2026 Award Year Information and Materials
- NEW: 2025-2026 Red Clover Nominee List (PDF)
Awards Timeline
Selection & Announcement of Nominees for the Next Award/School Year
- The announcement of nominees for all three book awards occurs around the last week of March/first week of April.
Voting & Announcement of Winner for Current Award/School Year
- Voting for all three youth book awards opens around the end of March or April.
- Voting for all three book awards remains open until the end of May.
- The winners of all three book awards are announced by the first week of June.
Conferences & Related Materials
- A combined virtual conference for all three awards (Red Clover Book Award, Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, and Green Mountain Book award) generally takes place in September or October each year. Each session features an author keynote and a committee presentation featuring a walk-through of nominees and fun ways to engage students.
2024-2025 Award Year Information and Materials
434 students and adults joined us for the Vermont Youth Book Awards virtual conference on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. The conference was a celebration of readers and creators of children’s and young adult literature. Each session featured an author keynote and a presentation from a book award committee. NEW this year: an active and enthusiastic question flow from our audience which included many students.
Watch on our educational platform, Niche Academy: 2024 Red Clover Conference Videos
- Author Maria Gianferrari's video was available for a limited time (until November 19, 2024). She discussed how nature inspires her and the research behind her 2023-2024 Red Clover Award winner, Bobcat Prowling. Maria included a reading of the book. Maria’s works celebrate urban ecosystems and the natural world around us, and honor our bonds with creatures both domestic and wild. Maria’s most recent titles include Being a Cat: A Tail of Curiosity, You and the Bowerbird, Thank a Farmer, Fungi Grow and To Dogs, With Love.
- Red Clover Book Award committee members led an exploration into the award nomination list, highlighting innovative and fun ways to promote and engage book award participation in schools and libraries.
2023-2024 Award Year Information and Materials
2022-2023 Award Year Information and Materials
Past Nominees and Winners
Publisher Submission Guidelines
Books to be considered by the Red Clover Book Award Committee are submitted by publishers. At least one copy of each title, which will be circulated to committee members, should be sent to:
Red Clover Book Award Committee
c/o Vermont Department of Libraries
60 Washington St., Suite 2
Barre, VT 05641
Books published in the current calendar year may be sent at any time during the year. However, sending books as soon as feasible makes it possible to give all books more careful consideration.
Publishers are invited to submit books that meet the following criteria:
- The book must have been published in the current calendar year. Reprints and compilations previously copyrighted are not eligible.
- The book must have been written by a living author.
- The book must be original or, if traditional in origin, the result of individual research. The retelling and reinterpretation must be the writer's own.
- Books written by a previous recipient of The Red Clover Book Award may be considered at the discretion of the committee.
- Books should have children as their intended audience and be appropriate for children in Kindergarten through 4th grade.