Three literary awards are presented annually with the support of the Vermont Department of Libraries: the Red Clover Book Award, the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, and the Green Mountain Book Award. Each year the committee members for all three Vermont youth book awards take on the monumental task of reading all (or as close to it as possible) the books published in a single year for the targeted age group of their respective committees. This knowledgeable group of Vermont librarians and teachers work tirelessly to apply their literary expertise in selecting noteworthy books for children and teens. Vermont youth read the books from these lists and cast their vote for their favorites, which determines the winners for each award.
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.
2023-2024 Vermont Youth Book Awards
Vermont Youth Book Awards Conference
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 the book award committee. This conference featured an active and enthusiastic question flow from our audience which included many students. Watch the videos on Niche Academy, our educational platform:
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's presentation 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.
2024 Vermont Golden Dome Conference Videos
- Author Katherine Applegate spoke about her childhood (for a long time, she hated to read!), her early career, and discussed how Odder, the 2023-2024 Vermont Golden Dome winner, evolved from a prose novel into free verse. Viewers should be prepared for adorable otter photos!
- Vermont Golden Dome 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.
2024 Green Mountain Book Award Conference Videos
- Author K. J. Reilly discussed winner of the 2023-2024 Green Mountain Book Award, Four For The Road, her writing process, and introduced her new book Sixteen Minutes. From her moving and inspiring presentation: "Librarians are basically soldiers in a rebel army of community building superheros defending literacy, education, and intellectual freedom. And librarians change lives."
- Green Mountain 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.
Award Winners Announced
Read the press release: Students Choose Winners of 2023-2024 Vermont Youth Book Award
2024 Timeline
- March/April, 2024: Announcement of 2024-2025 nominee list for all three awards
- March/April, 2024: Voting opens for the 2023-2024 nominee list for all three awards
- May 26, 2024: Voting closes for the 2023-2024 nominee list for all three awards
- June 3, 2024: Winners for all three 2023-2024 book awards announced
- October 22, 2024: One-day Vermont Youth Book Award virtual conference, featuring Red Clover Book Award, Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, and Green Mountain Book Award author keynotes and committee presentations
Awards Pages
You will find a description and link to each Vermont Youth Book Award page below. On each book award page you will find:
- Award committee website links
- Information about the award
- Lists of nominees and winners
- Handouts such as bookmarks and checklists
- Additional resources
Red Clover Book Award
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 vote for their favorite in the spring. The award has been handed out annually since 1997.
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award
The Vermont Golden Dome Book Award was created to honor excellence in children's literature. Since 1957, Vermont students in grades 4 - 8 have selected their favorite book from a list of nominees. It is recommended that students read at least five of the year's nominated titles before voting in the spring each year.
Green Mountain Book Award
The Green Mountain Book Award, initiated in 2005, is a reader's choice award for Vermont students in grades 9 - 12 created to honor excellence in young adult literature. The program is intended to encourage high schoolers to become enthusiastic and discriminating readers.
Award Labels, Logos, & Style Guide
VT Youth Book Award Logo Files & Style Guide
For more information about the Vermont Book Award, an annual collaborative effort between Vermont Humanities and the Department to honor Vermont writers, please visit this page.