Since 1953, AAUW of North Carolina has partnered with the NC Literary and Historical Association to present an award in recognition of the most significant work of original juvenile literature published over the course of the last year by a North Carolina author. The judges include a representative from Lit & Hist, one from AAUW NC, and a librarian familiar with young people’s literature. The deadline for the award nominations is July 15 of each year, with the award presented at the fall meeting of the Literary and Historical Association.
| Year | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Micki Bare | Blind Fairy: Zahra of the Uwharries |
| 2022 | Micki Bare | Society of the Sentinelia: Zahra of the Uwharries |
| 2021 | Halli Gomez | List of Ten |
| 2020 | Meg Cannistra | The Trouble with Shooting Stars |
| 2019 | Kelly Starling Lyons | Going Down Home with Daddy |
| 2018 | Carole Boston Weatherford | Shomberg: The Man Who Built a Library |
| 2017 | Ali Standish | The Ethan I Was Before |
| 2016 | Sheila Turnage | The Odds of Getting Even |
| 2015 | Frances O'Roark Dowell | Anybody Shining |
| 2014 | Joan Holub | Little Red Writing |
| 2013 | Kelly Starling Lyons | Tea Cakes for Tosh |
| 2012 | John Claude Bemis | The White City |
| 2011 | Gloria Houston | Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile |
| 2010 | John Claude Bemis | The Nine Pound Hammer |
| 2009 | Clay Carmichael | Wild Things |
| 2008 | Cathryn Sill | About Habitats: Wetlands |
| 2007 | Eleanora E. Tate | Celeste's Harlem Renaissance |
| 2006 | Joyce Moyer Hostetter | Blue |
| 2005 | Carole Boston Weatherford | Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins |
| 2004 | Blonnie Bunn Wyche | The Anchor: P. Moore Proprietor |
| 2003 | Michelle Groce | Jasper |
| 2002 | Carole Boston Weatherford | Remember the Bridge |
| 2001 | Reynolds Price | A Perfect Friend |
| 2000 | Lisa Williams Kline | Eleanor Hill |
| 1999 | Gloria Houston | Bright Freedom's Song: A Story of the UndergroundRailroad |
| 1998 | Jacqueline K. Ogburn | Jukebox Man |
| 1997 | Gloria Houston | Littlejim's Dreams: An Appalachian Christmas Story |
| 1996 | William Hooks | Freedom's Fruit |
| 1995 | Joanne and Kenn Compton | Sody Sallyratus |
| 1994 | Joanne Compton | Ashpet: An Appalachian Tale |
| 1993 | Christina Askounis | The Dream of the Stone |
| 1992 | Bill Brittain | Wings |
| 1991 | Suzanne Newton | Where Are You When I Need You? |
| 1990 | Lila Hopkins | Talking Turkey |
| 1989 | Belinda Hurmence | The Nightwalker |
| 1988 | Lila Hopkins | Eating Crow |
| 1987 | Sue Ellen Bridgers | Permanent Connections |
| 1986 | Nancy Tilly | Golden Girl |
| 1985 | Catherine Petroski | The Summer That Lasted Forever |
| 1984 | Belinda Hurmence | Tancy |
| 1983 | Glen Rounds | Wild Appaloosa |
| 1982 | Suzanne Newton | M. V. Sexton Speaking |
| 1981 | No award | |
| 1980 | Caroline B. Cooney | Safe As the Grave |
| 1979 | Suzanne Newton | Reubella and the Old Focus Home |
| 1978 | Suzanne Newton | What Are You Up To, William Thomas? |
| 1977 | Ruth White Miller | The City Rose |
| 1976 | Glen Rounds | Mr. Yowder and the Lion Roar Capsules |
| 1975 | Alexander Key | The Magic Meadow |
| 1974 | Suzanne Newton | C/O Arnold's Corners |
| 1973 | Barbara M. Parramore | The People of North Carolina |
| 1972 | No award | |
| 1971 | Suzanne Newton | Purro and the Prattleberries |
| 1970 | Mebane Holoman Burgwyn | The Crackajack Pony |
| 1969 | Mary Lina Bledsoe Gillet | Bugles at the Border |
| 1968 | Neal F. Austin | A Biography of Thomas Wolfe |
| 1967 | Glen Rounds | The Snake Tree |
| 1966 | Richard Walser and Julia Montgomery Street | North Carolina Parade: Stories of History and People |
| 1965 | Alexander Key | The Forgotten Door |
| 1964 | Randall Jarrell | The Bat-Poet |
| 1963 | Julia Montgomery Street | Dulcie's Whale |
| 1962 | Manly Wade Wellman | Rifles at Ramsour's Mill |
| 1961 | Glen Rounds | Beaver Business |
| 1960 | Jonathan Daniels | Stonewall Jackson |
| 1959 | Thelma Harrington Bell | Captain Ghost |
| 1958 | Ina B. Forbus | The Secret Circle |
| 1957 | Nell Wise Wechter | Taffy of Torpedo Junction |
| 1956 | Julia Montgomery Street | Fiddler's Fancy |
| 1955 | Ruth and Latrobe Carroll | Digby, the Only Dog |
| 1954 | Mebane Holoman Burgwyn | Penny Rose |
| 1953 | Ruth and Latrobe Carroll | Peanut |