The Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists are designed to encourage good science fiction literature for children. Science fiction books use (future) science and technology rather than fantasy or magic. The Lists will be announced every year at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.
The purpose of the Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists is to identify Science Fiction books that have the most interest and appeal to three age groups:
- Picture books for preschool and early readers, ages up to 6 years old (Golden Duck List);
- Illustrated chapter books or short novels for grade school students, ages 7—11 (Eleanor Cameron List);
- YA books for teens, ages 12—18 (Hal Clement List).
Charge
The Core Committee Recognizing Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction is charged with selecting, annotating, and presenting for publication annually a list of notable children’s science fiction books of the preceding calendar year. The Committee reads extensively during the year and at the ALA Midwinter Meeting announces the Lists of those titles they believe to be notable. The Lists are intended to assist children, their parents and librarians in selecting books to read and to encourage them to seek out those that are considered notable among the many books available in bookstores and libraries. While it is not expected that every library of all sizes and types will necessarily select all of the books listed, it is hoped that children will find these books to be accessible.
The Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists being supported by ALA Core is a continuation of the Golden Duck Awards given annually from 1992-2016.
Administered by:
The Core Committee Recognizing Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction
About Core:
Core is a new division on the American Library Association created in 2020 with the merger of three other divisions: LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS. Until this year the notables lists have been administered under LITA.
Core members play a central role in every library, shaping the future of the profession by striking a balance between maintenance and innovation, process and progress, collaborating and leading. Core cultivates and amplifies the collective expertise of library workers in core functions through community building, advocacy, and learning. It is the leading organization that supports librarians and library workers in the areas of access and equity, assessment, buildings and operations, leadership and management, metadata and collections, and technology.