The Children's Literature Legacy Award (formerly the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal or Wilder Award) is a prize awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to writers or illustrators of children's books published in the United States who have, over a period of years, made substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature. The bronze medal prize was originally named after its first winner, twentieth-century American author Laura Ingalls Wilder, before being renamed in 2018.
Originally, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal was awarded every five years, awarding six prizes between 1955 and 1980. From 1980 to 2001 it was awarded every three years, awarding seven prizes. From 2001 to 2015 it was awarded every two years. It is now awarded annually. The most recent author to receive the award was Candace Fleming in 2026.
Criteria The medal may be awarded to an author or illustrator including co-authors or co-illustrators, and persons who both write and illustrate. The person may be nominated posthumously. Some portion of the nominee's active career in books for children must have occurred in the twenty-five years prior to nomination. Citizenship or residence of the potential nominee is not to be considered. The nominee's work must be published in the United States but this does not mean that the first publication had to be in the United States. Books by the nominee that have been published in the United States are to be considered in the nomination process. Some of the books by the potential nominee must have been available to children for at least ten years. The books, by their nature or number, occupy an important place in literature for American children, and children have read the books, and the books continue to be requested and read by children. The committee is to direct its attention only to the part of the nominee's total work that is books for children (up to and including age fourteen).
Renaming In February 2018, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), the division of ALA that administers the award, announced a taskforce which re-examined the naming of the award and included representation from the American Indian Library Association (AILA). The task force was convened because of criticism of Wilder's depictions of Native and African Americans. A recommendation to rename the award was made on June 23, 2018. The ALSC board found Wilder's body of work "includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC's core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness." The award's name was officially changed to the "Children's Literature Legacy Award."
Recipients + Children's Literature Legacy Award winnersYearAuthor2026Candace Fleming2025Carole Boston Weatherford2024Pam Muñoz Ryan 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2013 2011 2009 2007 2005 2003 2001 1998 1995 1992 1989 1986 1983 1980 (Dr. Seuss)1975 1970 1965 1960 1954
See also
List of ALA awards Caldecott Medal Newbery Medal Margaret A. Edwards Award
References