FAQs

• The Nutmeg Book Award encourages children in grades 2-12 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles.

• We have four divisions: Elementary (grades 2-3); Intermediate (grades 4-6); Middle School (grades 7-8); and High School (grades 9-12)

• Jointly sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) and the Connecticut Association of School Librarians (CASL), the Nutmeg Committee is comprised of children's librarians and school library media specialists who are members of our sponsoring organizations.  

• Our By-Laws

All books nominated for the Nutmeg Intermediate, Middle School, and High School Awards must be

• works of fiction, with appeal for readers in grades 4-6 or 7-8 or 9-12; 

• must be copyrighted in the United States within the five (5) years preceding and including the year of the award;

• currently in print, and available in paperback; 

• well-written, with strong characterization, vivid setting, striking language, a well-constructed plot, and plausible conclusion.  

All books nominated for the Nutmeg Elementary award must be: 

• works of fiction or narrative nonfiction, with appeal for readers in grades 2-3; 

• able to be read or enjoyed by readers in grades 2-3; 

• must be copyrighted in the United States within the five (5) years preceding and including the year of the award; 

• currently in print; and available in paperback;

• written with a well-constructed plot, strong characterization, striking language, vivid setting, diverse genres, characters, plots, & authors, and defined story structure where the main plot is resolved.

The following books will not be considered: 

Reprints, reissues, and other editions of earlier published works; series books (to be defined as either a group of 10 or more titles under the same series name and/or books written under a collective author or publisher imprint.  Questions about this designation are to be decided by the Selection Chair and/or Selection Committee. The decisions of the Selection Committee are final.); wordless books; e-book only titles; books not generally available for purchase to school and libraries through book vendors; single outlet books (available from only one source); books without a favorable review in SLJ, Kirkus, Hornbook, Booklist, or the Bulletin for the Center on Children's Books; and self published books unless they have been reviewed in more than one review journal (see above) and can be purchased through multiple book vendors. The list will consist of 10 titles for all committees beginning 2026 (15 titles for Elementary committee prior to 2026), no more than half of which may be nonfiction. 

Please make sure that the title meets all of the specifications listed above and then click HERE to submit your suggestion.   

The new nominees will be announced on or by March 15. This will NOT be a secret announcement but a soft announcement for anyone who may needs the lists to prepare for when students start to read these books on May 1.  Students read the nominees from May through April, voting in their school or public library for their favorite title by April 30th.  On or about May 15th the winning titles are announced.

For more information see our Timeline.

As a thank you to them, only sponsors receive the top-secret nominee lists in February.  Connecticut Librarians will be notified through our soft announcement in March. Our official announcement will occur in May.

Participation in the Nutmeg Book Award voting is free, and there is no need to pre-register.

Students in grades 2-12 vote for their favorite title by official Nutmeg Book Award ballot in April at either their school or public library.  Each institution may set up the voting as it sees fit, via ballot box or some other means.  Many schools and libraries have parties, special events, or other Nutmeg celebrations during April.  Each student may vote only once.  Public and school librarians then submit their institution's ballot tallies electronically by April 30th. Official Nutmeg ballots and the links for electronic submission of tallies are posted on this website in April.  

Consider serving on a book selection committee, or one of our other committees.  Nutmeg Book Award committees typically meet 2-4 times per year. Serving on most Nutmeg committees does not require a great time commitment, but is very important to the functioning of the Nutmeg Book Award.  Book selection committees require the largest time commitment.  See our Participation page for more details.  

Visit our Promotional Materials page.