Awarded to: "To be eligible for inclusion on the annual White Awards Master Lists, a book must have been first published in English in the United States, Canada or Mexico within the calendar year immediately preceding the year when the Master Lists are selected. Only books by authors who reside in the United States, Canada or Mexico are eligible for inclusion on the Master Lists. Fiction, poetry and non-fiction are eligible. Textbooks, anthologies and translations are not eligible. " Criteria considered by Book Selection Committee members in selecting titles for the Master Lists include qualities of originality and vitality, clarity, factual accuracy in the case of non-fiction, sincerity of the author and respect for the reader as well as acceptance by children. After reading two books from the master list for that grade (3rd-5th and 6th-8th), a child may vote.
Established in 1952. Sponsored by the Emporia State University.