Center for Children’s Literature

The Cook Prize

Cook Prize SealPresented for the first time in 2012, the Cook Prize is named in memory of two ground breaking Bank Street educators – Don Cook of the Graduate School of Education, and Michael Cook (no relation) of the School for Children. In naming this award, Bank Street not only honors Michael and Don for their intangible contributions to the world of education, but encourages excellence in publishing informational books on STEM topics for elementary-aged children.

Our Mission

The Cook Prize honors the best science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) picture book for children aged eight to ten. It is the only national children’s choice award honoring a STEM book. The Cook Prize is administered with support from School Library Journal. The award is presented in May.

Design of the Cook Prize Seal

2026 Cook Prize Contenders

Hurricane
 Plight of the Pelican Rewriting the Rules We Carry the Sun
  • Hurricane, written and illustrated by Jason Chin (Neal Porter/Holiday House)
  • Plight of the Pelican: How Science Saved a Species by Jessica Stremer, illustrated by Gordy Wright (Holiday House)
  • Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability by Danna Zeiger, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon (Millbrook Press/Lerner)
  • We Carry the Sun by Tae Keller, illustrated by Rachel Wada (Norton)
Life After Whale book cover

2025 Cook Prize Winner

Life After Whale
Author: Lynn Brunelle
Illustrator: Jason Chin
Publisher: Neal Porter Books/Holiday House

Honor Books

  • Cactus Queen by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Jenn Ely (Calkins Creek)
  • The Iguanodon’s Horn, written and illustrated by Sean Rubin (Clarion/HarperCollins)
  • Yasmeen Lari, Green Architect: The True Story of Pakistan’s First Woman Architect by Marzieh Abbas, illustrated by Hoda Hadadi (Clarion)