An award-winning, nonprofit organization that celebrates the powerful impact books have on young people
Penguin Young Readers, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader continue their partnership for the 9th Annual Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award in honor of the late Anna Dewdney (1965-2016), author and illustrator of the beloved Llama Llama series.
All librarians, teachers, booksellers, parents/caregivers, and children’s book bloggers are encouraged to nominate up to five beloved read-together picture books favorites, published in the last five years (2020-2024) in the United States. Nominators must be 18 years of age or older.
The deadline to submit a title for consideration is February 7, 2025
Read more about the 2024 winner here
The Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award is given annually to a picture book that is both a superb read-aloud and also sparks compassion, empathy, and connection. The award commemorates the life and work of author/illustrator Anna Dewdney and celebrates her commitment to reading with young children and putting books into as many little hands as possible.
As a children’s book creator, a literacy advocate, and a parent, Dewdney believed, “A good children’s book can be read by an adult to a child, and experienced genuinely by both. A good children’s book is like a performance. Reading with children makes an intimate, human connection that teaches that child what it means to be alive as one of many beings on the planet. When we read a book with children, then children — no matter how stressed, no matter how challenged — are drawn out of themselves to bond with other human beings, and to see and feel the experiences of others. It is this moment that makes us human. In this sense, reading makes us human.” (Wall Street Journal)
The Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award, co-sponsored by Penguin Young Readers, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader, recognizes a picture book published within the last five years (2020-2024) in the United States that kids and grown-ups are currently discovering and enjoying together. The winning book will be announced in April and celebrated in a live virtual event during Children’s Book Week, the celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading, in May.
This year’s award marks the 20th anniversary of Llama Llama Red Pajama, Dewdney’s classic read-aloud picture book of bedtime care and comfort that spawned a bestselling series with over 45 million books in print, a Netflix original series, and more. To commemorate the anniversary and Anna Dewdney’s commitment to honoring the love and care shown by parents and teachers everywhere, Penguin Young Readers will publish a new picture book, Llama Llama Loves His Teacher on March 25th, and host a series of events, activities, contests, and more to help young readers celebrate the caregivers in their lives.
Anna Dewdney was the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Llama Llama Red Pajama, originally published in May 2005. She was also the author/illustrator of Little Excavator, Nobunny’s Perfect, Roly Poly Pangolin, and Grumpy Gloria. Anna worked as a rural mail carrier and taught at a boys’ boarding school for many years before becoming a full-time author and illustrator. Anna was a committed advocate of literacy, speaking regularly on this topic and publishing articles in the Wall Street Journal and other national outlets.
There are currently over 45 million Llama Llama books in print worldwide. Other books in the #1 New York Times bestselling Llama Llama series include Llama Llama Red Pajama, Llama Llama Holiday Drama, Llama Llama Misses Mama, Llama Llama Time to Share, Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa, Llama Llama Loves to Read, Llama Llama Mess Mess Mess, Llama Llama Loose Tooth Drama and several others. The latest book in the Llama Llama series, Llama Llama Loves his Teacher, publishes on March 25, 2025. Full of lush art and Anna Dewdney’s signature loving humor, this book showcases all the ways Llama Llama’s teacher helps him feel safe and seen throughout the schoolday.
Anna Dewdney’s Llama books have become a cultural touchstone, branching out to all types of media including the Netflix animated series, ‘Llama Llama’ starring Golden Globe Award-winning actress Jennifer Garner. Llama Llama Red Pajama has been adapted by Dolly Parton for a musical performed at Dollywood and was also chosen as Jumpstart’s Read for the Record book in 2011, setting the world benchmark for the most readings of a single book in one day.
Penguin Young Readers is one of the leading children’s book publishers in the United States. The company owns a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Dial Books, Dutton, Flamingo, Kokila, Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Workshop, Philomel, Puffin, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Razorbill, Viking, and Frederick Warne. These imprints are home to such award-winning, New York Times- bestselling authors as, Laurie Halse Anderson, Max Brallier, Jan Brett, Eric Carle, Roald Dahl, Anna Dewdney, John Flanagan, John Green, Oliver Jeffers, Brad Meltzer, Ransom Riggs, Ruta Sepetys, Sabaa Tahir, Jacqueline Woodson, and dozens of other popular authors. Penguin Young Readers Group is also the proud publisher of perennial brand franchises such as The Little Engine That Could, the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, Peter Rabbit, Spot, the Classic Winnie the Pooh, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Madeline, Mad Libs, the Last Kids on Earth, the Rangers Apprentice, and Who HQ among many others. Penguin Young Readers Group is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) award-winning literacy charity whose popular national programs include Children’s Book Week, the longest-running literacy initiative in the country, celebrating 106 years in 2025; Get Caught Reading, a classroom poster project; and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature program, in partnership with the Library of Congress.
