Adults - General Literature:

• Man Booker Prize: The Man Booker Prize was founded in 1969 by Booker McConnell, a multinational conglomerate company. Administered by Book Trust in the United Kingdom, this prestigious award is given to the best full-length novel written in English by a citizen of the U.K., the Commonwealth, Eire, Pakistan, or South Africa.
• National Book Awards: The National Book Awards have become the nation's preeminent literary prizes. The Awards are given to recognize achievements in four genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature.
• National Book Critics Circle Awards: The National Book Critics Circle, founded in 1974, consists of nearly 700 active book reviewers who are interested in honoring quality writing and communicating with one another about common concerns.
• Nobel Prize for Literature: The very first Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the French poet and philosopher Sully Prudhomme, who in his poetry showed the "rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect". During the years, the Nobel Prize in Literature has distinguished the works of authors from many different languages and cultural backgrounds. It has been awarded to unknown masters as well as authors acclaimed worldwide.
• Pulitzer Prize: Named after Hungarian newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, this award honors books which address the largest themes in life, the raw passion and tragedy of the human condition.
• Great Lakes Book Awards: Founded in 1995, the Great Lakes Book Awards annually honor the year’s brightest and most deserving books about America’s heartland. Established by the Great Lakes Booksellers Association, the purpose of the awards is to recognize and reward excellence in the writing and publishing of books that capture the spirit and enhance awareness of the Great Lakes region.

Adults - Mystery:

• The Edgar Awards: Named after mystery writer extraordinaire Edgar Allan Poe, the Edgar Awards recognize the best of the best in the field of mystery writing each year. Awarded by the Mystery Writers of America, the multi-categorical Edgar has become the earmark of the mystery field in American literature.

Adults - Romance:

• The RITA Awards: Awarded annually by the Romance Writers of America , the RITA Awards recognize the year’s most prominent published romance writers according to a panel of five judges. Presented in several different categories, the RITAs are the leading markers in the romance writing industry.

Adults - Science Fiction:

• The Hugo Awards: Named in honor of Hugo Gernsback, the once proclaimed “Father of Magazine Science Fiction,” the Hugo Awards recognize each year the top writers in the field of science fiction. Also known as The Science Fiction Achievement Award, The Hugo is presented annually in several different categories by The World Science Fiction Society.
• The Nebula Awards: Awarded annually by The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Nebula Awards recognize the best and brightest of the newest generation of science fiction writers in the United States.

Children:

• Newbery Medal: The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
• Caldecott Medal: The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
• Great Lakes Book Awards: The Great Lakes Great Books Award is given annually to five books chosen by Michigan students in grades K-12. Books are nominated by students, teachers, librarians, publishers, and others interested in excellent quality books for children and teens. Students read the books nominated for their grade level and vote for their favorite.

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