What do Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado by Marc Aronson, Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet, Fry Bread by Kevin Maillard and Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa by Sara Andrea Fajardo all have in common? They are all Sibert Medal winners! 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, IL and administered by ALSC.
As chair of the 25th Anniversary Task Force, I have the honor to work with a group of creative and knowledgeable public and school librarians, all of whom have served on the Sibert committee, and who are fully committed to not only selecting and promoting excellence in informational books for youth, but in spreading the word that Nonfiction Rocks! No longer is the nonfiction section filled with titles only used for school reports; informational texts now engage readers through lively and sometimes humorous storytelling, using a variety of formats, illustration styles, and approaches, all in the name of increasing knowledge, curiosity, and understanding of the world around us. Now more than ever we need to promote critical thinking and evaluative skills in the children we serve.
Registration is now open for our preconference at ALA Annual in Chicago on Friday, June 26, 1- 4 pm. “Deep Dive into Discovery: Celebrating 25 Years of the Sibert Medal”, is set to stimulate excitement surrounding the literature of fact. Attendees will learn more about the history of the Sibert and how previous awardees have shaped the field’s understanding of excellence in children’s nonfiction, and presenters will be joined by Sibert medalists, honorees, and book editors to discuss the state of excellence in children’s nonfiction.
Other celebrations of the Sibert Medal include upcoming theme issues of Children and Libraries and Horn Book, a Sibert Medal website featuring programming ideas and other ways to promote nonfiction reading, culminating at the ALSC National Institute in Buffalo, NY, October 1-3 with more programs to excite and inform.
And no celebration is complete without some Sibert swag! Check out these special edition shirts, mugs, stickers, and more and show your Sibert Pride!
Judy Ehrenstein is children’s librarian in Montgomery County, MD and the chair of the Sibert
25th Anniversary Task Force.