| 2024 |
Vashti Harrison — Big |
| 2023 |
Doug Salati — Hot Dog |
| 2021 |
Michaela Goade |
| 2020 |
Kadir Nelson |
| 2019 |
Sophie Blackall — Hello Lighthouse |
| 2018 |
Matthew Cordell — Wolf in the Snow |
| 2017 |
Javaka Steptoe — Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat |
| 2016 |
Sophie Blackall |
| 2015 |
Dan Santat — The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend |
| 2014 |
Brian Floca — Locomotive |
| 2013 |
Jon Klassen — This is Not My Hat |
| 2012 |
Chris Raschka — A Ball for Daisy |
| 2011 |
Erin E. Stead — A Sick Day for Amos McGee |
| 2010 |
Jerry Pinkney — The Lion & the Mouse |
| 2008 |
Brian Selznick — The Invention of Hugo Cabret |
| 2007 |
David Wiesner — Flotsam |
| 2005 |
Kevin Henkes — Kitten's First Full Moon |
| 2004 |
Mordicai Gerstein — The Man Who Walked Between the Towers |
| 2003 |
Eric Rohmann — My Friend Rabbit |
| 2002 |
David Wiesner — The Three Pigs |
| 2000 |
Simms Taback — Joseph Had a Little Overcoat |
| 1998 |
Paul O. Zelinsky — Rapunzel |
| 1997 |
David Wisniewski — Golem |
| 1996 |
Peggy Rathmann — Officer Buckle and Gloria |
| 1994 |
Allen Say — Grandfather's Journey |
| 1993 |
Emily Arnold McCully — Mirette on the High Wire |
| 1991 |
David Macaulay — Black and White |
| 1990 |
Ed Young — Lon Po Po |
| 1986 |
Chris Van Allsburg — The Polar Express |
| 1983 |
Marcia Brown — Shadow |
| 1982 |
Chris Van Allsburg — Jumanji |
| 1981 |
Arnold Lobel — Fables |
| 1979 |
Paul Goble — The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses |
| 1978 |
Peter Spier — Noah's Ark |
| 1975 |
Gerald McDermott — Arrow to the Sun |
| 1974 |
Margot Zemach — Duffy and the Devil |
| 1972 |
Nonny Hogrogian — One Fine Day |
| 1971 |
Gail E. Haley — A Story a Story |
| 1970 |
William Steig — Sylvester and the Magic Pebble |
| 1967 |
Evaline Ness — Sam, Bangs and Moonshine |
| 1964 |
Maurice Sendak — Where the Wild Things Are |
| 1962 |
Marcia Brown — Once a Mouse |
| 1960 |
Marie Hall Ets — Nine Days to Christmas |
| 1959 |
Barbara Cooney — Chanticleer and the Fox |
| 1958 |
Robert McCloskey — Time of Wonder |
| 1957 |
Marc Simont |
| 1955 |
Marcia Brown — Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper |
| 1951 |
Katherine Milhous — The Egg Tree |
| 1943 |
Virginia Lee Burton — The Little House |
| 1941 |
Robert Lawson — They Were Strong and Good |