Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers

{{Short description|Annual literary award}}

{{Infobox award

|name = Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers

|image =

|image_upright =

|caption =

|alt =

|awarded_for = Best Publication for Early Readers

|presenter =

|country = United States

|year = 2012

|holder_label = Most recent winner (2021)

|holder = Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

(2020)

|website = {{URL|https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards-current-info}}

}}

The Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers is an award for "creative achievement" in American comic books for early readers.

Name change

From 2012 to 2015 the award was appended with "up to age 7" and from 2016 to 2019 it was appended with "up to age 8". For the 2020 awards the age designation was dropped.

Winners and nominees

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"

! Year

! Title

! Authors

!Publisher

!Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2012

|Dragon Puncher Island

|{{sort|Kochalka|James Kochalka}}

|Top Shelf Productions

|Winner

|{{cite news |title=Eisner Award Recipients 2010-Present |work=San Diego Comic-Con International |url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present |access-date=2020-08-04 |archive-date=2014-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213024118/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present |url-status=live }}

Beauty and the Squat Bears

|{{sort|Bravo|Émile Bravo}}

|Yen Press

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |{{Cite web |date=2012-04-04 |title=Nominees Announced For 2012 Eisner Awards |url=https://www.cbr.com/nominees-announced-for-2012-eisner-awards/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=CBR |language=en |archive-date=2019-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117122300/https://www.cbr.com/nominees-announced-for-2012-eisner-awards/ |url-status=live }}

Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking

|{{sort|Coudray|Philippe Coudray}}

|Candlewick Press/Toon Books

Nursery Rhyme Comics

|{{sort|Duffy|Chris Duffy}} (ed)

|First Second Books

Patrick in a Teddy Bear's Picnic

|{{sort|Hayes|Geoffrey Hayes}}

|Candlewick Press/Toon Books

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2013

|Babymouse for President

|{{sort|Holm, Jennifer L.

|Jennifer L. Holm}} and Matthew Holm

|Random House

|Winner

|

Benny and Penny in Lights Out

|{{sort|Hayes|Geoffrey Hayes}}

|Candlewick Press/Toon Books

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |{{Cite web |date=2013-04-16 |title=2013 Eisner Award Nominees Announced |url=https://www.cbr.com/2013-eisner-award-nominees-announced/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=CBR |language=en |archive-date=2016-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024224455/https://www.cbr.com/2013-eisner-award-nominees-announced/ |url-status=live }}

Kitty & Dino

|{{sort|Richard|Sara Richard}}

|Yen Press/Hachette Book Group

Maya Makes a Mess

|{{sort|Modan|Rutu Modan}}

|Candlewick Press/Toon Books

Zig and Wikki in The Cow

|{{sort|Spiegelman|Nadja Spiegelman}} and Trade Loeffler

|Candlewick Press/Toon Books

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2014

|Itty Bitty Hellboy

|{{sort|Baltazar, Art|Art Baltazar}} and Franco

|Dark Horse Comics

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Andrew |date=2014-07-26 |title=2014 Eisner Awards: Full List Of Winners And Nominees |url=https://comicsalliance.com/2014-eisner-awards-full-list-of-winners-and-nominees/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=ComicsAlliance |language=en |archive-date=2020-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905050508/https://comicsalliance.com/2014-eisner-awards-full-list-of-winners-and-nominees/ |url-status=live }}

Benjamin Bear in Bright Ideas

|{{sort|Coudray|Philippe Coudray}}

|Toon Books

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |

{{sort|Big Wet Balloon|The Big Wet Balloon}}

|{{sort|Liniers|Liniers}}

|Toon Books

Odd Duck

|{{sort|Castellucci|Cecil Castellucci}} and Sara Varon

|First Second Books

Otto's Backwards Day

|{{sort|Cammuso|Frank Cammuso}} with Jay Lynch

|Toon Books

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2015

|{{sort|Zoo Box|The Zoo Box}}

|{{sort|Cohn|Ariel Cohn}} and Aron Nels Steinke

|First Second Books

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Asselin |first=Janelle |date=2015-04-22 |title=2015 Eisner Award Nominations Announced |url=https://comicsalliance.com/2015-eisner-award-nominations/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=ComicsAlliance |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203014611/https://comicsalliance.com/2015-eisner-award-nominations/ |url-status=live }}

BirdCatDog

|{{sort|Nordling|Lee Nordling}} and Meritxell Bosch

|Lerner Publishing Group/Graphic Universe

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |

{{sort|Cat Named Tim And Other Stories|A Cat Named Tim And Other Stories}}

|{{sort|Martz|John Martz}}

|Koyama Press

Hello Kitty, Hello 40: A Celebration in 40 Stories

|{{sort|Todd|Traci N. Todd}} and Elizabeth Kawasaki (eds)

|Viz Media

Mermin, Book 3: Deep Dives

|{{sort|Weiser|Joey Weiser}}

|Oni Press

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2016

|Little Robot

|{{sort|Hatke|Ben Hatke}}

|First Second Books

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Luke |date=2016-07-23 |title=28th Eisner Awards: The Complete Winners and Nominees |url=https://comicsalliance.com/eisner-winners-2016/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=ComicsAlliance |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013024855/https://comicsalliance.com/eisner-winners-2016/ |url-status=live }}

Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosion

|{{sort|Roques|Dominque Roques}} and Alexis Dormal

|First Second Books

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |{{Cite web |last=Whitbrook |first=James |date=2016-04-19 |title=Here Are Your 2016 Eisner Award Nominees |url=https://gizmodo.com/here-are-your-2016-eisner-award-nominees-1771833829 |access-date=2023-06-17 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}

{{sort|Only Child|The Only Child}}

|Guojing

|Schwartz & Wade

SheHeWe

|{{sort|Nordling|Lee Nordling}} and Meritxell Bosch

|Lerner Publishing Group/Graphic Universe

Written and Drawn by Henrietta

|{{sort|Liniers|Liniers}}

|Toon Books

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2017

|Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

|{{sort|Clanton|Ben Clanton}}

|Tundra Books

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Lovett |first=Jamie |date=2017-11-09 |title=Here Are Your 2017 Eisner Awards Winners |url=https://comicbook.com/comics/news/eisner-awards-winners-2017/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Comic Book |language=en |archive-date=2022-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121190000/https://comicbook.com/comics/news/eisner-awards-winners-2017/ |url-status=live }}

Ape and Armadillo Take Over the World

|{{sort|Sturm|James Sturm}}

|Toon Books

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |

Burt's Way Home

|{{sort|Martz|John Martz}}

|Koyama Press

{{sort|Creeps, Book 2: The Trolls Will Feast!|The Creeps, Book 2: The Trolls Will Feast!}}

|{{sort|Schweizer|Chris Schweizer}}

|Abrams Books

I'm Grumpy

|{{sort|Holm|Jennifer L. Holm}} and Matthew Holm

|Random House

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2018

|Good Night, Planet

|Liniers

|Toon Books

|Winner

|

Adele in Sand Land

|{{sort|Ponti|Claude Ponti}}, trans. by Skeeter Grant and Françoise Mouly

|Toon Books

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |{{Cite web |last=Ridgely |first=Charlie |date=2018-04-26 |title=Complete List of 2018 Eisner Award Nominees Announced |url=https://comicbook.com/comics/news/2018-eisner-award-nominations-announced/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Comics |language=en |archive-date=2021-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609220127/https://comicbook.com/comics/news/2018-eisner-award-nominations-announced/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Whitbrook |first=James |date=2018-04-26 |title=Here Are Your 2018 Eisner Award Nominees |url=https://gizmodo.com/here-are-your-2018-eisner-award-nominees-1825577372 |access-date=2023-06-17 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}

Arthur and the Golden Rope

|{{sort|Todd-Stanton|Joe Todd-Stanton}}

|Flying Eye Books/Nobrow Press

Egg

|{{sort|Henkes|Kevin Henkes}}

|Greenwillow Books

Little Tails in the Savannah

|{{sort|Brrémaud|Frederic Brrémaud}} and Federico Bertolucci, trans. by Mike Kennedy

|Lion Forge Comics/Magnetic Press

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" scope="row" |2019

|Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer

|{{sort|Kochalka|James Kochalka}}

|Top Shelf Productions/IDW Publishing

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=2019-07-20 |title=Eisner Awards: The Complete Winners List |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2019-eisner-awards-complete-winners-list-1225835/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227104839/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2019-eisner-awards-complete-winners-list-1225835/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Bolles |first=Dan |date=2019-07-23 |title=James Kochalka Wins Eisner Award for 'Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer' |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/LiveCulture/archives/2019/07/23/james-kochalka-wins-eisner-award-for-johnny-boo-and-the-ice-cream-computer |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Seven Days |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525125941/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/LiveCulture/archives/2019/07/23/james-kochalka-wins-eisner-award-for-johnny-boo-and-the-ice-cream-computer |url-status=live }}

Petals

|{{sort|Borges|Gustavo Borges}}

|KaBOOM!

|rowspan="4"|Nominee

| rowspan="4" |{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=2019-04-26 |title=Eisner Award Nominees Revealed |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/2019-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1205156/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726051950/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/2019-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1205156/ |url-status=live }}

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths

|{{sort|Annable|Graham Annable}}

|First Second Books

This is a Taco!

|{{sort|Cangelose|Andrew Cangelose}} and Josh Shipley

|CubHouse/Lion Forge Comics

Tiger vs. Nightmare!

|{{sort|Tetri|Emily Tetri}}

|First Second Books

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" scope="row" |2020

|Comics: Easy as ABC

|{{sort|Brunetti|Ivan Brunetti}}

|Toon Books

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Grunenwald |first=Joe |date=2020-07-25 |title=SDCC ’20: The 2020 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award winners |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-20-eisner-award-winners-2020/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Beat |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403123803/https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-20-eisner-award-winners-2020/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Calvin |date=2020-07-27 |title=Walden, Takei, Telgemeier, Tamaki Win 2020 Eisner Awards |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/83966-walden-takei-telgemeier-tamaki-win-2020-eisner-awards.html |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202190312/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/83966-walden-takei-telgemeier-tamaki-win-2020-eisner-awards.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Tessa |first= |title=The 2020 Eisner Award Winners |url=https://www.carnegielibrary.org/staff-picks/the-2020-eisner-award-winners/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321003658/https://www.carnegielibrary.org/staff-picks/the-2020-eisner-award-winners/ |url-status=live }}

Kitten Construction Company: A Bridge Too Fur

|{{sort|Green|John Patrick Green}}

|First Second Books/Macmillan Publishers

|rowspan="5"|Nominee

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=2020-06-04 |title=2020 Eisner Nominees: The Complete List |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2020-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1297196/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103024421/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2020-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1297196/ |url-status=live }}

{{sort|Pigeon HAS to Go to School!|The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!}}

|{{sort|Willems|Mo Willems}}

|Hyperion Books

{{sort|Trip to the Top of the Volcano with Mouse|A Trip to the Top of the Volcano with Mouse}}

|{{sort|Viva|Frank Viva}}

|Toon Books

¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market

|{{sort|Raúl the Third|Raúl the Third}}

|Versify/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Who Wet My Pants?

|{{sort|Shea|Bob Shea}} and Zachariah Ohora

|Little, Brown

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" scope="row"|2021

|Our Little Kitchen

|{{sort|Tamaki|Jillian Tamaki}}

|Abrams Books for Young Readers

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Grunenwald |first=Joe |date=2021-07-24 |title=ComicCon@Home ’21: The 2021 Eisner Award winners |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/comicconhome-21-the-2021-eisner-award-winners/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Beat |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103150729/https://www.comicsbeat.com/comicconhome-21-the-2021-eisner-award-winners/ |url-status=live }}

{{sort|Bear|Bear}}

|{{sort|Queen|Ben Queen}} and Joe Todd-Stanton

|Archaia Entertainment/Boom! Studios

|rowspan="5"|Nominee

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Spencer |date=2021-06-09 |title=2021 Eisner Award Nominees Revealed, Image and Fantagraphics Lead With Most Nominations |url=https://comicbook.com/comics/news/2021-eisner-award-nominees-revealed-image-comics/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Comics |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326063835/https://comicbook.com/comics/news/2021-eisner-award-nominees-revealed-image-comics/ |url-status=live }}

Cat Kid Comic Club

|{{sort|Pilkey|Dav Pilkey}}

|Scholastic Graphix

Donut Feed the Squirrels

|{{sort|Song|Mika Song}}

|Random House Graphic/Random House Children's Books

Kodi

|{{sort|Cullum|Jared Cullum}}

|Top Shelf Productions

Lift

|{{sort|Lê|Minh Lê}} and Dan Santat

|Little, Brown Young Readers

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="5" |2022

|Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis

|{{Sortname|Julie and Stan|Sakai}}

|IDW Publishing

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Rebecca Oliver |date=2022-07-23 |title=SDCC ’22: 2022 Eisner Award winners, top moments, and more! |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-22-2022-eisner-award-winners-top-moments-and-more/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Beat |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010160950/https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-22-2022-eisner-award-winners-top-moments-and-more/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Babb |first=Tiffany |date=2022-07-23 |title=The winners of the 2022 Eisner Awards are... |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/eisner-awards-will-comic-book-industry-winners-2022 |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325075734/https://www.thepopverse.com/eisner-awards-will-comic-book-industry-winners-2022 |url-status=live }}

Join the Crow Crowd!

|{{Sortname|Elise|Gravel}}

|HarperAlley

| rowspan="4" |Nominee

| rowspan="4" |

I Am Oprah Winfrey

|{{Sortname|Brad|Meltzer}} and Christopher Eliopoulos

|Dial Books for Young Readers

Monster Friends

|{{Sortname|Kaeti|Vandorn}}

|Random House Graphic

Tiny Tales: Shell Quest

|{{Sortname|Steph|Waldo}}

|HarperAlley

rowspan="5" |2023

|Beneath The Trees: A Fine Summer

|Dav

|Magnetic Press

| rowspan="5" |Nominee

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2023-05-17 |title=2023 Eisner Awards Nominations announced; Thorogood, Woodruff and King lead |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/2023-eisner-awards-nominations-announced/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Beat |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603224744/https://www.comicsbeat.com/2023-eisner-awards-nominations-announced/ |url-status=live }}

Fox + Chick: Up and Down: and Other Stories

|{{Sortname|Sergio|Ruzzier}}

|Chronicle Books

Grumpy Monkey Who Threw That?

|{{Sortname|Suzanne|Lang}} and Max Lang

|Random House Studio

Hey, Bruce!: An Interactive Book

|{{Sortname|Ryan T.|Higgins}}

|Disney/Hyperion

{{Sort|Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster!|The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster!}}

|{{Sortname|Mo|Willems}}

|Union Square Kids

References

{{reflist}}