2026 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

The 2026 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction went to María Dolores Águila for A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez, published by Roaring Brook Press. The award names a single winner each year and no honor books. The selection committee, chaired by Mary Ann Stahr of the Kent State School of Information, singled out the novel, which is written in verse, for bringing an overlooked part of American history to young readers with care and historical accuracy. Kent State University's Reinberger Children's Library Center, which has administered the award since 2022, announced the winner on January 21, 2026. The prize carries $5,000 for the author.