SMART Book Award
Launched in 2000 to further inspire excitement around books and reading, the SMART Book Award is an annual activity in which SMART Reading students across Oregon vote for their favorite children’s books. Nominees for the SMART Book Award are selected each year by SMART Reading staff and volunteers. In January and February, thousands of SMART Reading students can be found busily reading the nominated books and casting votes for their favorite title. The results of this unique, child-selected book awards program are revealed annually in March.
2026 SMART Book Award Winner Announced
The votes are in and children of Oregon have spoken. Maxine Gets a Job by Alexandra Garyn and Bryan Reisberg is the winner of the 25th annual SMART Book Award. This funny and endearing story is about an adorable corgi who is inspired to find a job like her many talented friends. After trying—and failing—at many jobs like lifeguard and sled dog, she discovers that the perfect job for her is doing what she loves best.
Past SMART Book Award Winners
- 2025: The Red Jacket by Bob Holt
- 2024 – Not A Box by Antoinette Portis
- 2023 – Chalk by Bill Thomson
- 2020 – What if You Had Animal Teeth / ¿Y si tuvieras dientes de animal? by Sandra Markle
- 2019 – I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton
- 2018 – Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
- 2017 – Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
- 2016 – Who Would Win: Komodo Dragon vs. King Cobra by Jerry Pallotta (Standard) and National Geographic Readers: Safari by Gail Tuchman (PreK)
- 2015 – Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
- 2014 – Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
- 2013 – Grumpy Cat by Britta Teckentrup
- 2012 – Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
- 2011 – Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
- 2010 – How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
- 2009 – Skippyjon Jones by Judith Byron Schachner *This book has since been removed from our collection because it perpetuates racist stereotypes.
- 2008 – Bark George by Jules Feiffer
- 2007 – Silly Sally by Audrey Wood
- 2006 – Stanley’s Party written by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin
- 2005 – Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey
- 2004 – George Shrinks by William Joyce
- 2003 – A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
- 2002 – Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin
- 2001 – If You Give a Mouse a Cookie written by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond
- 2000 – The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood