TheGold Shelf

History and real people books for ages 3 to 5

59 award-winning books for ages 3 to 5. True stories, biographies and novels set in the past.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals317Adventure19Fantasy and magic77Funny books213Family152Friendship72History and real people59Nature and science129Folktales and fairy tales130Poetry and rhyme103Feelings and big moments84Bedtime62First chapter books76

59 books

Cover of Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the MountainsHonor2025Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the MountainsYuko Shimizu2025 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of There Was a Party for LangstonHonor2024There Was a Party for LangstonJerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey2024 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Cat Man of AleppoHonor2021The Cat Man of AleppoIrene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha2021 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of When Spring Comes to the DMZHonor2020When Spring Comes to the DMZLee Uk-bae2020 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Hello LighthouseWinner2019Hello LighthouseSophie Blackall2019 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of As Time Went ByHonor2017As Time Went ByJosé Sanabria2017 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Freedom in Congo SquareHonor2017Freedom in Congo SquareR. Gregory Christie2017 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel BasquiatWinner2017Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel BasquiatJavaka Steptoe2017 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of When We Were AloneWinner2017When We Were AloneDavid Robertson2017 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous BearWinner2016Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous BearLindsay Mattick2016 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Trombone ShortyHonor2016Trombone ShortyTroy Andrews2016 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract ArtHonor2015The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract ArtMary GrandPré2015 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Viva FridaHonor2015Viva FridaYuyi Morales2015 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of LocomotiveWinner2014LocomotiveBrian Floca2014 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Tom the Outback MailmanWinner2013Tom the Outback MailmanKristin Weidenbach2013 Eve Pownall Award winnerCover of Me... JaneHonor2012Me... JanePatrick McDonnell2012 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos WilliamsHonor2009A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos WilliamsJennifer Bryant2009 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of How I Learned GeographyHonor2009How I Learned GeographyUri Shulevitz2009 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground RailroadHonor2008Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground RailroadKadir Nelson2008 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to FreedomHonor2007Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to FreedomCarole Boston Weatherford2007 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon RideHonor2006Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon RideMarjorie Priceman2006 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of RosaHonor2006RosaBryan Collier2006 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Show WayHonor2006Show WayJacqueline Woodson2006 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Coming on Home SoonHonor2005Coming on Home SoonJacqueline Woodson2005 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Man Who Walked Between the TowersWinner2004The Man Who Walked Between the TowersMordicai Gerstein2004 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of In Flanders FieldsWinner2003In Flanders FieldsNorman Jorgensen2003 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Martin's Big Words: the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Honor2002Martin's Big Words: the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Doreen Rappaport2002 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse HawkinsHonor2002The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse HawkinsBarbara Kerley2002 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His OrchestraHonor1999Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His OrchestraBrian Pinkney1999 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Snowflake BentleyWinner1999Snowflake BentleyJacqueline Briggs Martin1999 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Starry MessengerHonor1997Starry MessengerPeter Sís1997 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of When Jessie Came Across the SeaWinner1997When Jessie Came Across the SeaAmy Hest1997 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Grandfather's JourneyWinner1994Grandfather's JourneyAllen Say1994 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Josepha: A Prairie Boy's StoryWinner1994Josepha: A Prairie Boy's StoryJim McGugan1994 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Peppe the LamplighterHonor1994Peppe the LamplighterElisa Bartone1994 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis BleriotWinner1984The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis BleriotAlice and Martin Provensen1984 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Ox-Cart ManWinner1980Ox-Cart ManDonald Hall1980 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet BookHonor1975Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet BookMuriel L. Feelings1975 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Moja Means One: Swahili Counting BookHonor1972Moja Means One: Swahili Counting BookTom Feelings1972 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Thanksgiving StoryHonor1955The Thanksgiving StoryAlice Dalgliesh1955 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of An American ABCHonor1942An American ABCMaud and Miska Petersham1942 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of In My Mother's HouseHonor1942In My Mother's HouseVelino Herrera1942 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Abraham LincolnWinner1940Abraham LincolnIngri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire1940 Caldecott Medal winnerSorry DayCoral VassWinner2019Sorry DayCoral Vass2019 Eve Pownall Award winnerDave the Potter: Artist, Poet, SlaveBryan CollierHonor2011Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, SlaveBryan Collier2011 Caldecott Medal Honor BookThe GardenerDavid SmallHonor1998The Gardenerillustrated by David Small1998 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The DamShortlist2020The DamDavid Almond2020 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of AfricvilleFinalist2018AfricvilleShauntay Grant2018 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The JourneyShortlist2017The JourneyFrancesca Sanna2017 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Shin-chi's CanoeFinalist2008Shin-chi's CanoeNicola I. Campbell2008 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Marja's SkisFinalist2007Marja's SkisJean E. Pendziwol2007 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Let's Go for a RideFinalist2006Let's Go for a RideMaxwell Newhouse2006 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Pa's HarvestFinalist2000Pa's HarvestJan Andrews2000 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of TessFinalist1995TessHazel Hutchins1995 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of A Gift from Saint FrancisFinalist1989A Gift from Saint FrancisJoanna Cole1989 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistFreedom BraidsMonique DuncanShortlist2026Freedom BraidsMonique Duncan2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedkā-āciwīkicik / The MoveDoris George and Don K. PhilpotFinalist2022kā-āciwīkicik / The MoveDoris George and Don K. Philpot2022 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistThe Library BusBahram RahmanFinalist2021The Library BusBahram Rahman2021 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistThe Day War CameNicola DaviesShortlist2019The Day War CameNicola Davies2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted