The OTTER Award

2026 OTTER Award Nominees Book Covers

Announcing the 2026 WLA OTTER Award Nominees

The OTTER Award – Our Time To Enjoy Reading – is sponsored by the Washington Library Association: School Libraries Division. Established in 2015, the committee is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 nominated titles.

Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple by Liz Garton Scanlon Bailey, illustrated by Dung Ho (Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House)

First Day, Worst Day (The Very Worst Ever, Book 1) by Andy Nonamus, illustrated by Amy Jindra (Little Simon / Simon & Schuster)

Orris and Timble: The Beginning By Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok (Candlewick)

Shermy & Shake, the Not-So-Nice Neighbor by Kirby Larson, illustrated by Shinja Fujioka (Candlewick)

Welcome to Scare School (Scare School Diaries 1) by Jarrett Lerner (Aladdin / Simon & Schuster)

Wildfire Rescue: A Branches Book (Disaster Squad #1) by Rekha S. Rajan, illustrated by Courtney Lovett (Scholastic)

Check out the new resources for 2025 OTTER books from our colleagues at the Sno-Isle library!

Educator's Guides and Links

Voting Open for the 2025 OTTER Award!

WLA's OTTER Award committee is excited to announce the 2024-2025 OTTER Award nominees!

Henry, Like Always by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song (Chronicle Kids / Chronicle Books)
King of the Ice (Miles Lewis, book 1) by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Wayne Spencer (Penguin Workshop / Penguin Young Readers)
Officer Clawsome: Lobster Cop by Brian “Smitty” Smith, illustrated by Chris Giarrusso (HarperAlley / HarperCollins)
Teeny Houdini #1: The Disappearing Act by Katrina Moore West, illustrated by Zoe Si (Katherine Tegen Books / HarperCollins)
The Skull by Jon Klassen (Candlewick)
The Story of Gumluck the Wizard by Adam Rex (Chronicle Kids / Chronicle Books)