The Lupine Award

Since 1989 the Lupine Award has been presented annually by the Youth Services Section Interest Group of the Maine Library Association.  

The Lupine Award is designed to honor a living author or illustrator who is a resident of Maine, or who has created a work whose focus is Maine, as shown through the work’s characterization, plot or setting.  An author or illustrator is considered a resident if he or she was born in this state or currently resides in Maine for all or part of the year. 

The award distinguishes one winner and one honoree in the categories of picture book and juvenile/young adult. 

The Lupine Award was inspired by beloved Maine author and artist Barbara Cooney's book Miss Rumphius,  which tells the story of the author's great aunt, who loved the sea, worked in a library, traveled the world and made it her mission to make the world a more beautiful place. 

Nominations

July, 2023: The Lupine and Katahdin Award Committee are no longer overseen by the MLA Youth Services Section. Once we have more information on the future of these awards and who to contact for nominations, we will post to this page.

List of Past Winners and Honorees