The Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction have been given annually since 1992. The awards are presented every year at Worldcon or the North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC). In 2014 the awards were presented at the NASFiC, Detcon1.
The categories are:
Picture BookMiddle Grades (the Eleanor Cameron Award)Young Adult (the Hal Clement Award)There is also provision for a Special Award if a book is found to be outstanding but does not fit any of the standard categories
The Golden Duck Awards are funded by Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, Inc., a 501(c)3 corporation, which also sponsors the U.S. midwest regional science fiction convention DucKon. Winners are selected by a group of teachers, librarians, parents, high tech workers and reviewers.
The picture book award is sometimes given to a book with non-fictional science content with a story "wrapper" as well as traditional Science Fiction themes.
1992 – Time Train by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Claire Ewart1993 – June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner1994 – Richie's Rocket by Joan Anderson, photographed by George Ancona1995 – Time Flies by Eric Rohmann1996 – Insects from Outer Space by Vladimir Vagin and Frank Asch1997 – Grandpa Takes Me to the Moon by Timothy Gaffney, illustrated by Barry Root1998 – Floating Home by David Getz, illustrated by Michael Rex1999 – Noah and the Space Ark by Laura Cecil, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark2000 – Hush, Little Alien by Daniel Kirk2001 – Rex by Robert Gould and Kathleen Duey, illustrated by Eugene Epstein2002 – Baloney (Henry P.) by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith2003 – Incredible Cross-Sections of Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones by Curtis Saxton and Richard Chasemore2004 – Hazel Nutt, Mad Scientist by David Elliot, illustrated by True Kelley (Holliday House, ISBN 0-8234-1711-5)2005 – Science Verse by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith (Viking)2006 – Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery by Kevin O'Malley, illustrated by Patrick O'Brien2007 – Night of the Homework Zombies by Scott Nickel, illustrated by Steve Harpster (ISBN 9781598890358)2008 – Mars Needs Moms by Berkeley Breathed2009 – We're Off to Look for Aliens by Colin McNaughton2010 – Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky2011 – Oh No! (Or, How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat2012 – Earth to Clunk by Pam Smallcomb, illustrated by Joe Berger2013 – Oh No! Not Again!: (Or How I Built a Time Machine to Save History) (Or At Least My History Grade) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat2014 – Vader's Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown2015 – Max Goes to the Space Station by Jeffrey Bennett, illustrated by Michael CarrollThis award is given to chapter books and middle grade novels. The protagonists are science users and problem solvers. Occasionally books with fantasy elements but a science fiction theme have won.
1992 – My Teacher Glows in the Dark by Bruce Coville1993 – Weirdos of the Universe Unite! by Pamela Service1994 – Worf's First Adventure by Peter David1995 – Shape Changer by Bill Brittain1996 – Star Hatchling by Margaret Bechard1997 – Kipton and the Tower of Time by Charles L. Fontenay1998 – The Andalite Chronicles by Katherine Applegate1999 – Young Jedi Knights series by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta2000 – I Was a Sixth Grade Alien by Bruce Coville2001 – The Power of Un by Nancy Etchemendy2002 – Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars by Quentin Dodd2003 – Andrew Lost series: Andrew Lost on the Dog; Andrew Lost in the Bathroom; Andrew Lost in the Kitchen by J. C. Greenburg2004 – Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix2005 – The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion)2006 – (tie)2007 – Apers by Mark Jansen with Barbara Day Zinicola (Dailey Swan Publishing, 2006; ISBN 978-0-9773676-2-7)2008 – (tie)2009 – Lighter than Air by Henry Melton2010 – Z Rex by Steve Cole2011 – Alien Encounter by Pamela Service and Mike Gorman2012 – Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! by Hena Kahn and David Borgenicht2013 – Alien on a Rampage from the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series by Clete Barrett Smith2014 – Two books from the Galaxy Zack series: Hello, Nebulon! and Journey to Juno by Ray O'Ryan and Colin Jack2015 – Ambassador by William AlexanderThis award is named for Harry Stubbs's pen name because his high school science teaching career strongly connects him to the YA age group. The primary story elements are correct science with science fictional extrapolations and characters who solve problems on their own.
1992 – Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes1993 – River Rats by Caroline Stevermer1994 – The Giver by Lois Lowry1995 – The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer1996 – (tie)1997 – Wildside by Steven Gould1998 – Shade's Children by Garth Nix1999 – Alien Dreams by Larry Segriff2000 – The Game of Worlds by Roger McBride Allen from David Brin's Out of Time series2001 – Jumping Off the Planet by David Gerrold2002 – This Side of Paradise by Steven Layne2003 – Feed by M.T. Anderson2004 – Gunpowder Empire by Harry Turtledove (Tor Books)2005 – Balance of Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Meisha Merlin, 2004)2006 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse)2007 – Rash by Pete Hautman (Simon & Schuster, 2006; ISBN 978-0-689-86801-6)2008 – Sky Horizon by David Brin and illustrated by Scott Hampton (Subterranean Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-59606-109-5)2009 – (tie)2010 – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins2011 – WWW: Watch by Robert J. Sawyer2012 – (tie)2013 – Cinder by Marissa Meyer2014 – The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos2015 – Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell1997 Strong Female Characters – Kipton and the Android by Charles L. Fontenay (Royal Fireworks Press, 1996)1999 Australian Contribution to Children's Science Fiction – to Garth Nix2000 Promotion of Reading – Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling2003 Best Science and Technology Education – Tales from the Wonder Zone (Entire Series) by Julie E. Czerneda (Trifolium Books)2007 – Nonfiction – Write Your Own Science Fiction Story by Tish Farrell (Compass Point Books, 2006; ISBN 978-0-7565-1643-7)20082010 – Special Award Nonfiction – You Write It: Science Fiction by John Hamilton. ABDO Publishing Company.