Southern Miss Medallion, Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival (2024).
2021 Neustadt NSK Laureate (Winner of the NSK Prize for Children’s Literature)
Austin chapter of SCBWI instituted the Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentor Award (2014)
Spirit of Texas YA Author, chosen by the Texas Library Association (2012, 2013)
Illumine Award Author, chosen by the Friends of the Austin Public Library (2013)
2001 Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers Writer of the Year
for JINGLE DANCER
Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies and a Selector’s Choice for 2001
Named to the 2001 2 x 2 Reading List of twenty books recommended for children ages two through second grade by the Texas Library Association
Finalist, children’s/YA division, the Oklahoma Book Awards
Runner-up for the Storyteller Award from the Western Writers of America
Named a CCBC Choice for 2001
NEA Native American Book List
Featured in “Debuts That Deliver” (Book Magazine)
Featured title, Texas Book Festival
Featured title, GREAT BOOKS ABOUT THINGS KIDS LOVE by Kathleen Odean (Ballantine, 2001)
Editor’s Choice, Library Talk
2002 Read Across Texas Bibliography (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
Named among “Best Multicultural Children’s Books for Early Childhood Educators” (Montessori Life)
Suggested Title, Recommended Native Literature for Youth Reading Circles from American Experience: “We Shall Remain” (April 2009) from PBS.
Listed title, Talk Story: sharing stories, sharing culture: a joint project of the American Indian Library Association and the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.
Named to the Reading Is Fundamental 2011 Multicultural Books List
for RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME
Named one of the 30 Most Influential Children’s Books of All Time by Book Riot.
Dishchii’Bikoh High School Reader Award. DHS is on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona.
Smith named a Writer of the Year (Children’s Prose) by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers in recognition of the novel
Finalist, children’s/YA division, the Oklahoma Book Award
Featured title, GREAT BOOKS FOR GIRLS by Kathleen Odean (Ballantine, 2002)
Featured title, St. Petersburg Times “You Gotta Read This” Book Club
Book of the Month, Red Tales, Aboriginal Voices Radio
Recommended title, THE CHILDREN’S LITERATURE LOVER’S BOOK by Joanna Sullivan (Jossey-Bass, 2003)
Recommended title, DOES ANYBODY ELSE LOOK LIKE ME? A PARENT’S GUIDE TO RAISING MULTIRACIAL CHILDREN by Donna Jackson Nakazawa (Da Capo Press, 2004)
Recommended title, SEVEN CHOICES: FINDING DAYLIGHT AFTER LOSS SHATTERS YOUR WORLD by Elizabeth Harper Neeld (Warner Books, 2003)
Suggested Title, Recommended Native Literature for Youth Reading Circles from American Experience: “We Shall Remain” (April 2009) from PBS.
for INDIAN SHOES
Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
Planet Esme’s Don’t-Miss List for 2002
Finalist, Friends of the Austin Public Library Award/Texas Institute of Letters
2003 Best Children’s Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education
Choices 2003, Cooperative Children’s Book Center
NEA Native American Book List
2003 Chicago Public Schools Fourth Grade Recommended Reading
Featured title, Texas Book Festival
2004-2005 Children’s Crown Award List
Featured title, Read On, Wisconsin
Listed title, 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know, compiled by Ginny Moore Kruse and Kathleen T. Horning, updated by Kathleen T. Horning and Megan Schliesman (Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2001, 2006, 2010).
for SANTA KNOWS
Featured title, 2007 Kansas Book Festival
Horn Book Holiday High Notes
for TANTALIZE
Top Ten pick, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) list of 2011 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults in the “What’s Cooking?” category (“tasty reads to fill your belly and warm your soul”)
Amazon.com #1 New Release in Children’s Short Story Collections
#2 Children’s Bestseller, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma’s largest daily newspaper)
Featured Title, Tucson Festival of Books
Well-Read Native Youth Book of the Week
Dignity and Justice for All: Stories of Protest, Resistance, and Change: An Annotated Bibliography of New and Noteworthy Books for Young Readers, Published 2018 – 2021 from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
for Cynthia Leitich Smith
