Penn State University Libraries and the Pennsylvania Center for the Book have announced the winner of the 2026 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. This award recognizes an American poet or anthologist for the best new children's poetry book published the previous year. The award this year goes to "The Poet and the Bees: A Story of the Seasons Sylvia Plath Kept Bees," authored by Amy Novesky, illustrated by Jessica Love, and published by Viking Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.
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Judges commended "The Poet and the Bees" for its masterful depiction of beekeeping, highlighting the book’s emotional and poetic language. One judge remarked on its extraordinary treatment of an ordinary subject, while another praised the author for her respectful portrayal of Sylvia Plath's life, balancing her triumphs with hardships and concluding on a hopeful note.
Both the author and illustrator will receive a $1,000 prize from the estate of Lee Bennett Hopkins, along with an engraved commemorative award. An honor book was also named: "All the Blues in the Sky," written by Renée Watson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Judges noted the book's honest exploration of grief, praising its poetic and straightforward writing.
The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, named for the late educator and poet, was established in 1993 and is the first award of its kind in the United States. A panel consisting of authors, librarians, teachers, and scholars selects the winning titles. The 2026 judging panel includes Camille-Yvette Welsch, Suzanne Chapman, Cynthia Cotten, Amanda Henke, and Deborah Taylor.
The Pennsylvania Center for the Book, affiliated with the national Center for the Book since 1977, promotes reading and literacy. Besides the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, it also administers other literary awards and projects.