Presented for the first time in 2012, the Cook Prize is named in memory of two ground breaking Bank Street educators – Don Cook of the Graduate School of Education, and Michael Cook (no relation) of the School for Children. In naming this award, Bank Street not only honors Michael and Don for their intangible contributions to the world of education, but encourages excellence in publishing informational books on STEM topics for elementary-aged children.
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Hoda Hadadi: Cook Prize 2025, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Hoda Hadadi
Illustrator Hoda Hadadi gives an acceptance speech for Yasmeen Lari, Green Architect: The True Story of Pakistan’s First Woman Architect (Clarion)
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Lori Alexander: Cook Prize 2025, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Lori Alexander
Author Lori Alexander gives an acceptance speech for Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park (Calkins Creek)
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Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin: Cook Prize 2025, Gold Medal Acceptance Speech
Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin
Author Lynn Brunelle and illustrator Jason Chin give an acceptance speech for Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House)
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Christine Iverson: Cook Prize 2024, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Christine Iverson
Author Christine Iverson gives an acceptance speech for Santiago Saw Things Differently: Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Artist, Doctor, Father of Neuroscience (Mit Kids Press an imprint of Candlewick Press)
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Idan Ben-Barak: Cook Prize 2024, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech.
Idan Ben-Barak
Author Idan Ben-Barak gives an acceptance speech for We Go Way Back (Roaring Brook Press)
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Jessica Stremer: Cook Prize 2024, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Jessica Stremer
Author Jessica Stremer gives an acceptance speech for Great Carrier Reef (Holiday House)
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Luciano Lozano: Cook Prize 2024, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Luciano Lozano
Illustrator Luciano Lozano gives an acceptance speech for Santiago Saw Things Differently: Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Artist, Doctor, Father of Neuroscience (Mit Kids Press an imprint of Candlewick Press)
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Marzieh Abbas: Cook Prize 2025, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Marzieh Abbas
Author Marzieh Abbas gives an acceptance speech for Yasmeen Lari, Green Architect: The True Story of Pakistan’s First Woman Architect (Clarion)
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Sean Rubin: Cook Prize 2025, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Sean Rubin
Author and illustrator Sean Rubin gives an acceptance speech for The Iguanodon’s Horn (Clarion/HarperCollins)
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Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson: 2024 Cook Prize Gold Medal Winners
Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson
Author Sy Montgomery and illustrator Matt Patterson's video for The Book of Turtles (Clarion)
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Barb Rosenstock & Erika Meza: Cook Prize 2023, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Barb Rosenstock and Erika Meza
Barb Rosenstock (author) and Erika Meza (illustrator) give an acceptance speech and talk about their book The Mystery of the Monarchs. Published by Alfred A. Knopf
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Elaine M. Alexander: 2023 Cook Prize Gold Medal Acceptance Speech
Elaine M. Alexander
Author Elaine M. Alexander gives an acceptance speech for Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep, illustrated by Fiona Fogg (Candlewick)
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Fiona Fogg: 2023 Cook Prize Gold Medal Acceptance Speech
Fiona Fogg
Illustrator Fiona Fogg gives an acceptance speech for Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep, written by Elaine M. Alexander (Candlewick)
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Sarah C. Campbell & Richard, P. Campbell: Cook Prize 2023, Silver Medal Acceptance Speech.
Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell
Sarah Campbell (author & photographer) and Richard Campbell (photographer) give an acceptance speech and talk about their book Infinity: Figuring Out Forever. Published by Astra Young Readers.
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Alexander Vidal: 2022 Cook Prize Gold Medal Acceptance Speech
Alexander Vidal
Illustrator Alexander Vidal gives an acceptance speech for Cougar Crossing, written by Meeg Pincus (Beach Lane Books)
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Colleen Paeff & Nancy Carpenter: 2022 Cook Prize Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Colleen Paeff and Nancy Carpenter
The creators of The Great Stink (Margaret K. McElderry/S & S) give an acceptance speech and talk about how the book came about.
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Meeg Pincus: 2022 Cook Prize Gold Medal Acceptance Speech
Meeg Pincus
Author Meeg Pincus gives an acceptance speech for Cougar Crossing, illustrated by Alexander Vidal (Beach Lane Books)
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Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore : 2022 Cook Prize Silver Medal Acceptance Speech
Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore
Creators Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore give an acceptance speech for Butterfly for a King (Lee & Low Books)
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Design of the Cook Prize Seal
Brian Floca
Brian Floca discusses his design process for the Bank Street College of Education Cook Prize seal. The Cook Prize in children's literature celebrates the best STEM picture book for 3rd and 4th graders.