2001 Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award, Oklahoma Center for the Book, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

1998 Governor's Award, the Honorable Frank Keating, Governor of Oklahoma

Poet Laureate Award, Oklahoma State University Center for Poets and Writers at the Oklahoma State University, 1996-2000

1989 Citation, Oklahoma Senate, Citation

1989 Citation, Oklahoma House of Representatives

1987 Arkansas Traveler Award, The Honorable William J. Clinton,
Governor of Arkansas

1986 Outstanding Woman of the 20th Century, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority

The Gospel Cinderella

2005 Oklahoma Book Awards winner

What's the Hurry, Fox? and Other Animal Stories

2004 Parents' Choice Award winner!

The Skull Talks Back and Other Haunting Tales

2005 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone: Brown v. Board of Education

2003 Junior Library Guild Selection

2003 Kirkus Reviews - Editors' Choice

2003 BookView - Top Recommended Book for Children

2003 Book of the Month Club Selection

Hush Songs

2001 Arrell Gibson Award, Oklahoma Center for the Book

2001 Oklahoma Book Award Winner, Oklahoma Center for the Book

2000 BCLA Top 20 Children's Books

2000 Parents' Choice 2000 Award

I Have Heard of a Land

1999 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book Award

1999 The Teachers Choice Award, The International Reading Association

1999 Notable Children's Trade Book in Social Studies Award for Author and Illustrator

1999 American Library Association Notable Book Award for Author and Illustrator

Gingerbread Days

"Celebrated Storyteller," People Magazine, December 1999

When the Nightingale Sings

1995 Kentucky Blue Grass Award Masterlist

1992 Proclamation, City of Berkeley

Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea

"Mirrors and Windows: Seeing the Human Family" 100 recommended titles by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, 1994

1994 Notable Children's Book, National Council of Teachers of English

1994 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Book, American Library Association

"100 Children's Books for 1993," The New York Public Library

A Gathering of Flowers

1991 Selected Title for Children and Young Adults, The National Conference of Christians and Jews

1991 Chancellor's Award for Research and Creativity, University of Tennessee

The Golden Pasture

1988-89 Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award Masterlist

1986 Pick of the List, American Booksellers Association

Bright Shadow

1984 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Book, American Library Association

Marked by Fire

1983 "Outstanding Book of the Year," The New York Times

1983 National Book Award (formerly American Book Award)

1982 Best Book for Young Adults, American Library Association