Her awards include (in reverse chronological order):

• first place in the Green Earth Book Awards (for MARA PLANTS A SEED)
• Teacher’s Favorite by the Children’s Book Council (for MARA PLANTS A SEED)
• Children’s Book Council’s Summer Showcase (for MARA PLANTS A SEED)
• New York Times Best Illustrated Books  (for AS NIGHT FALLS)
• New York Times Best Illustrated Books  (for WE ARE STARLINGS)
• Outstanding Science Trade Book  (for WE ARE STARLINGS)
• Carolyn W. Field Honor Book given by the Pennsylvania Library Association (for HUNGER)
• Sydney Taylor Book Award presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries (for STORM)
• Eureka! Silver Honor Book of the California Reading Association (for TREASURY OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY)
• Anne Izard’s Storytellers’ Choice Award (for MAMA MITI)
• Frances and Wesley Bock Book Award (for MAMA MITI)
• Parents’ Choice Gold Award (for ALLIGATOR BAYOU
• Literary Lights for Children Award given by the Boston Public Library (2007)
• Carolyn W. Field Honor Book given by the Pennsylvania Library Association (for FIRE IN THE HILLS)
• Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award (for THE KING OF MULBERRY STREET)
• Sydney Taylor Honor Book presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries (for THE KING OF MULBERRY STREET)
• Sons of Italy National Book Club selection (for THE KING OF MULBERRY STREET)
• Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award (for NORTH)
• Nevada Young Readers Award (for DAUGHTER OF VENICE)
• Golden Kite Honor Book given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (for BREATH)
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award (for ALBERT)
• Carolyn W. Field Honor Book given by the Pennsylvania Library Association (for BEAST)
• Carolyn W. Field Honor Book given by the Pennsylvania Library Association (for SPINNERS)
• Drexel University and Free Library of Philadelphia Children’s Literature Citation (1998)
• Golden Kite Award given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (for STONES IN WATER)
• Sydney Taylor Book Award presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries (for STONES IN WATER)
• Carolyn W. Field Honor Book given by the Pennsylvania Library Association (for STONES IN WATER)
• M. Jerry Weiss Book Award given by the New Jersey Reading Association (for THE PRINCE OF THE POND)
• Leeway Foundation Grant for Excellence in Fiction (1995)