The Orbis Pictus Award was established by the National Council of Teachers of English to promote and recognize excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children. Each year one title is recognized as the award winner, along with up to five honor books.
The award commemorates the work of Johannes Amos Comenius, whose book Orbis Pictus - The World in Pictures (1657) is considered to be the first nonfiction book written especially for children.