National Book Award 1971: Complete list of winners

The 1971 National Book Award celebrated two distinctly different but equally vital forms of literary imagination. Mona Van Duyn’s To See, to Take: Poems claimed the Poetry prize, marking recognition for a poet whose work had long deserved wider attention. Van Duyn’s collection showcases her distinctive ability to find profundity in domestic observation and everyday moments, transforming the mundane into the luminous through her precise, intelligent verse. Her win represented a significant moment for a poet working largely outside the spotlight of the most celebrated literary circles of her era.

Meanwhile, Lloyd Alexander’s The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian took the Young People’s Literature award, cementing Alexander’s reputation as one of the most important voices in children’s and young adult literature. Alexander brought wit, adventure, and genuine emotional depth to his fantasy narratives, creating worlds that respected young readers’ intelligence while entertaining them completely. The contrast between these two winners—a mature poet of domestic life and an imaginative fantasist for young readers—reflected the National Book Award’s breadth and its commitment to recognizing excellence across different literary territories.

The 1971 National Book Award winners demonstrated the prize’s enduring mission to honor the year’s most distinguished literary achievements. Below you’ll find full details on both winners and the recognition they received that year.

Poetry

• To See, to Take: Poems by Mona Van Duyn

Young People’s Literature

• The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian by Lloyd Alexander