Barry’s Awards

Barry’s Awards

"It is the rare children's entertainer who can actually capture the attention of both kids and their parents. Barry Louis Polisar does it and you can't help but laugh.”
-All Things Considered, National Public Radio
“Barry has helped us all remember how to laugh at ourselves and delight in the ridiculous.”
–Library Association Awards Committee

In 2009, Juno won a Grammy Award for “Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For a Motion Picture.” Barry’s song All I Want is You is the first song in the film and the opening song on the soundtrack recording. 

In 2012 All About Bullies won a Grammy Award for “Best Children’s Recording.” This compilation album is the second Grammy Award winning recording that Barry has been involved with–and features Barry performing his song Town of Round as a poem. The album also won a Parents’ Choice Award.

Barry’s TV show Field Trip won an Emmy Award for “Best Children’s TV Special” for the Thanksgiving  episode called “Plymouth Pilgrimage.” The series premiered on WJLA TV before it began airing nationally. 

Field Trip won a second Emmy Award for “Nutcracker Holiday” when the show began airing every Saturday morning. Barry starred in and hosted this show for children. He also wrote the theme song, some of the incidental music, and contributed to the scripts of this educational TV series which was broadcast nation-wide.  

We’re Not Kidding! A Tribute to Barry Louis Polisar received a 2010 Parents’ Choice Award in October, 2010 from the Parents’ Choice Awards Foundation. This is Barry’s fifth Parents’ Choice award.

We’re Not Kidding! A Tribute to Barry Louis Polisar received a NAPPA GOLD AWARD in 2010. This National Parenting Publication Award Honor was awarded in the music category.

In 2008, Barry won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Children’s Music Web for “three decades of being a distinctive voice for kids.”

Barry’s 2-CD collection of his “worst” songs Old Enough To Know Better received a NAPPA AWARD in 2007. This National Parenting Publication Honor was awarded in the music category.

In 1999 Barry’s book Insect Soup won a Parents’ Guide Award for Outstanding Children’s Books.

Barry received a Parents’ Choice Award in 1999 for his recording A Little Different from the Parents’ Choice Foundation.

Barry’s audio recording, A Little Different, won a Children’s Music Web Award in 1999 for Best Children’s Album.

Barry’s song, I’m A Slug  won a Children’s Music Web Award for Best New Song for Older Children in 1999.

In 1999, Barry’s audio recording, Family Trip,  won a Children’s Music Web Award for Best “Classic” Recording for Children.

Barry received a Parents’ Choice Award in 1994 from the Parents’ Choice Foundation for his video, Barry’s Scrapbook, released by the American Library Association.

Barry received a Parents’ Choice Award in 1994 for his recording Old Dogs, New Tricks from the Parents’ Choice Foundation.

Barry’s 1988 audio recording, Juggling Babies, won a Children’s Music Web Award for Best Children’s Recording for Toddlers.

Barry received a Parents’ Choice Award for his 1987 video recording I’m A Three-Toed, Triple-Eyed, Double-Jointed Dinosaur from the Parents’ Choice Foundation.

Barry’s Scrapbook video won a National Media Gold Awardand an award from the Coalition on Quality Children’s Media.

All About Bullies received a 2011 Parents’ Choice Awardfrom the Parents’ Choice Awards Foundation. Barry’s song “Town of Round” (performed by Barry as a poem) is included in this collection.

Barry has won two Maryland State Individual Artist Awards. He has also been awarded over two dozen arts grants to help low income schools fund author visits

Barry’s recording of Old Dogs, New Tricks was named “one of the twenty best Children’s Recordings of all time” in The American Library Association’s Children’s Jukebox and listed in their Award Hall of Fame.

Barry’s early recordings are archived in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

All About Following Your Dreams received a 2012 Parents’ Choice Award from the Parents’ Choice Awards Foundation. Barry’s song “I’d Be Me” is included in this collection.

Barry won the Maryland Library Association’s Special Recognition Award for his “contributions on behalf of children of all ages” for his “ability to communicate with children and excite them to read.”

In 2016, PBS Parents named Barry as one of the top ten most popular poets for children (along with Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky) saying, “Polisar is a one-of-a-kind triple threat: author, musician and TV personality. He manages to combine all aspects of entertainment in order to captivate kids – and adults, making him an unconventional and yet spot-on children’s entertainer and education advocate.”