Child of Fire
- New York Times Outstanding Book, 1974 (Child Study Association)
- A Children's Book of the Year, 1974 (Child Study Association)
The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt By Night
- A Children's Book of the Year, 1976 (Child Study Association)
Zia
- ALA (American Library Association) Notable Book
- A Children's Book of the Year, 1978 (Child Study Association)
The 290
- A Children's Book of the Year, 1978 (Child Study Association)
Sarah Bishop
- Tennessee Children's Choice Book Award Nominee, 1980/1981
- Mark Twain Nominee, 1982
Alexandra
- Parents' Choice Award, 1984
- Florida Historical Association Award
- Spring Jackrabbit Award Nominee, 1986/87
Streams to the River, River to the Sea
- Parents' Choice Award, 1986
- Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 1987
- Washington Irving Children's Choice Book Award Nominee, 1987
- A Children's Book of the Year, 1987 (Child Study Association)
- Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee, 1988-89
Black Star, Bright Dawn
- Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee, 1988/89
- Washington Irving Children's Choice Book Award Nominee, 1987
- Woodward Park Book Award, 1989
- William Allen White Award Nominee, 1990/91
My Name Is Not Angelica
- South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee, 1992/93
Thunder Rolling in the Mountains
- Notable 1992 Children's Trade Book in the Field of Sociat Studies (National Council for Social Studies and Children's Book Council)
- South Carolina Junior Book Award Nominee, 1994/95
Venus Among the Fishes
- Volunteer State Award Nominee, 1998/99
Miscellaneous Awards
- Regina Medial, 1978: Catholic Library Association
- FOCAL Award, 1981: Friends of Children & Literature
- SLMSSENY Award, 1989: School Library Media Specialists of Southeastern New York
- Georgia O'Keefe Book Award, 1991/1992