Rylant has received a number of awards and honors for her work. A Fine White Dust (1987) won a Newbery Honor, and Missing May (1993) won a Newbery Medal. When I Was Young in the Mountains (1982) and The Relatives Came (1985) received Caldecott Honors. The Relatives Came and Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds (1991) are each Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Books, as is Missing May, which deals with the loss of a loved one. A Kindness (1988), Soda Jerk (1990), and A Couple of Kooks and Other Stories about Love (1990) have each been named a "Best Book of the Year for Young Adults" by the American Library Association.

• 1982 When I Was Young in the Mountains
• 1983 Miss Maggie
• 1983 This Year's Garden
• 1984 Waiting to Waltz....a Childhood (poetry)
• 1985 A Blue-Eyed Daisy (a novel; also published as Some Year for Ellie)
• 1985 Every Living Thing (stories)
• 1986 A Fine White Dust (novel)
• 1986 Night in the Country
• 1986 The Relatives Came
• 1987 Birthday Presents
• 1987 Children of Christmas: Stories for the Season
• 1988 All I See
• 1988 A Kindness (novel)
• 1989 But I'll Be Back Again: An Album
• 1989 Mr. Griggs' Work
• 1990 A Couple of Kooks and Other Stories about Love
• 1990 Soda Jerk (poetry)
• 1991 Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds (non-fiction)
• 1992 An Angel for Solomon Singer
• 1992 Missing May
• 1992 Best Wishes
• 1993 I Had Seen Castles (novel)
• 1993 The Dreamer
• 1994 The Blue Hill Meadows
• 1994 The Old Woman Who Named Things
• 1994 Something Permanent (poetry)
• 1995 Dog Heaven
• 1995 Gooseberry Park
• 1995 The Van Gogh Cafe
• 1996 The Bookshop Dog (who will care for a dog when her owner becomes ill?)
• 1996 Margaret, Frank, and Andy: Three Writers' Stories, biographical stories (three volumes): A Story of Margaret Wise Brown, A Story of L. Frank Baum, and A Story of E. B. White.
• 1996 The Whales
• 1997 Cat Heaven
• 1997 Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story (a rich man gives gifts to poor children in Appalachia)
• 1998 Bear Day
• 1998 The Bird House
• 1998 Bless Us All: A Child's Yearbook of Blessings
• 1998 The Islander (novel)
• 1998 Scarecrow
• 1998 Tulip Sees America (a young man and his dog see the farms and mountains of America)
• 1999 Bunny Bungalow
• 1999 The Cookie-Store Cat
• 1999 Give Me Grace: A Child's Daybook of Prayers
• 1999 The Heavenly Village
• 2000 In November
• 2000 Thimbleberry Stories
• 2000 The Wonderful Happens
• 2001 Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and Other Poems for Little Children
• 2001 The Great Gracie Chase
• 2001 Let's Go Home: The Wonderful Things About a House
• 2002 Old Town in the Green Groves
• 2002 The Ticky-Tacky Doll
• 2003 God Went to Beauty School (poetry)
• 2004 Long Night Moon
• 2005 The Stars Will Shine Tonight
• 2005 Puppies and Piggies
• 2005 Miracles in Motion
• 2005 If You'll Be My Valentine
• 2005 Boris (poetry)
• 2006 Ludie's Life

Series titles

Annie and Snowball Series

• 2007 Annie and Snowball and the Dress-up Birthday
• 2007 Annie and Snowball and the Prettiest House
• 2008 Annie and Snowball and the Teacup Club
• 2008 Annie and Snowball and the Pink Surprise
• 2009 Annie and Snowball and the Cozy Nest
• 2009 Annie and Snowball and the Shining Star

Cobble Street Cousins Series

• 1998 In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen
• 1998 A Little Shopping
• 1999 Special Gifts
• 1999 Some Good News
• 2001 Summer Party
• 2002 Wedding Flowers

The Everyday Series

• 1993 Everyday Children
• 1993 Everyday Garden
• 1993 Everyday House
• 1993 Everyday Pets
• 1993 Everyday School
• 1993 Everyday Town
• 1997 An Everyday Book

Henry and Mudge Series

The High Rise Private Eyes Series;

• The High Rise Private Eyes #1: The Case of the Missing Monkey
• The High Rise Private Eyes #2: The Case of the Climbing Cat
• The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Puzzling Possum
• The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Troubling Turtle
• The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Sleepy Sloth
• The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Fidgety Fox
• The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Baffled Bear
• The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Deperate Duck

Little Whistle Series

• 2001 Little Whistle
• 2001 Little Whistle's Dinner Party
• 2002 Little Whistle's Medicine
• 2003 Little Whistle's Christmas

Mr. Putter and Tabby Series

• 1994 Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea
• 1994 Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog
• 1994 Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake
• 1995 Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears
• 1997 Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane
• 1997 Mr. Putter and Tabby Row the Boat
• 1998 Mr. Putter and Tabby Take the Train
• 1998 Mr. Putter and Tabby Toot the Horn
• 2000 Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch
• 2001 Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish
• 2002 Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold
• 2003 Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup
• 2004 Mr. Putter and Tabby Write the Book
• 2005 Mr. Putter and Tabby Make a Wish
• 2006 Mr. Putter and Tabby Spin the Yarn
• 2007 Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars
• 2008 Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race
• 2009 Mr. Putter and Tabby Spill the Beans

Poppleton Series

• 1997 Poppleton
• 1998 Poppleton and Friends
• 1998 Poppleton Everyday
• 1998 Poppleton Forever
• 1999 Poppleton in Spring
• 1999 Poppleton in Fall
• 2000 Poppleton Has Fun
• 2001 Poppleton in Winter

The Lighthouse Family Series

• 2002 The Storm
• 2003 The Whale
• 2003 The Eagle
• 2005 The Turtle
• 2005 The Octopus

Autobiography

• But I'll Be Back Again; An Album (1989) New York:Orchard Books