The winners of this year’s American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards have been announced. These awards, often colloquially referred to as the Oscars of children’s literature, honor the best books published for young people in the prior year. This year’s winners are as follows:
American Indian Youth Literature Award
- Picture Book Winners: Forever Cousins by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan & Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Jonathan Nelson (Navajo/Diné) and A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers (Wichita & Affiliated Tribes), illustrated by Jonathan Nelson (Navajo/Diné)
- Picture Book Honors: Celebration by Lily Hope (Tlingit), illustrated by Kelsey Mata Foote (Tlingit); Contenders by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation), illustrated by Arigon Starr (Kickapoo Tribe); Berry Song written and illustrated by Michaela Goade (Tlingit Nation) and published by Little; Remember by Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation), illustrated by Michaela Goade (Tlingit Nation); and Rock Your Mocs by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan & Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight (Chickasaw Nation)
- Middle Grade Winner: We Still Belong by Christine Day (Upper Skagit), illus by Madelyn Godonighat (Chickasaw Nation)
- Middle Grade Honors: Eagle Drums written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson (Iñupiaq); Mascot by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation) and Charles Waters, jacket illustration by Nicole Neidhardt (Navajo); Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), illustrated by Tara Audibert (Wolastoqey); Jo Jo Makoons: Snow Day by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), illustrated by Tara Audibert (Wolastoqey); She Persisted: Maria Tallchief by Christine Day (Upper Skagit), illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint; She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation), illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint; She Persisted: Deb Haaland by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan & Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint
- Young Adult Winner: Rez Ball by Byron Graves (Ojibwe), jacket art by Natasha Donovan (Metis)
- Young Adult Honors: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline (Métis), Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers (Cherokee Nation), Running with Changing Woman by Lorinda Martinez (Diné), Heroes of the Water Monster by Brian Young (Navajo Nation)
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
- Picture Book Winner: The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung, illus by Hanna Cha
- Picture Book Honor: Finding Papa written by Angela Pham Krans, illustrated by Thi Bui
- Children’s Literature: Ruby Lost And Found by Christina Li
- Honor: Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel written and illustrated by Betty C. Tang
- Young Adult: I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom by Shannon CF Rogers
- Honor: In Limbo written by Deb JJ Lee
The Sydney Taylor Book Award
For books that most authentically represent the Jewish experience
- Picture Book Winner: Two New Years by Richard Ho, illus by Lynn Scurfield
- Honors: Afikomen written by Tziporah Cohen, illustrated by Yaara Eshet; Hanukkah Upside Down written by Elissa Brent Weissman, illustrated by Omer Hoffmann, published by Abrams Books; Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust written by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Amy June Bates
- Middle Grade Winner: The Dubious Pranks for Shaindy Goodman, written by Mari Lowe
- Middle Grade Honors: Don’t Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton; The Jake Show by Joshua S. Levy; Not So Shy by Noa Nimrodi; A Sky Full of Song by Susan Lynn Meyer
- Young Adult: The Blood Years by Alana K. Arnold
- Young Adult Honors: Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust by Neal Shusterman, illustrated by Andrés Vera Martínez; Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler; Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe by Steve Sheinkin; Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
- Body of work award: Joni Sussman
Schneider Family Book Award
For books that authentically depict the disability experience
- Young Children Book Winner: Henry Like Always by Jenn Bailey, illus by Mika Song
- Young Children’s Book Honor: Dancing Hands by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez; What Happened to You? written by James Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George
- Middle Grade Winner: The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla
- Middle Grade Honor: Good Different written by Meg Eden Kuyatt; Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
- Young Adult Winner: Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington
- Young Adult Honor: Where You See Yourself written by Claire Forres; Tilly in Technicolor written by Mazey Eddings
The Stonewall Book Awards
For books with exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience
- Children’s Literature Winner: Cross My Heart and Never Lie written and illus by Nora Dåsnes, illus by Matt Bagguley
- Honor: Desert Queen written by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Svabhu Kohli; Not He or She, I’m Me written by A.M. Wild, illustrated by Kah Yangni; The Otherwoods written by Justine Pucella Winans; Stars in Their Eyes written by Jessica Walton, illustrated by Aśka
- Young Adult Winner: Only This Beautiful Moment written by Abdi Nazemian
- Honor: Ander & Santi Were Here written byJonny Garza Villa; Imogen, Obviously written by Becky Albertalli; The Long Run written by James Acker; The Spirit Bares Its Teeth written by Andrew Joseph White
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award
- Christopher Paul Curtis
Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe New Talent Award
- Illustrator: Briana Mukodiri Uchendu for We Could Fly
- Author: Jade Adia for There Goes the Neighborhood
Coretta Scott King Book Award for Illustrator
- Winner: Dare Coulter for An American Story written by Kwame Alexander
- Honor: Big illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison; Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes illustrated by Shannon Wright, written by Traci N. Todd; There Was a Party for Langston illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarret Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds
Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author
- Winner: Ibi Zoboi for Nigeria Jones
- Honor: Big written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison; How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison; Kin: Rooted in Hope by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford
Pura Belpré Awards
- Youth Illustration Winner: MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín
- Youth Illustration Honor: Mi papá es un agrícola/My Father, the Farmworker illustrated by José B. Ramírez, written by J. Roman Pérez Varela; Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock illustrated by Eliza Kinkz, written by Jesús Trejo; Remembering illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, written by Xelena González
- Children’s Author Winner: MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín
- Children’s Author Honor: Alebrijes written by Donna Barba Higuera; Aniana del Mar Jumps In written by Jasminne Mendez; Benita y las Criaturas Nocturnas written by Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Cocoretto; Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock written by Jesús Trejo, illustrated by Eliza Kinkz; Something Like Home written by Andrea Beatriz Arango
- Young Adult Author Winner: Saints of the Household by Ari Tison
- Young Adult Author Honor: The Prince and the Coyote by David Bowles, illustrated by Amanda Mijangos; Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey written and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez
The Alex Awards
For the best books published for an adult audience with teen appeal
- Bad Cree: A Novel by Jessica Johns
- Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
- Chlorine by Jade Song
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph by Oksana Masters
- I Will Greet the Sun Again by Khashayar J. Khabushani
- Maame by Jessica George
- Starter Villain by John Scalzi
- The Talk by Darrin Bell
- Whalefall: A Novel by Daniel Kraus
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
- Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater
William C Morris Award for Best Debut YA
- Rez Ball by Byron Graves
Margaret A. Edwards Award
For significant and enduring contribution to the world of youth literature
- Neal Schusterman
Michael L. Printz Award
Given to the most distinguished work of literature for young adults
- Winner: The Collectors edited by AS King, with contributions from M.T. Anderson, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, A.S. King, David Levithan, Cory McCarthy, Anna-Marie McLemore, G. Neri, Jason Reynolds, Randy Ribay, and Jenny Torres Sanchez
- Honor: Fire from the Sky by Moa Backe Astot
- Honor: Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow
- Honor: The Girl I Am Was and Never Will Be by Shannon Gibney
- Honor: Salt the Water by Candice Iloh
Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Given for the best children’s books in translation
- Winner: Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore by Seiji Yoshida, translated by Jan Mitsuko Cash
- Honor: The House of the Lost on the Cape published by Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books, written by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illustrated by Yukiko Saito and translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa; Pardalita published by Levine Querido, written and illustrated by Joana Estrela and translated by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Robert F. Sibert Medal
Honoring the best informational books for children
- Winner: The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day, illus. by Brett Helquist
- Honor: The Book of Turtles written by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Matt Patterson; Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes written by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright; Jumper: A Day in the Life of the Backyard Jumping Spider written and illustrated by Jessica Lanan; Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor written by Martin W. Sandler
The Odyssey Award
For best audiobooks for young listeners
- Children’s Winner: El Deafo, produced by Matie Argiropoulos, written by Cece Bell, narrated by a full cast
- Young Adult Winner: Promise Boys, produced by Macmillan Young Listeners, written by Nick Brooks, narrated by a full cast
- Honor: Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods by Grace Lin and narrated by Lisa Ling; Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir written by Pedro Martín and narrated by a full cast; Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef narrated by Nikki Massoud; Sisters of the Lost Marsh written and narrated by Lucy Strange; Stateless written by Elizabeth Wein and narrated by Moira Quirk
The Children’s Literature Legacy Award
- Pam Munoz Ryan
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
For the most distinguished beginning reader book
- Winner: Fox Has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor
- Honor: Henry, Like Always written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song; Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends written and illustrated by Kaz Windness
Caldecott Awards
These honor the most distinguished picture books for children
- Winner: Big by illustrator and author Vashti Harrison
- Honor: In Every Life by illustrator and author Marla Freeze
- Honor: Jovita Wore Pants, illustrated by Molly Mendoza and written by Aida Salazar
- Honor: There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds
- Honor: The Truth About Dragons, illustrated by Hanna Cha, written by Julie Leung
John Newbery Medal
Given to the author of the most distinguished work of literature for children
- Winner: The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, illus. by Shawn Harris
- Honor: Eagle Drums by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson
- Honor: Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu
- Honor: Mexikid by Pedro Martín
- Honor: Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
- Honor: The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri
In addition, Kyle Lukoff won the ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture Award and will deliver a lecture next spring.
Note: this list does not include all of the honor winners in several categories, as a press release of the full roster of honors has yet to be released. You can check the American Library Association website later today for more winning titles.
