On January 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards—at ALA’s 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore.
A complete list of the 2024 award winners follows.
John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:
The Eyes and the Impossible, written by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris, is the 2024 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published simultaneously by Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, and McSweeney’s.
Five Newbery Honor Books also were named:
Eagle Drums, written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing; Elf Dog and Owl Head, written by M. T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu, and published by Candlewick Press; Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, written and illustrated by Pedro Martín and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House; Simon Sort of Says, written by Erin Bow and published by Disney Hyperion, an imprint of Buena Vista Books; and The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, written by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares, and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido.
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:
Big, illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison, is the 2024 Caldecott Medal winner. The book is published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group.
Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named:
In Every Life, illustrated and written by Marla Frazee and published by Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter, illustrated by Molly Mendoza, written by Aida Salazar, and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds, and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; and The Truth About Dragons, illustrated by Hanna Cha, written by Julie Leung, and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group.
Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognize an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.
Coretta Scott King Author Book Award
Nigeria Jones, written by Ibi Zoboi, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Three King Author Honor Books were selected:
Big, written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison, and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group; How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison, and published by Candlewick Press; and Kin: Rooted in Hope, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award
An American Story, illustrated by Dare Coulter, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Kwame Alexander and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected:
Big, illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison, and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group; Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes, illustrated by Shannon Wright, written by Traci N. Todd, and published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic; and There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds, and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Coretta Scott King—John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
There Goes the Neighborhood, by Jade Adia, is the Steptoe Author Award winner. The book is published Disney Hyperion, an imprint of Buena Vista Books.
Coretta Scott King—John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award
We Could Fly, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, is the Steptoe Illustrator Award winner. The book is written by Rhiannon Giddens and published by Candlewick Press.
Coretta Scott King—Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Children’s author Christopher Paul Curtis is the winner of the Coretta Scott King—Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. His works include: The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963; Bud, Not Buddy; Elijah of Buxton; The Mighty Miss Malone; and The Journey of Little Charlie. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
The Collectors: Stories, edited by A. S. King and written by 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, is the 2024 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Four Printz Honor Books also were named:
Fire From the Sky, written by Moa Backe Åstot, translated by Eva Apelqvist, and published by Em Querido, an imprint of Levine Querido; Gather, written by Kenneth M. Cadow and published by Candlewick Press; The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption, written by Shannon Gibney and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House; and Salt the Water, written by Candice Iloh and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Schneider Family Book Awards for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:
The best young children’s book is Henry, Like Always, written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song, and published by Chronicle Books. Two honor books for young children were selected: Dancing Hands, written by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez, and published by Chronicle Books in partnership with Room to Read and Adarna House; and What Happened to You?, written by James Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George, and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group.
The best middle-grade book is The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn, written by Sally J. Pla and published by Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Two middle-grade honor books were selected: Good Different, written by Meg Eden Kuyatt and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; and Simon Sort of Says, written by Erin Bow and published by Disney Hyperion, an imprint of Buena Vista Books.
The best teen book is Forever Is Now, written by Mariama J. Lockington and published by Farrar, Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group. Two honor books for teens were selected: Tilly in Technicolor, written by Mazey Eddings and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group; and Where You See Yourself, written by Claire Forrest and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic.
Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns, published by Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House.
Chain-Gang All-Stars, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, published by Pantheon Books, a division of Penguin Random House.
Chlorine, by Jade Song, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros, published by Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing.
The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph, by Oksana Masters, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
I Will Greet the Sun Again, by Khashayar J. Khabushani, published by Hogarth Press, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House.
Maame, by Jessica George, published by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
Starter Villain, by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group.
The Talk, written and illustrated by Darrin Bell, published by Henry Holt and Company, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group.
Whalefall, by Daniel Kraus, published by MTV Books and Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
The Children’s Literature Lecture Award is an annual event featuring an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature. Author Kyle Lukoff will deliver the 2025 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. Lukoff’s works include Newbery Honor and Stonewall Award winner Too Bright to See, Stonewall Award winner When Aidan Became a Brother, Different Kinds of Fruit, and If You’re a Kid Like Gavin: The True Story of a Young Trans Activist.
The Children’s Literature Legacy Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences.
The 2024 winner is Pam Muñoz Ryan. Her many award-winning titles include: Echo (Newbery Honor, Kirkus Prize); The Dreamer (Pura Belpré Award); Becoming Naomi León (Pura Belpré Author Honor, Schneider Family Book Award); Esperanza Rising (Pura Belpré Award); and When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, The Voice of a Century (Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor). She is the 2010 recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award given by the Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature for Youth and an author recipient of the National Education Association’s Civil and Human Rights Award.
The Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award is given to a digital media producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience.
The 2024 winner is Work It Out Wombats!, produced by GBH Kids and Pipeline Studios. The committee selected one honor title, Jamming on the Job, produced by PBS North Carolina for PBS Kids.
Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults:
The 2024 winner is Neal Shusterman, whose books include the Arc of the Scythe trilogy, Bruiser, Challenger Deep, Everlost, Full Tilt, The Schwa Was Here, and Unwind.
Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English, in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States:
Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore is the 2024 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Japanese, the book was written and illustrated by Seiji Yoshida, translated by Jan Mitsuko Cash, and published by Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams.
Three Honor Books also were selected:
The House of the Lost on the Cape, written by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illustrated by Yukiko Saito, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, and published by Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books; Later, When I’m Big, written by Bette Westera, illustrated by Mattias De Leeuw, translated by Laura Watkinson, and published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers; and Pardalita, written and illustrated by Joana Estrela, translated by Lyn Miller-Lachmann, and published by Levine Querido.
Odyssey Awards for the best audiobooks produced for children and young adults, available in English in the United States:
El Deafo, produced by Matie Argiropoulos for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, is the 2024 Odyssey Award winner for children. The book is written by Cece Bell and narrated by Sarah Tubert, Lexi Finigan, Jennifer Aquino, Fred Berman, Bailey Carr, Nicky Endres, Matt Godfrey, Avi Roque, and Sanya Simmons.
Promise Boys, produced by Macmillan Young Listeners, a Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company, is the 2024 Odyssey Award winner for young adults. The book is written by Nick Brooks and narrated by Alfred Vines, Anthony Lopez, Brad Sanders, Christopher Hampton, Eliana Marianes, Hannah Church, Henriette Zoutomou, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Maria Liatis, Renier Cortes, Suehyla El-Attar, and Xenia Willacey.
Five Honor Audiobooks also were selected:
Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods, produced by Ghenet Harvey for Hachette Audio, book written by Grace Lin, and audiobook narrated by Lisa Ling; Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, produced by Diane McKiernan and Olivia Langen for Penguin Random House Audio, book written by Pedro Martín, audiobook narrated by a full cast; Once There Was, produced by Simon & Schuster Audio, book written by Kiyash Monsef, and audiobook narrated by Nikki Massoud; Sisters of the Lost Marsh, produced by Paul R. Gagne for Scholastic Audio, written and narrated by Lucy Strange; and Stateless, produced by Elece Green and Dennis Kao for Hachette Audio, book written by Elizabeth Wein, and audiobook narrated by Moira Quirk.
Pura Belpré Awards honor Latinx writers and illustrators whose children’s and young adult books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, written and illustrated by Pedro Martín, is the 2024 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner. The book is published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Five Children’s Author Honor Books were named:
Alebrijes, written by Donna Barba Higuera and published by Levine Querido; Aniana del Mar Jumps In, written by Jasminne Mendez and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House; Benita y Las Criaturas Nocturnas, written by Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Cocoretto, and published by Barefoot Books; Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock, written by Jesús Trejo, illustrated by Eliza Kinkz, and published by Minerva, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House; and Something Like Home, written by Andrea Beatriz Arango, published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.
Saints of the Household, written by Ari Tison, is the 2024 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award winner. The book is published by Farrar, Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group.
Two Young Adult Author Honor Books were named:
The Prince and the Coyote, written by David Bowles, illustrated by Amanda Mijangos, and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey, written and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez, and published by Metropolitan Books, an imprint of Henry Holt and Company.
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, written and illustrated by Pedro Martín, is the 2024 Youth Illustrator Award winner. The book is published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Three Youth Illustrator Honor Books were named:
Mi Papá es Un Agrícola/My Father, the Farmworker, illustrated by José Ramírez, written by J. Roman Pérez Varela, and published by Lil’ Libros; Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock, illustrated by Eliza Kinkz, written by Jesús Trejo, and published by Minerva, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House; and Remembering, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, written by Xelena González, and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children:
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity, written by Nicholas Day and illustrated by Brett Helquist, is the 2024 Sibert Medal winner. The book is published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.
Four Sibert Honor Books were named:
The Book of Turtles, written by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Matt Patterson, and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes, written by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright, and published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic; Jumper: A Day in the Life of the Backyard Jumping Spider, written and illustrated by Jessica Lanan and published by Roaring Book Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing; and Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor, written by Martin W. Sandler and published by Astra Young Readers, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House.
Stonewall Book Award—Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Awards are given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience.
Cross My Heart and Never Lie, written and illustrated by Nora Dåsnes, translated by Matt Bagguley, and published by Hippo Park, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, is the 2024 recipient of the Stonewall Book Award—Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s Literature Award.
Four children’s Honor Books were selected:
Desert Queen, written by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Svabhu Kohli, and published by Levine Querido; Not He or She, I’m Me, written by A. M. Wild, illustrated by Kah Yangni, and published by Henry Holt and Company, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group; The Otherwoods, written by Justine Pucella Winans and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books; Stars in Their Eyes, written by Jessica Walton, illustrated by Aśka, and published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic.
Only This Beautiful Moment, written by Abdi Nazemian and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is the 2024 recipient of the Stonewall Book Award—Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Young Adult Literature Award.
Four young adult Honor Books were selected:
Ander and Santi Were Here, written by Jonny Garza Villa and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group; Imogen, Obviously, written by Becky Albertalli and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; The Long Run, written by James Acker and published by Inkyard Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, written by Andrew Joseph White and published by Peachtree Teen, an imprint of Peachtree Publishing Company.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book:
Fox Has a Problem, written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor, is the 2024 Geisel Award winner. The book is published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Two Geisel Honor Books were named:
Henry, Like Always, written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song, and published by Chronicle Books; and Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends, written and illustrated by Kaz Windness and published by Simon Spotlight, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:
Rez Ball, by Byron Graves, is the 2024 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Four other books were finalists for the award:
All the Fighting Parts, written by Hannah V. Sawyerr and published by Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams; Once There Was, written by Kiyash Monsef and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Saints of the Household, written by Ari Tison and published by Farrar, Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group; and She Is a Haunting, written by Trang Thanh Tran and published by Bloomsbury YA, a division of Bloomsbury Publishing.
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults honors the best nonfiction book published for ages 12–18:
Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed, written by Dashka Slater, is the 2024 Excellence in Nonfiction winner. The book is published by Farrar, Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group.
Four other books were finalists for the award:
America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History, written and illustrated by Ariel Aberg-Riger, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam, written and illustrated by Thien Pham, published by First Second Books, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing; From Here, written by Luma Mufleh, published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; and Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself, written by Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge, published by Zest Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group.
American Indian Youth Literature Awards are announced in even years and were established to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America. Selected titles present Indigenous peoples in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts. This year’s winners include:
Picture Book Winning Titles
Forever Cousins, written by Laurel Goodluck [Mandan, Hidatsa, and Tsimshian], illustrated by Jonathan Nelson [Navajo/Diné], and published by Charlesbridge; and A Letter for Bob, written by Kim Rogers [Wichita and affiliated tribes], illustrated by Jonathan Nelson [Navajo/Diné], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Middle-Grade Winning Title
We Still Belong, written by Christine Day [Upper Skagit], cover art by Madelyn Goodnight [Chickasaw], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Young Adult Winning Title
Rez Ball, written by Byron Graves [Ojibwe], jacket art by Natasha Donovan [Métis], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Several honor titles were named:
Picture Book Honor Titles
Celebration, by Lily Hope [Tlingit], illustrated by Kelsey Mata Foote [Tlingit], and published by Sealaska Heritage Institute; Contenders, by Traci Sorell [Cherokee], illustrated by Arigon Starr [Kickapoo], and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House; Berry Song, written and illustrated by Michaela Goade [Tlingit], and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group; Remember, by Joy Harjo [Mvskoke], illustrated by Michaela Goade [Tlingit], and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and Rock Your Mocs, by Laurel Goodluck [Mandan, Hidatsa, and Tsimshian], illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight [Chickasaw], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Middle-Grade Honor Titles
Eagle Drums, written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson [Iñupiaq], and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing; Mascot, by Traci Sorell [Cherokee] and Charles Waters, jacket illustration by Nicole Neidhardt [Navajo], and published by Charlesbridge; Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants, by Dawn Quigley [Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe], illustrated by Tara Audibert [Wolastoqey], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; Jo Jo Makoons: Snow Day, by Dawn Quigley [Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe], illustrated by Tara Audibert [Wolastoqey], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; She Persisted: Maria Tallchief, by Christine Day [Upper Skagit], illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller, by Traci Sorell [Cherokee], illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; and She Persisted: Deb Haaland, by Laurel Goodluck [Mandan, Hidatsa, and Tsimshian], illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Young Adult Honor Books
Warrior Girl Unearthed, by Angeline Boulley [Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians], jacket illustrations by Michaela Goade [Tlingit], and published by Henry Holt and Company, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group; Funeral Songs for Dying Girls, by Cherie Dimaline [Métis], published by Tundra Books, an imprint of Tundra Book Group, a division of Penguin Random House of Canada; Man Made Monsters, by Andrea L. Rogers [Cherokee], illustrations by Jeff Edwards [Cherokee], and published by Levine Querido, distributed by Chronicle Books; Running with Changing Woman, by Lorinda Martinez [Diné], cover design by Brittany Gene [Navajo], and published by Salina Bookshelf; and Heroes of the Water Monster, by Brian Young [Navajo], jacket art by Shonto Begay [Diné], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories—picture book, children’s literature, and youth literature—and is administered by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, an affiliate of the American Library Association. This year’s winners include:
The picture book winner is The Truth About Dragons, written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Hanna Cha, and published by Henry Holt and Company, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group. The committee selected one picture book honor title: Finding Papa, written by Angela Pham Krans, illustrated by Thi Bui, and published by HarperCollins Publishers.
The children’s literature winner is Ruby Lost and Found, written by Christina Li and published by Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The committee selected one children’s literature honor title: Parachute Kids, written and illustrated by Betty C. Tang, and published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic.
The youth literature winner is I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom, written by Shannon C. F. Rogers, and published by Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. The committee selected one youth literature honor title: In Limbo, written and illustrated by Deb JJ Lee, and published by First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing.
Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. This year’s winners include:
In the picture book category, Two New Years, written by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield, and published by Chronicle Books; in the middle-grade category, The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman, written by Mari Lowe and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and in the young adult category, The Blood Years, written by Elana K. Arnold and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
This year’s honor titles include:
In the picture book category, Afikomen, written by Tziporah Cohen, illustrated by Yaara Eshet, published by Groundwood Books; Hanukkah Upside Down, written by Elissa Brent Weissman, illustrated by Omer Hoffmann, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams; and Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust, written by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Amy June Bates, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams.
In the middle-grade category, Don’t Want to Be Your Monster, written by Deke Moulton, published by Tundra Books, an imprint of Tundra Book Group, a division of Penguin Random House Canada; The Jake Show, written by Joshua S. Levy, published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; Not So Shy, written by Noa Nimrodi, published by Kar-Ben Publishing, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group; and A Sky Full of Song, written by Susan Lynn Meyer, published by Union Square Kids, an imprint of Union Square & Co.
In the young adult category, Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust, written by Neal Shusterman, illustrated by Andrés Vera Martínez, published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic; Going Bicoastal, written by Dahlia Adler, published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group; Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe, written by Steve Sheinkin, published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and Wrath Becomes Her, written by Aden Polydoros, published by Inkyard Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
The Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award recognizes an author or entity who has made a substantial contribution over time to the genre of Jewish children’s literature. This year’s winner is Joni Sussman.
Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA Youth Media Awards and notables, please visit ala.org/yma.
