With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, many of us will be traveling to spend time with family and friends. That could lead to a lot of free time while waiting for flights, during long car/bus rides, or before or after the big meal. If you're like us, you're going to fill that time with a book or two. (Or three depending on how voracious a reader you are.) The big question is: What to read? With so many good books out there, it can be hard to decide! Thankfully, the American Library Association (ALA) is here to help.
ALA's Award Winning & Notable Books and Media page is a good place to start looking for that next great read, but below you’ll find links to a variety of lists of outstanding books and media for all ages and interests. Browse the lists of recommendations for kids, teens, and adults below, and see what treasures you can uncover.
For Children
ALSC Book & Media Awards Shelf
This collection of nearly 2,000 books, recordings, apps, and websites for children from the Association of Library Services to Children (ALSC, a division of ALA) spans 100 years and includes material for children of all ages. Featured award lists include recipients of the John Newbery Medal, Mildred L. Batchelder Award, Randolph Caldecott Medal, and many more.
American Indian Youth Literature Award
The children's book award was created by the American Indian Library Association (an affiliate of ALA) as a way to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians.
Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List
This reading list highlights the best graphic novels for children aged 5–12 years old, published in a given year. Titles are selected by ALA's Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table.
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Given to African American authors and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions, the Coretta Scott King Book Award titles promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream.
Frequently Challenged Children's Books
Compiled by ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, these books are frequently challenged in public and school libraries across the country in an effort to ban them from library collections. This list includes books written for younger readers.
Recommended Books from ALSC
More book recommendations from ALSC, including lists for graphic novels, summer reading, social justice, tough topics, and more.
Schneider Family Book Award
The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.
Stonewall Book Awards: Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award Winners List
Award-winning English-language books of exceptional merit relating to the experience of LGBTQIA+ children and young adults. Books are selected by ALA's Rainbow Round Table.
For Young Adults / Teens
YALSA Teen Book Finder Database
This robust database of more than 4,000 award-winning book, audiobook, and film titles selected for readers aged 12-18 from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA, a division of ALA). Featured award lists include recipients of the Alex Awards, Margaret A. Edwards Award, Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, Rainbow Book Lists, and many more.
Frequently Challenged Young Adult Books
Compiled by ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, these books are frequently challenged in public and school libraries across the country in an effort to ban them from library collections. This list includes books written for YA audiences, those featuring a YA main character, and classics that regularly appear on high school required reading lists.)
Stonewall Book Awards: Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award Winners List
Award-winning English-language books of exceptional merit relating to the experience of LGBTQIA+ children and young adults. Books are selected by ALA's Rainbow Round Table.
For Adults
Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction & Nonfiction
The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction were established in 2012 to recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year. The winners (one for fiction, one for nonfiction) are announced at an event at the ALA Annual Conference; winning authors receive a $5,000 cash award, and two finalists in each category receive $1,500.
Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List
This reading list highlights the best graphic novels for adults published in a given year. Title are selected by ALA's Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table.
Notable Books for Adults: The List for America's Readers
Since 1944, the goal of the Notable Books Council has been to make available to the nation's readers a list of 25 very good, very readable, and at times very important fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books for the adult reader.
Over the Rainbow Project
An annual list of books for adults that reflect the LGBTQ+ experience, recommended by ALA's Rainbow Round Table.
The Reading List: Honoring the Best Adult Genre Fiction
This list from RUSA (Reference and User Services Association, a division of ALA) highlights outstanding genre fiction that merits special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
The Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration
This list from RUSA highlights outstanding audiobook titles that merit special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
The Sophie Brody Award winner list
The Sophie Brody Award from RUSA recognizes outstanding achievement in Jewish literature, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. List of winners, from 2006 to the present, at the bottom of the page.
Stonewall Book Awards List
The Stonewall Book Awards of ALA's Rainbow Round Table are given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience, and include the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's and Young Adult Literature Award, the Stonewall Book Awards – Barbara Gittings Literature Award, and the Stonewall Book Awards – Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award.
W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction
This is an award honoring the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction for young adults or adults.
General Lists
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 has been promoting quality feminist literature for young readers since 2002 as part of ALA's Social Responsibility Round Table. Each year, the project compiles an annotated book list (or bibliography) of well-written and well-illustrated books with significant feminist content, intended for young readers (ages birth through 18).
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature winner list
The Asian Pacific American Librarians Association presents awards to books that promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage in three categories: Adult Non-Fiction, Illustration in Children's Literature, and Young Adult Literature.
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