The annual announcement of the American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards is the biggest event of the year in the world of children’s publishing-20 separate awards for books and media, all chosen by librarians. And who knows children’s literature better than librarians? The Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, Coretta Scott King, and other Youth Media Awards are some of the most prestigious awards an author or illustrator can aspire to.

The 2023 Youth Media Awards were announced Monday morning, January 30, during ALA’s LibLearnX conference in New Orleans.

Enjoy exploring this collection of wonderful titles at your library or local book store. There’s something for every interest and taste.

Alex Awards

The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The award is sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust and administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of ALA. Learn more about the Alex Awards.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, by Sophie Irwin, published by Pamela Dorman Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House

Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution, by R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins

Chef’s Kiss, by Jarrett Melendez, illustrated by Danica Brine, published by Oni Press, an imprint of Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group

Daughter of the Moon Goddess, by Sue Lynn Tan, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy, published by Simon & Schuster (9781982185824)”Solito: A Memoir,” by Javier Zamora, published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House

Solito: A Memoir, by Javier Zamora, published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House;

The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere, written and illustrated by James Spooner, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group

True Biz, by Sara Nović, published by Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House

Wash Day Diaries, by Jamila Rowser, illustrated by Robyn Smith, published by Chronicle Books

Children’s Literacy Legacy Award

Administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA, 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. Learn more about the Children’s Literacy Legacy Award.

Award Winner: James E. Ransome

James E. Ransome’s award-winning works include Uncle Jed’s Barbershop, which won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award, 1994 and The Creation, recipient of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, 1995. In addition, Ransome has received the IBBY Honor Award for The Creation, and the NAACP Image Award for Let My People Go.

Coretta Scott King (Author) Award

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. The award is sponsored by ALA’s Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table (CSKBART). Learn more about the CSK Author Award.

Medal Winner: Freewater, written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Honor Books:

• Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler, written by Ibi Zoboi and published by Dutton Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House;
• The Talk, written by Alicia D. Williams, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; and
• Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice, written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Award

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. The award is sponsored by CSKBART. Learn more about the CSK Illustrator Award.

Medal Winner: Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual, illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Honor Books:

• Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love, illustrated by April Harrison, written by Michelle Edwards and published by Anne Schwartz Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House;
• Swim Team, illustrated and written by Johnnie Christmas and published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and
• Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award

The John Steptoe New Talent Award is established to affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee. The award is sponsored by CSKBART. Learn more about the CSK/John Steptoe New Talent Award.

Author Award: We Deserve Monuments, written by Jas Hammonds, is the Steptoe author award winner. The book is published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Illustrator Award: Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Janelle Washington, is the Steptoe illustrator award winner. The book is written by Angela Joy and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

The annual award is presented in even years to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of their published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution. In odd years, the award is presented to a practitioner for substantial contributions through active engagement with youth using award-winning African American literature for children and/or young adults, via implementation of reading and reading related activities/programs. The award is sponsored by CSKBART. Learn more about the CSK-Virginia Hamilton Award.

Award Winner: Dr. Claudette McLinn

Dr. McLinn is the founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL). She is a retired district supervising librarian for the LA Unified School District with over 34 years of experience, a former bookseller and a much sought-after book award juror/presenter

John Newbery Medal

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by ALSC to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Learn more about the Newbery Award.

Medal Winner: Freewater, written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Honor Books:

• Iveliz Explains It All, written by Andrea Beatriz Arango and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House;
• The Last Mapmaker, written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; and
• Maizy Chen’s Last Chance, written by Lisa Yee and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Margaret A. Edwards Award

The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award is administered by YALSA and sponsored by School Library Journal. Learn more about the Edwards Award.

Award Winner: Jason Reynolds

Jason Reynolds’ books include: Long Way Down, Ghost, All American Boys, and When I Was the Greatest, among other titles.

Michael L. Printz Award

The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas, school librarian who was a long-time active member of YALSA. The award is administered by YALSA and sponsored by Booklist, a publication of ALA. Learn more about the Printz Award.

Award Winner: All My Rage, written by Sabaa Tahir, published by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Honor Books:

• Scout’s Honor, written by Lily Anderson and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group;
• Icebreaker, written by A.L. Graziadei and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group;
• When the Angels Left the Old Country, written by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and
• Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality, written by Eliot Schrefer and published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award

This award, established in Mildred L. Batchelder’s honor in 1966, is a citation awarded to an American publisher for a children’s book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States. The award is administered by ALSC. Learn more about the Batchelder Award.

Award Winner: Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II, originally published in Italian as “Una bambina e basta. Raccontata agli altri bambini e basta,” written by Lia Levi, illustrated by Jess Mason, translated by Sylvia Notini and published by HarperCollins Publishers.

Honor Books:

Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War, published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., written by Mónica Montañés, illustrated by Eva Sánchez Gómez and translated by Lawrence Schimel;

Dragonfly Eyes, published by Candlewick Press, written by Cao Wenxuan and translated by Helen Wang; and

João by a Thread, published by Elsewhere Editions, written and illustrated by Roger Mello and translated by Daniel Hahn.

Odyssey Award

The Odyssey Award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States. The award is jointly given and administered by ALSC and YALSA and is sponsored by Booklist. Learn more about the Odyssey Award.

Award Winner: Stuntboy, in the Meantime, is the 2023Odyssey Award winner for children, produced by Taryn Beato for Simon & Schuster Audio, written by Jason Reynolds, and narrated by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock and Angel Pean with a full cast

Award Winner: The Honeys, produced by Melissa Ellard for Scholastic Audio, is the 2023 Odyssey Award winner for young adults, written by Ryan La Sala and narrated by Pete Cross.

Honor Audiobooks:

• The Three Billy Goats Gruff, produced by Melissa Ellard and Paul Gagne for Weston Woods Studios and Scholastic Audio, retold and narrated by Mac Barnett;
• Demon in the Wood Graphic Novel, produced by Steve Wagner and Michelle Altman for Macmillan Young Listeners, an imprint of Macmillan Audio, written by Leigh Bardugo, adaptation by Garet Scott and narrated by Ben Barnes and a full cast;
• Inheritance: A Visual Poem, produced by Caitlin Garing for Quill Books, an imprint of HarperAudio, and written and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo; and
• The First Helping (Lunch Lady Books 1 & 2), produced by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Lauren Klein; Executive Producer Nick Martorelli for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, written Jarrett J. Krosoczka and narrated by Kate Flannery, the author and a full cast.

Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate, ALSC, and YALSA. Learn more about the Pura Belpré Award.

Award Winner: Frizzy, written by Claribel A. Ortega, illustrated by Rose Bousamra and published by First Second, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Honor Books:

• The Coquíes Still Sing, written by Karina Nicole González, illustrated by Krystal Quiles and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group;
• The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border, written by Stephen Briseño, illustrated by Magdalena Mora and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and
• Tumble, written by Celia C. Pérez and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by REFORMA, ALSC, and YALSA. Learn more about the Pura Belpré Award.

Award Winner: Burn Down, Rise Up, written by Vincent Tirado, published by Sourcebooks Fire, an imprint of Sourcebooks.

Honor Books:

• Breathe and Count Back from Ten, written by Natalia Sylvester and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;
• High Spirits, written by Camille Gomera-Tavarez and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and
• The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, written by Sonora Reyes and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Award

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by REFORMA, ALSC, and YALSA. Learn more about the Pura Belpré Award.

Where Wonder Grows, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, written by Xelena González and published by Cinco Puntos Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc.

Honor Books:

• The Coquíes Still Sing, illustrated by Krystal Quiles, written by Karina Nicole González and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group;
• A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters, illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS;
• Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land, illustrated and written by Mirelle Ortega and published by Cameron Kids, an imprint of Cameron + Company, a division of ABRAMS;
• Phenomenal AOC: The Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, illustrated by Loris Lora, written by Anika Aldamuy Denise and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers;
• Srta. Quinces, illustrated and written by Kat Fajardo, translated by Scholastic Inc. and published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and
• Still Dreaming / Seguimos soñando, illustrated by Magdalena Mora, written by Claudia Guadalupe Martínez, translated by Luis Humberto Crosthwaite and published by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc.

Randolph Caldecott Medal

The Randolph Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by ALSC to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Learn more about the Caldecott Medal.

Medal Winner: Hot Dog, illustrated and written by Doug Salati, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Honor Books:

• Ain’t Burned All the Bright, illustrated by Jason Griffin, written by Jason Reynolds and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing;
• Berry Song, illustrated and written by Michaela Goade and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.;
• Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Janelle Washington, written by Angela Joy and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and
• Knight Owl, illustrated and written by Christopher Denise and published by Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois. ALSC administers the award. Learn more about the Sibert Award.

Award Winner: Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration, written by Elizabeth Partridge and illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, is the 2023 Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Chronicle Books.

Honor Books:

• Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement, written by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group;
• A Seed Grows, written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House;
• Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, written by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and
• The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs, written by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

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. The award is donated by Dr. Katherine Schneider. Three annual awards are presented for the best Teen, Middle School, and Children’s Book. ALA administers the Awards, and each recipient receives $5000 and a framed plaque. Learn more about the Schneider Family Book Award.

Young Children Winner: Listen: How Evely Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion, written by Shannon Stocker, illustrated by Devon Holzwarth, and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Middle Grade Winner: Wildoak, written by C.C. Harrington and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Teen Winner: The Words We Keep, written by Erin Stewartand published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Young Children Honor:

In the Blue, written and illustrated by Erin Houriganand published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.Middle Grade Winner:

Middle Grade Honor:

• Honestly Elliott, written by Gillian Dunn,and published by Bloomsbury Children’sBooks, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.
• Hummingbird, written by Natalie Lloyd,and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Teens Honor: Breathe and Count Back from Ten, written by Natalia Sylvester,and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award

Stonewall Book Award-Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award is given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. The award is sponsored by ALA’s Rainbow Round Table. Learn more about the Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award.

Award Winner Children’s Literature: Love, Violet, written by Charlotte Sullivan Wild, illustrated by Charlene Chua and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Award Winner Young Adult Literature: When the Angels Left the Old Country, written by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido, is the 2023 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards-Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Young Adult Literature Award.

Honor Books for Children’s Literature:

• In the Key of Us, written by Mariama J. Lockington and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group;
• Kapaemahu, written by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House;
• The Real Riley Mayes, written and illustrated by Rachel Elliott and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, and HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and
• Strong, written by Rob Kearney & Eric Rosswood, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Honor Books for Young Adult Literature:

• I Kissed Shara Wheeler, written by Casey McQuiston and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group;
• Kings of B’more, written by R. Eric Thomas and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House;
• Man o’ War, written by Cory McCarthy and published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; and
• The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, written by Jen Ferguson (Métis/white) and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. Winners are recognized for their literary and artistic achievements that demonstrate creativity and imagination to engage children in reading. ALSC administers the award. Learn more about the Geisel Award.

Award Winner: I Did It!, written and illustrated by Michael Emberley, is the 2023 Geisel Award winner. The book is published by Holiday House.

Honor Books:

• Fish and Wave, written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier and published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;
• Gigi and Ojiji, written and illustrated by Melissa Iwai and published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;
• Owl and Penguin, written and illustrated by Vikram Madan and published by Holiday House; and
• A Seed Grows, written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House.

William C. Morris Award

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first awarded in 2009, honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. The award is administered by YALSA. Learn more about the Morris Award.

Award Winner: The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen, written by Isaac Blum, published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Award Finalists:

• The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, written by Jen Ferguson (Métis/white) and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books;
• Wake the Bones, written by Elizabeth Kilcoyne and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group at Macmillan;
• The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, written by Sonora Reyes and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and
• Hell Followed with Us, written by Andrew Joseph White and published by Peachtree Teen, an imprint of Peachtree Publishing Company.

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1 to October 31 publishing year. The award is administered YALSA. Learn more about the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction.

 

Award Winner: Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice, written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes,  illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company.

Award Finalists:

• Abuela, Don’t Forget Me, written by Rex Ogle and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company;
• American Murderer: The Parasite that Haunted the South, written by Gail Jarrow and published by Calkins Creek;
• A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome, written by Ariel Henley and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and
• Unequal: A Story of America, written by Michael Eric Dyson and Marc Favreau and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Sydney Taylor Book Award

Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. Gold medals are presented in three categories: Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult. Honor Books are awarded silver medals, and Notable Books are named in each category. A Body-of-Work Award is given periodically for significant contributions to the genre of Jewish children’s literature. Learn more about the Sydney Taylor Book Awards.

Picture Book Winner: The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs, by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.;

Middle Grade Winner: Aviva vs. the Dybbuk, by Mari Lowe and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido.

Young Adult Winner: When the Angels Left the Old Country, by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido.

Picture Book Honors:

• Big Dreams, Small Fish, written and illustrated by Paula Cohen and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido;
• The Very Best Sukkah: A Story from Uganda, by Shoshana Nambi, illustrated by Moran Yogev and published by Kalaniot Books, an imprint of Endless Mountains Publishing Company; and
• Sitting Shiva, by Erin Silver, illustrated by Michelle Theodore and published by Orca Book Publishers.

Middle Grade Honors:

• Honey and Me, by Meira Drazin and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.;
• Black Bird, Blue Road, by Sofiya Pasternack and published by Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and
• Ellen Outside the Lines, by A. J. Sass and published by Little, Brown and Company, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Young Adult Honors:

• My Fine Fellow: A Delicious Entanglement, by Jennieke Cohen and published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;
• Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and
• Eight Nights of Flirting, by Hannah Reynolds and published by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

The goal of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit. Learn more about the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.

The Picture Book Winner: From the Tops of the Trees, written by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Rachel Wada and published by Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group.

Children’s Literature Winner: Maizy Chen’s Last Chance, written by Lisa Yee and published by Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Youth Literature Winner: Himawari House, written and illustrated by Harmony Becker and published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan.

Picture Book Honor: Nana, Nenek & Nina written and illustrated by Liza Ferneyhough and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Children’s Literature Honor: Troublemaker, written by John Cho, with Sarah Suk and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Youth Literature Honor: The Silence that Binds Us, written by Joanna Ho and published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Looking for great books for the little ones in your life? The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has just launched their Book & Media Awards Shelf, a one-stop shop for finding world-class content for youth.

The website lists almost 2,000 titles that have won ALSC awards over the past century. Each year, the organization’s expert librarians select the very best of children’s literature and media to win honors like the Newbery and Caldecott Medals.

Selections include content for kids aged 0 to 14, reflecting a diverse array of authors, styles, and themes. Book & Media Awards Shelf database lets you filter by genre, format, release date, and more, so that families and educators can find exactly what they’re looking for.

Families have so many children’s books to choose from, and the Book & Media Awards Shelf is a great tool for finding the best options. When you click on a title, the database suggests other award-winning selections in similar genres, helping you find new recommendations based on your old favorites.

Plus, the site doesn’t just have books: it also lists award-winning websites, apps, and more. With kids spending so much time on screens during the pandemic, librarians are an amazing resource for identifying high-quality digital content that educates as well as entertains.

Visit the Book & Media Awards Shelf now to start exploring.

Audiobooks are a great way to fit reading into your daily routine, adding literary flair to your chores, workouts, car rides, and more. For teenagers looking for great reads they can listen to on the go, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has released their 2021 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults list.

Selected titles feature powerful stories paired with compelling audio narration. YALSA’s picks come from a diverse range of authors and genres, and selections include audiobooks ranging from just 118 minutes to almost 19 hours.

Here are YALSA’s top 10 audiobook picks for teens:

Cemetery Boys, by Aiden Thomas, read by Avi Roque

Clap When You Land, by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by Melania-Luisa Marte and Elizabeth Acevedo

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Book 1, by Holly Jackson, read by Bailey Carr, Melissa Calin, Michael Crouch, Gopal Divan, Robert Fass, Kevin R. Free, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Carol Monda, Patricia Santomasso, Shezi Sardar, and Amanda Thickpenny

Kent State, by Deborah Wiles, read by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina DeLaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries

Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt

Raybearer, by Jordan Ifueko, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt

The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep: Voices from the Donner Party, by Allan Wolf, read by Bahni Turpin, Whitney Dykhouse, Teri Schnaubelt, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Lauren Ezzo, Eric G. Dove, Ramón de Ocampo, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-Winning Stamped from the Beginning, by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, read by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

We Are Not Free, by Traci Chee, read by Scott Keiji Takeda, Dan Woren, Ryan Potter, Ali Fumiko, Sophie Oda, Andrew Kishino, Christopher Naoki Lee, Grace Rolek, Erika Aishii, Brittany Ishibashi, Kurt Sanchez Kanazawam, and Terry Kitagawa

When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, read by Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi, Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, Robin Miles, Ifrah Mansour, Bahni Turpin, Hakeemshady Mohamed, Sadeeq Ali, Dominic Hoffman, Christine Avila, JD Jackson, and more

For the full list of 81 titles, visit the YALSA website.

Looking for some great books to add to your to-read pile? Members of the American Library Association’s Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT) have released their 2020 Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List, featuring amazing recent titles for readers of all kinds.

“During a difficult year, the committee members and I worked diligently to establish a well-rounded and diverse list-there is something for everyone in this list, from slice of life to horror,” Jessica Jenner, chair of the  Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List selection committee, said in a press release. “This list is intended to uplift not only the comics medium, but traditionally under-represented voices.”

More information and the full list of picks are available at the GNCRT website. Here are the top ten selections:

Be Gay, Do Comics, by The Nib

Big Black: Stand at Attica, by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane

Come Home, Indio, by Jim Terry

House of X / Powers of X, by Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz, and R.B. Silva

Invisible Kingdom, by G. Willow Wilson and Christian Ward

Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, by Derf Backderf

Making Comics, by Lynda Barry

Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, by Damian Duffy and John Jennings

Sentient, by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Something is Killing the Children Vol. 1, by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera

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