Each year, the American Library Association (ALA) and affiliated library organizations present the prestigious Youth Media Awards, a celebration of the very best content for children and young adults—all curated by expert librarians.
This morning, ALA announced 2021 honors including the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott Book Award, and more. Check out the full list below:
John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:
When You Trap a Tiger, by Tae Keller
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:
We Are Water Protectors, illustrated by Michaela Goade and written by Carole Lindstrom
Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognizing an African American literature for children and young adults:
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:
Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison and written by Carole Boston Weatherford
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:
Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:
Dorothy L. Guthrie, author of “Integrating African American Literature in the Library and Classroom”
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story), by Daniel Nayeri
Schneider Family Book Award for literature about the disability experience:
Schneider Family Book Award for Young Children:
I Talk Like a River, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith
Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grade:
Show Me a Sign, by Ann Clare LeZotte
Schneider Family Book Award for Teens:
This Is My Brain in Love, by I.W. Gregorio
Alex Awards for adult books that appeal to teen audiences:
Black Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse
The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune
The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice - Crossing Antarctica Alone, by Colin O’Brady
Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, by Derf Backderf
The Kids Are Gonna Ask, by Gretchen Anthony
The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones
Plain Bad Heroines, by emily m. danforth
Riot Baby, by Tochi Onyebuchi
Solutions and Other Problems, by Allie Brosh
We Ride Upon Sticks: A Novel, by Quan Barry
Children’s Literature Legacy Award:
Mildred D. Taylor, author of “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry”, “The Land”, “The Road to Memphis”, and more
Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults:
Kekla Magoon, author of “X: A Novel” (co-written by Ilyasah Shabazz), “How It Went Down”, “The Rock and the River”, and more
Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book in translation:
Telephone Tales (Favole al telefono), written by Gianni Rodari, illustrated by Valerio Vidali, and translated into English by Antony Shugaar
Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults:
Kent State, produced by Paul R, written by Deborah Wiles, and narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina DeLaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries
Pura Belpré Awards for Latinx literature:
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award:
¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat, illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez
Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award:
Efrén Divided, by Ernesto Cisneros
Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award:
Furia, by Yamile Saied Méndez
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award:
Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera, written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann
The Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award:
The Imagine Neighborhood, produced by Committee for Children
Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award for LGBTQ books:
We Are Little Feminists: Families, written by Archaa Shrivastav and designed by Lindsey Blakely
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for beginning reader books:
See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
William C. Morris Award for a debut book for teens:
If These Wings Could Fly, by Kyrie McCauley
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults:
The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, by Candace Fleming
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature:
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature – Picture Books:
Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist, written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Chris Sasaki
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature – Children’s Literature:
When You Trap a Tiger, written by Tae Keller
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature – Youth Literature:
This Light Between Us, by Andrew Fukuda
The Sydney Taylor Book Award for literature about the Jewish experience:
Sydney Taylor Book Award – Picture Books:
Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail, by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Susan Gal
Sydney Taylor Book Award – Middle Grade:
Turtle Boy, by M. Evan Wolkenstein
Sydney Taylor Book Award – Young Adult:
Dancing at the Pity Party, written and illustrated by Tyler Feder
For more information about this year’s Youth Media Awards, visit American Libraries.
