The American Library Association this week announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.
Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians
Among the 2019 book winners:
John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (Candlewick Press).
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults: A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 by Claire Hartfield (Clarion Books).
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award: The Stuff of Stars illustrated by Ekua Holmes (Candlewick Press).
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award: Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson (Katherine Tegen Books).
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award:
Thank You, Omu! illustrated and written by Oge Mora (Little, Brown Young Readers).
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (HarperTeen).
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience: Rescue & Jessica A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, illustrated by Scott Magoon (Candlewick Press), for ages 0 to 10.
For ages 11-13, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor (Katherine Tegen Books).
For ages 13-18, Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro (A Tor Teen Book, Tom Doherty Associates).
Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States: Sadie produced by Macmillan Audio from Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, is the 2019 Odyssey Award winner. The book is written by Courtney Summers and narrated by Rebecca Soler, Fred Berman, Dan Bittner, Gabra Zackman, and more.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children: The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
Stonewall Book
William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (Dial Books).
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees written and illustrated by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Picture Book winner is Drawn Together written by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat (Disney Hyperion); Children’s Literature Category winner is Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Arthur A. Levine Books); Young Adult Literature winner is Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (Dial Books).
The Sydney Taylor Book Award for outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience: Younger Readers winner is All-of-a-Kind-Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul Zelinsky (Schwartz & Wade); Older Readers category winner is Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier (Amulet Books); and Teen Readers winner is What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper (Alfred A. Knopf).
For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma.
Want more BookTrib? Sign up NOW for news and giveaways!
