Originating in 1922 with the creation of the John Newbery Medal, the American Library Association annually honors notable books, videos and other media aimed at children and teens. The ALA Youth Media Awards are internationally renowned and the distinction is an incredible resource to parents, educators, librarians and readers looking for the best books that the past year has to offer. The ALA has over a century of experience when it comes to finding books of the highest caliber — so get ready to add some truly excellent books to your TBR! Here’s a list highlighting some of the top winners of this year’s ALA Youth Media Awards — you can check out the full list of winners here.
Randolph Caldecott Medal
This esteemed award, named after the 19th-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. This year’s winners are author Andrea L. Rogers and illustrator Rebecca Lee Kunz for their work on Chooch Helped. The book tenderly depicts the sibling dynamic between Sissy, a young Cherokee girl, and her titular toddler brother, who always insists on “helping.” Evocative collage illustrations bring this sweet story of patience and familial bonds to life.
John Newbery Medal
Named in honor of the 18th-century British bookseller John Newbery, this award recognizes the author who has written the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This year’s award went to Erin Entrada Kelly, author of The First State of Being, a story of Michael Rosario, an anxious twelve-year-old from 1999, and Ridge, a teenager from 200 years in the future. This compelling, suspenseful novel encourages its audience to be mindful and in the present, while embracing the unknown of the future.
Michael L. Printz Award
This year’s award, which highlights excellence in literature written for young adults, goes to Brownstone by Samuel Teer, illustrated by Mar Julia. This tug-at-your-heartstrings graphic novel depicts the story of Almudena, who’s about to spend the summer with the father she’s never known, fixing up the broken-down brownstone in his majority Latin-American neighborhood — all while they struggle to connect without a common language.
Schneider Family Book Awards
The Schneider Family Book Award celebrates books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience, from children’s books to middle-grade and young adult reads. This year’s winner of The Schneider Family Book Award for children (ages 0 to 8) was A Little Like Magic, written and illustrated by Sarah Kurpiel. Like the author herself, the young narrator uses a power wheelchair as she navigates an enchanting ice sculpture festival — an experience that teaches her about the beauty in the ephemeral, and about the unexpected magic that can exist outside of our own comfort zones.
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Dedicated to Coretta Scott King for her tireless work in preserving Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of justice, the Coretta Scott King Book Award annually recognizes an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults. This year’s winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner is C.G. Esperanza, illustrator of My Daddy Is a Cowboy, written by Stephanie Seales. Inspired by the real-life Compton Cowboys, the vibrant illustrations of a young girl and her father — both on horseback — will bring a sense of joy and adventure to all readers.
Pura Belpré Awards
Named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library, the Pura Belpré Awards honor Latine writers and illustrators whose stories portray and celebrate the Latine experience. This year’s Pura Belpré Youth Illustration winner is Marcelo Verdad, the author-illustrator behind The Dream Catcher. With richly saturated cut-paper illustrations, Verdad captures the imagery of a young boy’s day out on the beaches of Oaxaca, selling dream catchers and holding onto a dream of his own.
Stonewall Book Award
The Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award is given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience. This year’s winner of the Stonewall Book Award for Young Adult Literature Award is Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa. In this tender exploration of grief, music and Mexican culture, two formal rivals in Mariachi Extravaganza de Nacional — who happened to kiss at last year’s competition — must now work together within the same group, where only one boy will be allowed to compete as the lead singer.
The Sydney Taylor Book Awards
Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the Sydney Taylor Book Award is given annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. This year’s Gold Medalist for Middle Grade Literature is The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival. This heartrending graphic memoir, co-written the late Estelle Nadel and Bethany Strout, and with writing and illustrations by Sammy Savos, captures Nadel’s astonishing story of survival amid WWII and the strength music lent her during her darkest days.
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
The Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. This year’s Young Adult Winner is Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay. This sprawling novel follows four generations of Filipino American boys as they must contend with the unique circumstances of their times, as well as the pervasive struggles of race, identity and masculinity. Achingly poignant, Ribay’s novel gives readers a framework to bridge generational divides by viewing life through the eyes of our loved ones.
Check out the full list of winners and honorees here!
