2021 Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award Winners

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: 

“When You Trap a Tiger,” written by Tae Keller, is the 2021 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Five Newbery Honor Books also were named: 

“All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; “BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood and published by Candlewick Press;  “Fighting Words,” written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House;  “We Dream of Space,” written by Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly and Celia Krampien and published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;  and “A Wish in the Dark,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

“We Are Water Protectors,” illustrated by Michaela Goade is the 2021 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was written by Carole Lindstrom and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings. 

Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: 

“A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart,” illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group; “The Cat Man of Aleppo,” illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha and published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “Me & Mama,” illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera and published by Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; and “Outside In,” illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults: 

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:

“Before the Ever After,” written by Jacqueline Woodson, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.  

Three King Author Honor Books were selected: 

“All the Days Past, All the Days to Come,” written by Mildred D. Taylor, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; “King and the Dragonflies,” written by Kacen Callender, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and “Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box,” written by Evette Dionne, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, is the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected: 

“Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration,” illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, written by Samara Cole Doyon and published by Tilbury House Publishers; “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, written by Suzanne Slade and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; and “Me & Mama,” illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera and published by Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award: 

“Legendborn,” written by Tracy Deonn, is the Steptoe author award winner. The book is published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:

Dorothy L. Guthrie is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Dorothy L. Guthrie is an award-winning retired librarian, district administrator, author and school board member. A respected children’s literature advocate, Guthrie promotes and affirms the rich perspectives of African Americans. Her work, “Integrating African American Literature in the Library and Classroom,” inspires educators with African American literature. Guthrie founded the first African American museum in her home, Gaston County, North Carolina.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: 

“Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story),” by Daniel Nayeri, is the 2021 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named: 

“Apple (Skin to the Core),” by Eric Gansworth and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; “Dragon Hoops,” created by Gene Luen Yang, color by Lark Pien and published by First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “Every Body Looking,” by Candice Iloh and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House; and “We Are Not Free,” by Traci Chee and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience: 

“I Talk Like a River,” written by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith and published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, wins the award for young children (ages 0 to 10). Two honor books for young children were selected: “All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything,” written by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali and published by Sourcebooks eXplore, an imprint of Sourcebook Kids, and “Itzhak: A Boy who Loved the Violin,” written by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams.

“Show Me a Sign,” written by Ann Clare LeZotte and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., is the winner for middle grades (ages 11-13). Two honor books for middle grades were selected: “Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!,” written by Sarah Kapit and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, and “When Stars Are Scattered,” written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, color by Iman Geddy and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

 “This Is My Brain in Love,” written by I.W. Gregorio and published by Little Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, is the winner for teens (ages 13-18). No honor book for teens was selected.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences: 

“Black Sun,” by Rebecca Roanhorse, published by Saga Press/Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“The House in the Cerulean Sea,” by TJ Klune, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan

“The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice – Crossing Antarctica Alone,” by Colin O’Brady, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio,” by Derf Backderf, published by Abrams Comicarts

“The Kids Are Gonna Ask,” by Gretchen Anthony, published by Park Row Books, an imprint of Harlequin, a division of HarperCollins Publishers

“The Only Good Indians,” by Stephen Graham Jones, published by Saga Press/Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“Plain Bad Heroines,” by emily m. danforth, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins

“Riot Baby,” by Tochi Onyebuchi, published by Tordotcom, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan

“Solutions and Other Problems,” by Allie Brosh, published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“We Ride Upon Sticks:  A Novel,” by Quan Barry, published by Pantheon Books, a division of Penguin Random House

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. 

The 2021 winner is Mildred D. Taylor, whose award-winning works include “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” the 1977 Newbery Medal winner and a Coretta Scott King (CSK) Author honor; “The Land,” the 2002 CSK Author Award winner; “The Road to Memphis,” the 1991 CSK Author Award winner; “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come”; and “The Gold Cadillac,” among other titles.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: The 2021 winner is Kekla Magoon. Her books include: “X: A Novel,” co-written by Ilyasah Shabazz and published by Candlewick Press; “How It Went Down,” published by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “The Rock and the River” and “Fire in the Streets,” both published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States:

“Telephone Tales” is the 2021 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Italian as “Favole al telefono,” the book was written by Gianni Rodari, illustrated by Valerio Vidali, translated by Antony Shugaar and published by Enchanted Lion Books. 

One Honor Book also was selected: “Catherine’s War,” published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, written by Julia Billet, illustrated by Claire Fauvel and translated from French by Ivanka Hahnenberger.  

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States: 

“Kent State,” produced by Paul R. Gagne for Scholastic Audio, is the 2021 Odyssey Award winner. The book is written by Deborah Wiles and narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina Delaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries.

Four Odyssey Honor Audiobooks also were selected:

“Clap When You Land,” produced by Caitlin Garing for HarperAudio, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, written by Elizabeth Acevedo and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte; “Fighting Words,” produced by Karen Dziekonski for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and narrated by Bahni Turpin; “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” produced by Robert Van Kolken for Hachette Audio, written by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi and narrated by Jason Reynolds with an introduction by Ibram X. Kendi; and “When Stars Are Scattered,” produced by Kelly Gildea & Julie Wilson for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed and narrated by Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi and a full cast.  

Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latinx writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

“¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat,” illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

 One Belpré Illustrator Honor Book was named:

“Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello,” illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, written by Monica Brown and published by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books, Inc.

“Efrén Divided,” written by Ernesto Cisneros, is the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner. The book is published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Two Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books were named: 

“The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez,” written by Adrianna Cuevas and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, and “Lupe Wong Won’t Dance,” written by Donna Barba Higuera and published by Levine Querido.

“Furia,” written by Yamile Saied Méndez, is the Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award winner. The book is published by Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

Two Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books were named: 

“Never Look Back,” written by Lilliam Rivera and published by Bloomsbury YA, and “We Are Not from Here,” written by Jenny Torres Sanchez and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:

“Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera,” written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House.

Three Sibert Honor Books were named:

“How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure,” written and illustrated by John Rocco, published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” written by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; and “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat, published by Candlewick Press.

The Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award is given to a digital media producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience. 

The 2021 Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award winner is “The Imagine Neighborhood,” produced by Committee for Children. 

One honor title was named: “Sesame Street Family Play: Caring for Each Other,” produced by Sesame Workshop. 

Stonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience:

 “We Are Little Feminists: Families,” written by Archaa Shrivastav, designed by Lindsey Blakely and published by Little Feminist, is the 2021 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award.

 Four Honor Books were selected:

“Beetle & The Hollowbones,” illustrated and written by Aliza Layne and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Darius the Great Deserves Better,” written by Adib Khorram and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; “Felix Ever After,” written by Kacen Callender and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “You Should See Me in a Crown,” written by Leah Johnson and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book is

“See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog,” written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka and published by Candlewick Press.

Four Geisel Honor Books were named: 

“The Bear in My Family,” written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House; “Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!” written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; “”What About Worms!?” written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins and published by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group; and “Where’s Baby?” written and illustrated by Anne Hunter and published by Tundra Books of Northern New York, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, a Penguin Random House Company.

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:

“If These Wings Could Fly,” written by Kyrie McCauley, is the 2021 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

 Four other books were finalists for the award:  

“Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard,” written by Echo Brown and published by Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “The Black Kids,” written by Christina Hammonds Reed and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; “It Sounded Better in My Head,” written by Nina Kenwood and published by Flatiron Books, Macmillan Publishers; and “Woven in Moonlight,” written by Isabel Ibañez and published by Page Street Publishing.

 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: 

“The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh,” written by Candace Fleming, is the 2021 Excellence winner. The book is published by Schwartz and Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Four other books were finalists for the award:  

“All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; “The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival,” written by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan and published by Bloomsbury YA; “How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure,” written and illustrated by John Rocco and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and “You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Democracy and Deliver Power to the People,” written by Elizabeth Rusch and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.  The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Youth Literature.  The award is administered by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association.  This year’s winners include: 

The Picture Book winner is “Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist,” written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki and published by Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one Picture Book honor title: “Danbi Leads the School Parade,” written and illustrated by Anna Kim and published by Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

The Children’s Literature winner is “When You Trap a Tiger,” written by Tae Keller and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one children’s literature honor title: “Prairie Lotus,” written by Linda Sue Park and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Youth Literature winner is “This Light Between Us,” written by Andrew Fukuda and published by Tor Teen. The committee selected one Youth Literature honor title: “Displacement,” written by Kiku Hughes and published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented since 1968 by the Association of Jewish Libraries, an affiliate of the American Library Association, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. 

This year’s Gold Medalists include: in the Picture Book category, “Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail,” by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Charlesbridge; in the Middle Grades category, “Turtle Boy,” by M. Evan Wolkenstein and published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC; and in the Young Adult category, “Dancing at the Pity Party,” written and illustrated by Tyler Feder and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medalists include: in the Picture Book category, “I Am the Tree of Life: My Jewish Yoga Book,” by Mychal Copeland, illustrated by André Ceolin and published by Apples and Honey Press, an imprint of Behrman House, and “Miriam at the River,” by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Khoa Le and published by Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group; in the Middle Grades category, “No Vacancy,” by Tziporah Cohen and published by Groundwood Books; “Anya and the Nightingale,” by Sofiya Pasternack and published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; and “The Blackbird Girls,” by Anne Blankman and published by Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House LLC; and in the Young Adult category, “They Went Left,” by Monica Hesse and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work.  For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

2020 Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award Winners

* denotes past and present WWUCLC presenters

Newbery Medal 

New Kid written by Jerry Craft (HarperCollins)

Honor Books:
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Versify)*
Scary Stories for Young Foxes written by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu (Henry Holt)
Other Words for Home written by Jasmine Warga (Balzer + Bray)
Genesis Begins Again written by Alicia D. Williams (Atheneum)

Caldecott Medal

The Undefeated illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Kwame Alexander (Versify)*

Honor Books:
Bear Came Along illustrated by LeUyen Pham, written by Richard T. Morris (Little, Brown)*
Double Bass Blues illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Andrea J. Loney (Knopf)
Going Down Home with Daddy illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons (Peachtree)

Coretta Scott King Author Award

New Kid written by Jerry Craft (HarperCollins)

Honor Books:
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them written by Junauda Petrus (Dutton)
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky written by Kwame Mbalia (Disney-Hyperion)
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks written by Jason Reynolds (Atheneum)

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

The Undefeated illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Kwame Alexander (Versify)*

Honor Books:
The Bell Rang illustrated and written by James E. Ransome (Atheneum)
Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace illustrated and written by Ashley Bryan (Atheneum)
Sulwe illustrated by Vashti Harrison, written by Lupita Nyong’o (Simon & Schuster)

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

Genesis Begins Again written by Alicia D. Williams (Atheneum) 

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award

What Is Given From the Heart illustrated by April Harrison, written by Patricia C. McKissack (Schwartz & Wade) 

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

This honor is given for a body of work which has made a significant and lasting literary contribution. Mildred D. Taylor is the 2020 recipient.

Michael L. Printz Award

Dig written by A.S. King (Dutton)

Honor Books:
The Beast Player written by Nahoko Uehashi, illustrated by Yuta Onoda,  translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano (Henry Holt)
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me written by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (First Second)
Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir written by Nikki Grimes (Wordsong)
Where the World Ends written by Geraldine McCaughrean (Flatiron)

Schneider Family Book Award 

Children’s: Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You written by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael López (Philomel)

Honor Book: A Friend for Henry written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song (Chronicle)

Middle Grade: Song for a Whale written by Lynne Kelly (Delacorte)

Honor Book: Each Tiny Spark written by Pablo Cartaya (Kokila)

Teen: Cursed written by Karol Ruth Silverstein (Charlesbridge)

Honor Book: The Silence Between Us written by Alison Gervais (Blink)

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award 

Stop! Bot! written and illustrated by James Yang (Viking)

Honor Books:
Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot written and illustrated by Cece Bell (Candlewick)
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! written and illustrated by J.E. Morris (Penguin Workshop)
The Book Hog written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli (Disney-Hyperion)

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story written by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martínez-Neal (Roaring Brook)

Honor Books:
All in a Drop: How Anthony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World written by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality written by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir written by Nikki Grimes (Wordsong)
Hey, Water! written by Antoinette Portis (Neal Porter Books)

Pura Belpré Author Medal

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe written by Carlos Hernández (Disney-Hyperion)

Honor Book: 
Lety Out Loud written by Angela Cervantes (Scholastic)
The Other Half of Happy written by Rebecca Balcárcel (Chronicle)
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré written by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar (HarperCollins)
Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams)

Pura Belpré Illustrator Medal 

Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for Abraham Lincoln illustrated by Rafael López, written by Margarita Engle (Atheneum)

Honor Books:
Across the Bay illustrated and written by Carlos Aponte (Penguin Workshop)
My Papi Has a Motorcycle illustrated by Zeke Peña, written by Isabel Quintero (Kokila)
¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market illustrated and written by Raúl González (Versify)

American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book 

Bowwow Powwow: Bagosenjige-niimi’idim written by Brenda J. Child (Red Lake Ojibwe), translated into Ojibwe by Gordon Jourdain (Lac La Croix First Nation), illustrated by Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Ojibwe) (Minnesota Historical Society)

Honor Books:
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story written by Kevin Noble Maillard (Seminole Nation, Mekusukey Band), illustrated by Juana Martínez-Neal (Roaring Brook)
Birdsong written and illustrated by Julie Flett (Cree-Métis) (Greystone Kids)
At the Mountain’s Base written by Traci Sorell (Cherokee), illustrated by Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva/Scots-Gaelic) (Kokila)
We Are Grateful written by Traci Sorell (Cherokee), illustrated by Frané Lessac (Charlesbridge)
Raven Makes the Aleutians adapted from a traditional Tlingit story and illustrated by Janine Gibbons (Haida, Raven of the Double-Finned Killer Whale clan) (Sealaska Heritage)

American Indian Youth Literature Award Middle Grade 

Indian No More written by Charlene Willing McManis (Umpqua/Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde) with Traci Sorell (Cherokee) (Tu Books)

Honor Books:
I Can Make This Promise written by Christine Day (Upper Skagit) (HarperCollins)
The Grizzly Mother written by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (“Brett D. Huson,” Gitxsan), illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Métis Nation of British Columbia) (Highwater)

American Indian Youth Literature Award Young Adult 

Hearts Unbroken written by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) (Candlewick)

Honor Books:
Surviving the City written by Tasha Spillet (Nehiyaw-Trinidadian), illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Métis Nation of British Columbia)(Highwater)
Reawakening Our Ancestors’ Lives: Revitalizing Inuit Traditional Tattooing gathered and compiled by Angela Hovak Johnston (Inuk), photography by Cora De Vos (Inuk) (Inhabit Media)
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People written by Debbie Reese (Nambé Owingeh) and Jean Mendoza, adapted from the adult book by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortíz (Beacon)
Apple in the Middle written by Dawn Quigley (Ojibwe, Turtle Mountain Band) (North Dakota State University)

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

Free Lunch written by Rex Ogle (Norton)

Other Finalists:
The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance written and illustrated by Lynn Curlee (Charlesbridge Teen)
A Light in the Darkness: Janusz Korczak, His Orphans, and the Holocaust written by Albert Marrin (Alfred A. Knopf)
A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II written by Elizabeth Wein (Balzer + Bray)
Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of ‘The Children’s Ship’ written by Deborah Heiligman (Henry Holt)

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a Nation  written by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Neal Porter Books)*

Honor Books:
Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island written by Jennifer Thermes (Abrams)
Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams)
1919: The Year that Changed America written by Martin W. Sandler (Bloomsbury)
The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in Our Food and Drugs written by Gail Jarrow (Calkins Creek)
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré written by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar (HarperCollins)

Children’s Literature Legacy Award 

Honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences. The 2020 recipient is Kevin Henkes.* 

Margaret A. Edwards Award 

Given for a lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. The 2020 recipient is Steve Sheinkin.* 

Children’s Literature Lecture Award 

Given to an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop will deliver the 2021 Children’s Literature Lecture Award.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award 

Brown written by Håkon Øvreås, illustrated by Øyvind Torseter, and translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson (Enchanted Lion)

Honor Books:
The Beast Player written by Nahoko Uehashi, illustrated by Yuta Onoda,  translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano (Henry Holt)
The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree written by Paola Peretti, illustrated by Carolina Rabei, translated from the Italian by Denise Muir (Atheneum)
Do Fish Sleep? written by Jens Raschke, illustrated by Jens Rassmus, translated from the German by Belinda Cooper (Enchanted Lion)
When Spring Comes to the DMZ written and illustrated by Uk-Bae Lee, translated from the Korean by Chungyon Won and Aileen Won (Plough)

Odyssey Award (Audio)

Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction written by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and narrated by the author, Jeanne Birdsall, Jenna Lamia, Richard Ferrone and a full cast (Scholastic Audiobooks)

Honor Recordings:
Redwood and Ponytail written by K.A. Holt and narrated by Cassandra Morris and Tessa Netting (Hachette Audio)
Song for a Whale written by Lynne Kelly and narrated by Abigail Revasch with the author (Listening Library)
We Are Grateful: Otsaligeliga written by Traci Sorell and narrated by Lauren Hummingbird, Agalisiga (Choogie) Mackey, Ryan Mackey, Traci Sorell, Tonia Weavel (Live Oak Media)
We Are Not from Here written by Geoff Rodkey and narrated by Dani Martineck (Listening Library)

William C. Morris Award

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager written by Ben Philippe (Balzer + Bray)

Other Finalists:
The Candle and the Flame written by Nafiza Azad (Scholastic)
Frankly in Love written by David Yoon (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
Genesis Begins Again written by Alicia D. Williams (Atheneum)
There Will Come a Darkness written by Katy Rose Pool (Henry Holt)

Stonewall Book Award

Children’s: When Aidan Became a Brother written by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (Lee & Low)

Young Adult: The Black Flamingo written by Dean Atta, illustrated by Anshika Khullar (Hodder)

Honor Books:
Pet written by Akwaeke Emezi (Make Me a World)
Like a Love Story written by Abdi Nezemian (Balzer + Bray) 
The Best at It written by Maulik Pancholy (Balzer + Bray)

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

Picture Book: Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom written by Teresa Robeson, illustrated by Rebecca Huang (Sterling)

Children’s: Stargazing written and illustrated by Jen Wang (First Second)

Young Adult: They Called Us Enemy written by George Takei, Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott, illustrated by Harmony Becker (Top Shelf Productions)

Sydney Taylor Book Award

Picture Book: The Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come written by Sue Macy, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (Paula Wiseman)

Middle Grade: White Bird: A Wonder Story written and illustrated by R.J. Palacio (Knopf)

Young Adult: Someday We Will Fly written by Rachel DeWoskin (Viking)

Charlotte Huck Award for Fiction for Children

Room on Our Rock, written by Kate & Jol Temple, illustrated by Terri Rose Baynton (Kane Miller)

Honor Books:
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border, written by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Sara Palacios (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
I Can Make This Promise, written by Christine Day (HarperCollins)
New Kid, written by Jerry Craft (HarperCollins)
When Aidan Became a Brother, written by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (Lee & Low)

2019 Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award Winners

* denotes past WWUCLC presenters

Newbery Medal 

Merci Suárez Changes Gears written by Meg Medina (Candlewick)

Honor Books: 
The Night Diary written by Veera Hiranandani (Dial)
The Book of Boy written by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, illustrated by Ian Schoenherr (Greenwillow)

Caldecott Medal

Hello Lighthouse illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall (Little, Brown)*

Honor Books:
Alma and How She Got Her Name illustrated and written by Juana Martinez-Neal (Candlewick)
A Big Mooncake for Little Star illustrated and written by Grace Lin (Little, Brown)
The Rough Patch illustrated and written by Brian Lies (Greenwillow)
Thank You, Omu! illustrated and written by Oge Mora (Little, Brown)

Coretta Scott King Author Award

A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 written by Claire Hartfield (Clarion)

Author Honor Books: 
Finding Langston written by Lesa Cline-Ransome (Holiday House)
The Parker Inheritance written by Varian Johnson (Arthur A. Levine Books)
The Season of Styx Malone written by Kekla Magoon (Wendy Lamb Books)

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

The Stuff of Stars illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Marion Dane Bauer (Candlewick)

Illustrator Honor Books: 
Hidden Figures illustrated by Laura Freeman, written by Margot Lee Shetterly (HarperCollins)
Let the Children March illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Monica Clark-Robinson (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Alice Faye Duncan (Calkins Creek)

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

Monday’s Not Coming written 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)

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

This honor is given for a body of work which has made a significant and lasting literary contribution. Dr. Pauletta Brown Bracy is the 2019 recipient. 

Michael L. Printz Award

The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo (Harper Teen)

Honor Books:
Damsel written by Elana K. Arnold (Balzer + Bray)
A Heart in a Body in the World written by Deb Caletti (Simon Pulse)
I, Claudia written by Mary McCoy (Carolrhoda Lab)

Schneider Family Book Award 

Children’s: Rescue _& Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship written by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, illustrated by Scott Magoon (Candlewick)

Honor Book: The Remember Balloons written by Jessie Oliveros, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte (Simon & Schuster)

Middle Grade: The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle written by Leslie Connor (Katherine Tegen Books)

Honor Book: The Collectors written by Jacqueline West (Greenwillow)

Teen: Anger Is a Gift written by Mark Oshiro (Tor Teen)

Honor Book: (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health edited by Kelly Jensen (Algonquin)

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award 

Fox the Tiger written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor (Balzer + Bray)

Honor Books: 
The Adventures of Otto: See Pip Flap written and illustrated by David Milgrim (Simon Spotlight)
Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier (Chronicle)
King _& Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth written by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Nancy Meyers (Peachtree)
Tiger vs. Nightmare written and illustrated by Emily Tetri (First Second)

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science written by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)*

Honor Books: 
Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild written by Catherine Thimmesh (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America written by Gail Jarrow (Calkins Creek)
The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees written and illustrated by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga written by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac (Charlesbridge)
When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana written Michael Mahin, illustrated by Jose Ramirez (Atheneum)

Pura Belpré Author Medal

The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo (Harper Teen)

Honor Book: 
They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems written by David Bowles (Cinco Puntos Press)

Pura Belpré Illustrator Medal 

Dreamers illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales (Neal Porter Books)*

Honor Books: 
Islandborn illustrated by Leo Espinosa, written by Junot Díaz (Dial)
When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana written Michael Mahin, illustrated by Jose Ramirez (Atheneum)

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)

Other Finalists: 
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor written by Sonia Sotomayor (Delacorte)
Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam written by Elizabeth Partridge (Viking)
The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler written and illustrated by John Hendrix (Amulet)
Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction written and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Graphix)

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery written by Sandra Neil Wallace, Illustrated by Bryan Collier (Simon & Schuster)

Honor Books:
Champion: The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree written by Sally M. Walker (Henry Holt)
Pass Go and Collect $200: The Story of How Monopoly was Invented written by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Stephen Salerno (Henry Holt)
The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art written by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Claire Nivola (Candlewick)
Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story written by Marc Tyler Nobleman, illustrated by Melissa Iwai (Clarion)
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga written by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac (Charlesbridge)

Children’s Literature Legacy Award 

Honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences. The 2019 recipient is Walter Dean Myers.

Margaret A. Edwards Award 

Given for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. The 2019 recipient is M.T. Anderson. 

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture 

Given to an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site. Neil Gaiman will deliver the 2020 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award 

The Fox on the Swing written by Evelina Daciūtė, illustrated by Aušra Kiudulaitė, translated from Lithuanian by The Translation Bureau (Thames & Hudson, Inc.)

Honor Books: 
Run for Your Life written by Silvana Gandolfi, translated from the Italian by Lynne Sharon Schwartz (Yonder)
My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder written and illustrated by Nie Jun, originally published in Mandarin and translated from the French by Edward Gauvin (Graphic Universe)
Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure written and illustrated by Torben Kuhlmann, translated from the German by David Henry Wilson (NorthSouth Books)
Jerome By Heart written by Thomas Scotto, illustrated by Olivier Tallec, translated from the French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick and Karin Snelson (Enchanted Lion Books)

Odyssey Award (Audio)

Sadie written by Courtney Summers, narrated by Rebecca Soler, Fred Berman, Dan Bittner, Gabra Zackman, and more (Macmillan Audio from Wednesday Books)

Honor Recordings:
Du Iz Tak written by Carson Ellis, narrated by Eli and Sebastian D’Amico, Burton, Galen and Laura Fott, Sarah Hart, Bella Higginbotham, Evelyn Hipp and Brian Hull (Weston Woods Studio)
Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist written by Susan Wood, narrated by Brian Amador (Live Oak Media)
The Parker Inheritance written by Varian Johnson, narrated by Cherise Booth (Scholastic Audiobooks)
The Poet X written and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo (HarperAudio)

William C. Morris Award

Darius the Great Is Not Okay written by Adib Khorram (Dial)

Other Finalists:
Blood Water Paint written by Joy McCullough (Dutton)
Check, Please!: #Hockey written and illustrated by Ngozi Ukazu (First Second)
Children of Blood and Bone written by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt)
What the Night Sings written and illustrated by Vesper Stamper (Knopf)

Stonewall Book Award

Hurricane Child written by Kheryn Callender (Scholastic)

Julián Is a Mermaid written and illustrated by Jessica Love (Candlewick)

Honor Books:
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World written by Ashley Herring Blake (Little, Brown)
Picture Us in the Light written by Kelly Loy Gilbert (Hyperion)

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

Picture Book: Drawn Together written by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat (Disney Hyperion)

Children’s Literature: Front Desk written by Kelly Yang (Arthur A. Levine Books)

Young Adult Literature: Darius the Great is Not Okay written by Adib Khorram (Dial)

Sydney Taylor Book Award

Younger Readers: All-of-a-Kind-Family Hanukkah written by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky (Schwartz & Wade)

Older Readers: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster written by Jonathan Auxier (Amulet)

Teen Readers: What the Night Sings written and illustrated by Vesper Stamper (Knopf)