ALA’s 2024 Youth Media Awards
This morning, the American Library Association announced the Youth Media Awards. The most popular being the Caldecott and Newbery Awards. But, in actuality, there are over 20 award announcements this morning! Today, I’m sharing the winners and honors and a little note about what each award is for and what it all means. While most people are talking about the Emmy’s and the Oscar’s, I’m anxiously awaiting this Monday morning to see all the news about kids’ books.
But, as a reminder, and one I give every year, this is just the smallest sample of titles that were published over the course of last year. If your book never gets on an award list or acknowledged in any way, but a child connects with it, then it’s a winner in my book! For more information or to view the awards announcements, visit the ALA website.
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John Newbery Medal Winner:
“The Newbery Medal honors the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.”
Winner
The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers
Honors
- Eagle Drums by Nasuĥraq Rainey Hopson
- Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu
- Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
- The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares
Randolph Caldecott Medal
“The Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.”
Winner
Big illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison
Honors
- In Every Life illustrated and written by Marla Frazee
- Jovita Wore Pants illustrated by Molly Mendoza, by Aida Salazar
- There Was a Party for Langston illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, by Jason Reynolds
- The Truth About Dragons illustrated by Hanna Cha, by Julie Leung
Alex Awards
“The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.”
- Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
- Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
- Chlorine by Jade Song
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph by Oksana Masters
- I Will Greet the Sun Again by Khashayar J. Khabushani
- Maame by Jessica George
- Starter Villain by John Scalzi
- The Talk by Darrin Bell
- Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture
“The ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture is an annual event featuring an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of childrenâs literature, of any country, who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of childrenâs literature.”
Winner – Kyle Lukoff
American Indian Youth Literature Awards
“The American Indian Youth Literature Awards are presented every two years (even years). The awards were established as a way to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. Books selected to receive the award will present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.”
Picture Book Winner
- Forever Cousins by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan & Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Jonathan Nelson (Navajo/Diné)
- A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers (Wichita & Affiliated Tribes), illustrated by Jonathan Nelson (Navajo/Diné)
Honor Books
- Celebration by Lily Hope (Tlingit), illustrated by Kelsey Mata Foote (Tlingit)
- Contenders by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation), illustrated by Arigon Starr (Kickapoo Tribe)
- Berry Song by Michaela Goade (Tlingit Nation)
- Remember by Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation), illustrated by Michaela Goade (Tlingit Nation)
- Rock Your Mocs by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan & Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight (Chickasaw Nation)
Middle Grade Winner
We Still Belong by Christine Day (Upper Skagit), cover art by Madelyn Goodnight (Chickasaw Nation)
Honor Books
- Eagle Drums by Nasuĥraq Rainey Hopson (Iñupiaq)
- Mascot by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation) and Charles Waters, jacket illustration by Nicole Neidhardt (Navajo)
- Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), illustrated by Tara Audibert (Wolastoqey)
- Jo Jo Makoons: Snow Day by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), illustrated by Tara Audibert (Wolastoqey
- She Persisted: Maria Tallchief by Christine Day (Upper Skagit), illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint
- She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation), illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint
- She Persisted: Deb Haaland by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan & Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint
Young Adult Winner
Rez Ball by Byron Graves (Ojibwe), jacket art by Natasha Donovan (MĂ©tis)
Honor Books
- Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), jacket illustrations by Michaela Goade (Tlingit Nation)
- Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline (MĂ©tis)
- Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers (Cherokee Nation), illustrated by Jeff Edwards (Cherokee Nation)
- Running with Changing Woman by Lorinda Martinez (Diné), cover design by Brittany Gene (Navajo)
- Heroes of the Water Monster by Brian Young (Navajo Nation), jacket art by Shonto Begay (Diné)
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.”
Picture Book Winner
The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung, illustrated by Hanna Cha
Honor Books
Finding Papa by Angela Pham Krans, illustrated by Thi Bui
Childrenâs Literature Winner
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li
Honor Books
Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel by Betty C. Tang
Youth Literature Winner
I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom by Shannon C. F. Rogers
Honor Books
In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee
Childrenâs Literature Legacy Award
“The 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.”
Winner – Pam Muñoz Ryan
Coretta Scott King Award
“The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.”
Author Award
Winner
Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi
Honor Books
- Big by Vashti Harrison
- How Do You Spell Unfair? by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison
- Kin: Rooted in Hope by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffrey Boston Weatherford
Illustrator Award
Winner
An American Story by Kwame Alexander, illustrated Dare Coulter
Honor Books
- Big by Vashti Harrison
- Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright
- There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey
Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe New Talent Author 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.”
Author Award Winner – There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia
Illustrator Award Winner – We Could Fly by Rhianon Giddens, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
“The Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of beloved childrenâs author Virginia Hamilton. The annual award is presented in even years to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution.”
Winner – Christopher Paul Curtis
Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award
Honor
Winner
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”
Winner – Neal Shusterman
Michael L. Printz Award
“The Michael L. Printz Award annually honors the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit, each year.”
Winner
The Collectors: Stories edited by A. S. King
Honor Books
- Fire from the Sky by Moa Backe à stot
- Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow
- The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption by Shannon Gibney
- Salt the Water by Candice Iloh
Mildred L. Batchelder Award
“The Batchelder Award is given to an American publisher for a children’s book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States.”
Winner
Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore by Seiji Yoshida, translated by Jan Mitsuko Cash
Honor Book
- The House of the Lost on the Cape by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illustrated by Yukiko Saito, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa
- Later, When Iâm Big by Bette Westera, illustrated by Mattias De Leeuw, translated by Laura Watkinson
- Pardalita by Joana Estrela, translated by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Odyssey Award
“The Odyssey Award will be awarded annually to the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.”
Winner
- El Deafo by Cece Bell, narrated by a full cast (children)
- Promise Boys by Nick Brooks, narrated by a full cast (YA)
Honor Books
- Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods by Grace Lin, narrated by Lisa Ling
- Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro MartĂn, narrated by a full cast
- Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef, narrated by Nikki Massoud
- Sisters of the Lost Marsh written and narrated by Lucy Strange
- Stateless by Elizabeth Wein, narrated by Moira Quirk
Pura Belpré Awards
The BelprĂ© Award honors a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose works best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.”
Illustrator Awards
Winner
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro MartĂn
Honor Books
- Mi papĂĄ es un agrĂcola/My Father, the Farmworker illustrated by JosĂ© B. RamĂrez, by J. Roman PĂ©rez Varela
- PapĂĄ’s Magical Water-Jug Clock illustrated by Eliza Kinkz, by JesĂșs Trejo
- Remembering illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, by Xelena GonzĂĄlez
Children’s Author Awards
Winner
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro MartĂn
Honor Books
- Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera
- Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez
- Benita y las Criaturas Nocturnas by Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Cocoretto
- PapĂĄ’s Magical Water-Jug Clock by JesĂșs Trejo, illustrated by Eliza Kinkz
- Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Young Adult Award
Winner
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison
Honor Books
- The Prince and the Coyote by David Bowles, illustrated by Amanda Mijangos
- Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey by Edel Rodriguez
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
“The Sibert Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year.”
Winner
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist
Honor Books
- The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Matt Patterson
- Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright
- Jumper: A Day in the Life of the Backyard Jumping Spider by Jessica Lanan
- Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor by Martin W. Sandler
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.”
Winners
- Henry, Like Always by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song (ages 0 to 8)
- The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla (ages 9-12)
- Forever is Now by Mariama J. Lockington (ages 13-18)
Honor books for Young Children
- Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez
- What Happened to You? by James Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George
Honor books for Middle Grades
- Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
- Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
Honor books for Teens
- Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
- Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings
Stonewall Book Award
“The Stonewall Book Awards are presented to English language books that have exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience.”
Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s Award
Winner
Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora DĂ„snes, translated by Matt Bagguley
Honor Books
- Desert Queen by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Svabhu Kohli
- Not He or She, Iâm Me by A. M. Wild, illustrated by Kah Yangni
- The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans
- Stars in Their Eyes by Jessica Walton and Aska
Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Young Adult Literature Award
Winner
Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian
Honor Books
- Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
- Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
- The Long Run by James Acker
- The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
Sydney Taylor Book Award
“The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.”
Picture Book Winner
Two New Years by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield
Picture Book Honors
- Afikomen by Tziporah Cohen, illustrated by Yaara Eshet
- Hanukkah Upside Down by Elissa Brent Weissman, illustrated by Omer Hoffmann
- Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Amy June Bates
Middle Grade Winner
The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman by Mari Lowe
Middle Grade Honors
- Donât Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton
- The Jake Show by Joshua S. Levy
- Not So Shy by Noa Nimrodi
- A Sky Full of Song by Susan Lynn Meyer
Young Adult Winner
The Blood Years by Elana K. Arnold
Young Adult Honors
- Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust Neal Shusterman, illustrated by AndrĂ©s Vera MartĂnez
- Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adle
- Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe by Steve Sheinkin
- Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
“The Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American childrenâs literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year.”
Winner
Fox Has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor
Honor Books
- Henry, Like Always by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song
- Worm and Caterpillar are Friends by Kaz Windness
William C. Morris Award
“The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first given in 2009, honors a book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.”
Winner
Rez Ball by Byron Graves
Finalists:
- All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr
- Once There Was by Kiyansh Monsef
- Saints of the Household by Ari Tison
- She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
“YALSA’s Award for Excellence in Nonfiction honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a Nov. 1 â Oct. 31 publishing year.”
Winner
Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater
Honor Books
- America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History by Ariel Aberg-Riger
- Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam by Thien Pham
- From Here by Luma Mufleh
- Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself by Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge
