2022 Youth Media Award Winners

Tina Lernø, Librarian, Digital Content Team,
Collage of year's top books chosen by The American Library Association
Read the latest award winning books at the Los Angeles Public Library!

The American Library Association (or ALA as acronym-loving librarians refer to it) has announced this year's top books, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpré, Newbery, and Printz awards. These awards are chosen by librarians across America and represent some of the top prizes that authors and illustrators in youth literature can achieve. Nothing warms our hearts more than knowing that not only will the lives of the authors and illustrators change, but so will the children and teens who get to read these exceptional books.

Below is a list of all the winners and a hearty congratulations go out to all of them and their contributions to providing excellent reading materials for our youth.


John Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is awarded for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.

Book cover for The Last Cuentista
The Last Cuentista
Higuera, Donna Barba

Newbery Honor Books


Randolph Caldecott Medal

The Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded for the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Book cover for Watercress
Watercress
Wang, Andrea

Caldecott Honor Books


Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognize African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Book cover for Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
Weatherford, Carole Boston

King Author Honor Books

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award

Book cover for Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
Weatherford, Carole Boston

King Illustrator Honor Books

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

Book cover for Me (Moth)
Me (Moth)
McBride, Amber

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award

Book cover for The Me I Choose to Be
The Me I Choose to Be
Tarpley, Natasha

​Coretta Scott King/Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

  • Nikki Grimes 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.

Michael L. Printz Award

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

Book cover for Firekeeper's Daughter
Firekeeper's Daughter
Boulley, Angeline

Printz Honor Books


Schneider Family Book Awards

Schneider Family Book Awards are for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.

Schneider Family Book Award - Young Children (Ages 0 - 10)

Book cover for My City Speaks
My City Speaks
Lebeuf, Darren

Honor Book for Young Children

Schneider Family Book Award - Middle Grades (Ages 11 - 13)

Book cover for A Bird Will Soar
A Bird Will Soar
Myers, Alison Green

Honor Book for Middle Grades

Schneider Family Book Award - Teens (Ages 13 - 18)

Book cover for The Words in My Hands
The Words in My Hands
Asphyxia

Honor Book for Teens


Alex Awards

The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults.


Odyssey Award

The Odyssey Awards are for the best audiobooks produced for children and young adults, available in English in the United States.

Book cover for Boogie Boogie, Y'all
Boogie Boogie, Y'all
Esperanza, C. G.

Book cover for When You Look Like Us
When You Look Like Us
Harris, Pamela N.

Odyssey Honor Audiobooks


Pura Belpré Awards

Pura Belpré Awards honor Latinx writers and illustrators whose children's and young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award

Book cover for ¡Vamos! Let's Cross the Bridge
¡Vamos! Let's Cross the Bridge
Raúl the Third

Belpré Illustrator Honor Books

Pura Belpré Author Award

Book cover for The Last Cuentista
The Last Cuentista
Higuera, Donna Barba

Belpré Author Honor Book


Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

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

Book cover for The People's Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice With Art
The People's Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice With Art
Levinson, Cynthia

Sibert Honor Books


Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award

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 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.

Book cover for Too Bright to See
Too Bright to See
Lukoff, Kyle

Book cover for Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda

Stonewall Honor Books


Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

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

Book cover for Fox at Night
Fox at Night
Tabor, Corey R.

Geisel Honor Books


William C. Morris Award

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

Book cover for Firekeeper's Daughter
Firekeeper's Daughter
Boulley, Angeline

Morris Finalists


YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

Book cover for Ambushed!: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield
Ambushed!: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield
Jarrow, Gail

Excellence in Nonfiction Finalists


American Indian Youth Awards for Literature

American Indian Youth Literature Awards are announced in even years and were established to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians and Alaska Natives. Selected titles present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.

Picture Book

Herizon by Daniel W. Vandever [Diné], illustrated by Corey Begay [Diné]

Middle Grade Book

Book cover for Healer of the Water Monster
Healer of the Water Monster
Young, Brian

Young Adult Book

Book cover for Apple: Skin to the Core
Apple: Skin to the Core
Gansworth, Eric L.

Picture Book Honor

  • Diné Bich’eekę Yishłeeh [Diné Bizaad]/Becoming Miss Navajo [English] by Jolyana Begay-Kroupa [Diné]
  • Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Gold Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell [Cherokee], illustrated by Natasha Donovan [Métis]
  • Learning My Rights With Mousewoman written and illustrated by Morgan Asoyuf [Ts’msyen]
  • I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillet-Sumner [Cree and Trinidadian], illustrated by Michaela Goade [Tlingit & Haida]
  • We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell [Cherokee], illustrated by Frané Lessac

Middle Grade Honor

  • Ella Cara Deloria: Dakota Language Protector by Diane Wilson [Dakota], illustrated by Tashia Hart [Red Lake Anishinaabe]
  • Indigenous Peoples’ Day by Katrina M. Phillips [Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe], illustrated by Tashia Hart [Red Lake Anishinaabe]
  • Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend by Dawn Quigley [Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe], illustrated by Tara Audibert [Wolastoqey]
  • Peggy Flanagan: Ogimaa Kwe, Lieutenant Governor by Jessica Engelking [White Earth Band of Ojibwe], illustrated by Tashia Hart [Red Lake Anishinaabe]
  • The Sea in Winter by Christine Day [Upper Skagit], cover art by Michaela Goade [Tlingit and Haida]

Young Adult Honor


Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature

The Asian/Pacific American Awards promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit.

Picture Book

Book cover for Watercress
Watercress
Wang, Andrea

Picture Book Honor Title

Children’s Literature

Book cover for Amina's Song
Amina's Song
Khan, Hena

Children's Literature Honor Title

Young Adult Literature

Book cover for Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda

Young Adult Literature Honor Title


The Sydney Taylor Book Award

The Sydney Taylor Book Awards are presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature.

Picture Book

Book cover for The Passover Guest
The Passover Guest
Kusel, Susan

Picture Book Honors

Middle Grade

Book cover for How to Find What You're Not Looking For
How to Find What You're Not Looking For
Hiranandani, Veera

Middle Grade Honors

Young Adult

Book cover for The City Beautiful
The City Beautiful
Polydoros, Aden

Young Adult Honors


 

 

 

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