On January 24, 2022 the American Library Association (ALA) announced its 2022 Youth Media Award winners. These awards are presented annually and recognize amazing contributions to the body of literature for children and teens. The entire awards presentation can be viewed here. Congratulations to all of the winners!
Look for all of these great titles in the Library’s online catalog, as well as in eBook formats from Libby or Hoopla.
John Newbery Medal
For the most outstanding contribution to children's literature
- “The Last Cuentista” by Donna Barba Higuera
Four Newbery Honor Books
- “Red, White, and Whole” by Rajani LaRocca
- “A Snake Falls to Earth” by Darcie Little Badger
- “Too Bright to See” by Kyle Lukoff
- “Watercress” by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin
For the most distinguished American picture book for children
- “Watercress” illustrated by Jason Chin, by Andrea Wang
Four Caldecott Honor Books
- “Have You Ever Seen a Flower?” illustrated and by Shawn Harris a
- “Mel Fell” illustrated and by Corey R. Tabor
- “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” illustrated by Floyd Cooper, by Carole Boston Weatherford
- “Wonder Walkers” illustrated and by Micha Archer
Recognizes African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award
- “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Three Coretta Scott King (Author) Honor Books
- “Home Is Not a Country” by Safia Elhillo
- “Revolution in Our Time” by Kekla Magoon
- “The People Remember” by Ibi Zoboi, illustrated by Loveis Wise
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
- “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” illustrated by Floyd Cooper, by Carole Boston Weatherford
Three Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Honor Books
- “Nina A Story of Nina Simone” illustrated by Christian Robinson, by Traci N. Todd
- “We Wait for the Sun” illustrated by Raissa Figueroa, by Dovey Johnson Roundtree & Katie McCabe
- “Soul Food Sunday” illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, by Winsome Bingham
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
- “Me (Moth)” by Amber McBride
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award
- “The Me I Choose to Be, illustrated by Regis and Kahran Bethencourt, by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Nikki Grimes
For excellence in literature written for young adults
- “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulle
Four Michael L. Printz Honor Books
- “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas
- “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo
- “Revolution in Our Time The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People” by Kekla Magoon
For books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
Schneider Family Book Award award for young children (ages 0 to 8)
- “My City Speaks” by Darren Lebeuf, illustrated by Ashley Barron
- Two Schneider Family Honor Books for young children
- “A Walk in the Words” by Hudson Talbott
- “A Sky-Blue Bench” by Bahram Rahman, illustrated by Peggy Collins
Schneider Family Book Award middle grades (ages 9 to 13)
- “A Bird Will Soar” by Alison Green Myers
Two Schneider Family Honor Books for middle grades
- “Stuntboy, in the Meantime” by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Raúl the Third
- “A Kind of Spark” by Elle McNicoll
Schneider Family Book Award teens (ages 14-18)
- “Words in My Hands” by Asphyxia
One Schneider Family Honor Book for teens
- “A Face for Picasso Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome” by Ariel Henley
Alex Awards
For the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences
- “Light from Uncommon Stars” by Ryka Aoki
- “The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot” by Marianne Cronin
- “The Witch’s Heart” by Genevieve Gornichec
- “The Library of the Dead” by T.L Huchu
- “How Lucky” by Will Leitch
- “Winter’s Orbit” by Everina Maxwell
- “The Rose Code” by Kate Quinn
- “Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport That Changed Their Lives Forever” by Kareem Rosser
- “Lore Olympus, Vol. 1″ by Rachel Smythe
- “Malice” by Heather Walter
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 2022 winner is Grace Lin.
Margaret A. Edwards Award
For lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
The 2022 winner is A.S. King.
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
- “Temple Alley Summer” by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illustrated by Miho Satake
Five Mildred L. Batchelder Award Honor Books
- “Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, Lost” by Betina Birkjær, illustrated by Anna Margrethe Kjærgaard
- “In the Meadow of Fantasies” by Hadi Mohammadi, illustrated by Nooshin Safakhoo
- “The Most Beautiful Story” by Brynjulf Jung Tjønn, illustrated by Øyvind Torseter
- “Sato the Rabbit” by Yuki Ainoya and translated by Michael Blaskowsky
- “The Sea-Ringed World Sacred Stories of the Americas” by María García Esperón, illustrated by Amanda Mijangos
For the best audiobooks produced for children and young adults
- Children’s Winner “Boogie Boogie, Y'all” by and narrated by C. G. Esperanza.
- Young Adults Winner “When You Look Like Us” by Pamela N. Harris and narrated by Preston Butler III.
Three Odyssey Award Honor Audiobooks
- “Emmanuel’s Dream The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah” by Laurie Ann Thompson and narrated by Adjoa Andoh
- “I Talk Like a River” by and narrated by Jordan Scott
- “Perfectly Parvin” by Olivia Abtahi and narrated by Mitra Jouhari
Honoring Latinx writers and illustrators whose children's and young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Award
- “¡Vamos! Let's Cross the Bridge” by Raúl Gonzalez
Four Belpré Youth Illustration Honor Books
- “Boogie Boogie, Y’all”by C. G. Esperanza
- “Bright Star” by Yuyi Morales
- “De aquí como el coquí” by Nomar Perez
- “May Your Life Be Deliciosa” by Michael Genhart, illustrated by Loris Lora
Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award
- “The Last Cuentista” by Donna Barba Higuera
Three Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books
- “Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna” by Alda P. Dobbs
- “Child of the Flower-Song People Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua” by Gloria Amescua, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh
- “De aquí como el coquí” by Nomar Perez
Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award
- “How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe” by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Three Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books
- ”Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun” by Jonny Garza Villa
- “Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet” by Laekan Zea Kemp
- “Where I Belong” by Marcia Argueta Mickelson
- “The People’s Painter How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art” by Cynthia Levinson and illustrated by Evan Turk
Five Robert F. Sibert Honor Books
- “The Great Stink How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem” by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
- “Fallout Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown” by Steve Sheinkin
- “We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know” by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac
- “Summertime Sleepers Animals That Estivate” by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen
- “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Children’s Award
- “Too Bright to See” by Kyle Lukoff
Young Adult Award
- “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo
Three Stonewall Honor Books
- “Almost Flying” by Jake Maia Arlow
- “The Darkness Outside Us” by Eliot Schrefer
- “Grandad’s Camper” by Harry Woodgate
- “Fox at Night” by Corey R. Tabor
Three Seuss Geisel Honor Books
- “Beak & Ally #1 Unlikely Friends” by by Norm Feuti
- “I Hop” by Joe Cepeda
- “Nothing Fits a Dinosaur” by Jonathan Fenske
- “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley
Four William C. Morris Award finalists
- “Ace of Spades” by Faridah Àbíké- Íyímídé
- “Vampires, Hearts & Other Dead Things” by Margie Fuston
- “Me (Moth)” by Amber McBride
- “What Beauty There Is” by Cory Anderson
- “Ambushed! The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield” by Gail Jarrow
Four YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction finalists
- “Black Birds in the Sky The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre” by Brandy Colbert
- “From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement” by Paula Yoo
- “In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers The Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months and Years after the 9/11 Attacks” by Don Brown
- “The Woman All Spies Fear Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life” by Amy Butler Greenfield
Picture Book
- “Herizon” by Daniel W. Vandever [Diné], illustrated by Corey Begay [Diné]
Picture Honor Books
- “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” by 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]
Middle Grade Book
- “Healer of the Water Monster” by Brian Young [Diné]
Middle Grade Honor Books
- “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]
Young Adult Book
- “Apple (Skin to the Core)” by Eric Gansworth [Onondaga]
Young Adult Honor Books
- “Elatsoe” by Darcie Little Badger [Lipan Apache Tribe]
- “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley [Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians]
- “Hunting by Stars” by Cherie Dimaline [Métis Nation of Ontario]
- “Notable Native People 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present” by Adrienne Keene [Cherokee Nation], illustrated by Ciara Sana [Chamoru]
- “Soldiers Unknown” by Chag Lowry [Yurok, Maidu and Achumawi], illustrated by Rahsan Ekedal
Picture Book
- “Watercress” by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin
One Picture Book Honor Book
- “A Boy Named Isamu A Story of Isamu Noguchi” by James Yang
Children’s Literature
- “Amina’s Song” by Hena Khan
One Children’s Literature Honor Book
- “Finding Junie Kim” by Ellen Oh and published by HarperCollins.
Youth Literature Winner
- “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo
One Youth Literature Honor Book
- “We Are Not Free” by Traci Chee
For outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.
Picture Book winner
- “The Passover Guest” by Susan Kusel, illustrated by Sean Rubin
Picture Book Honor Books
- “Nicky & Vera A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued” by by Peter Sis
- “Dear Mr. Dickens” by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by Bethany Stancliffe
- “The Christmas Mitzvah” by Jeff Gottesfeld, illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha
Middle Grades winner
- “How to Find What You’re Not Looking For” by Veera Hiranandani
Middle Grades Honor Books
- “The Genius Under the Table Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain” by Eugene Yelchin
- “Linked” by Gordon Korman
Young Adult winner
- “The City Beautiful” by Aden Polydoros
Young Adult Honor Books
- “The Last Words We Said” by Leah Scheier
- “Whistle A New Gotham City Hero” by E. Lockhart, illustrated by Manuel Preitano
- “The Summer of Lost Letters” by Hannah Reynolds
Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award
Recognizes an author or entity who has made a substantial contribution over time to the genre of Jewish children’s literature. This year's winner is Jane Yolen.
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