Early every year, the American Library Association (ALA) hosts its annual Youth Media Awards Press Conference. At this time, authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult literature are honored for the outstanding works they have published over the last year.
These books are selected by judging committees of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. Below are the awards honoring distinguished books for young readers. Be sure to check out the book lists for the complete list of winners and honorees! You can find the Youth Media Award Winners for Teens here.
John Newbery Medal
This award honors the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in a given year.
Winner
- “The First State of Being” by Erin Entrada Kelly
Honors
- “Across So Many Seas” by Ruth Behar
- “Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All” written and illustrated by Chanel Miller
- “One Big Open Sky” by Lesa Cline-Ransome
- “The Wrong Way Home” by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Randolph Caldecott Medal
This award is given to the artist/illustrator for the most distinguished American picture book for children.
Winner
- “Chooch Helped” illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz and written by Andrea L. Rogers
Honors
- “Home in a Lunchbox” illustrated and written by Cherry Mo
- “My Daddy Is a Cowboy“ illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, written by Stephanie Seales
- “Noodles on a Bicycle“ illustrated by Gracey Zhang, written by Kyo Maclear
- “Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains” illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Anita Yasuda
Coretta Scott King Book
These awards honor the best books by African American authors and illustrators.
King Illustrator Winner
- “My Daddy Is a Cowboy” illustrated by C.G. Esperanza
King Illustrator Honors
- “Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King” illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Coretta Scott King with the Reverend Dr. Barbara Reynolds
- “Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava“ illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Gary Golio
- “Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller” illustrated by April Harrison, written by Breanna J. McDaniel
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
- “Kwame Crashes the Underworld“ by Craig Kofi Farmer
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award
- “Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin” illustrated by Jamiel Law
Schneider Family Book Award
These awards honor the best books representing the disability experience.
Schneider Family Winner
- “A Little Like Magic” written and illustrated by Sarah Kurpiel
Schneider Family Honors
- “Monster Hands” by Karen Kane and Jonaz McMillan, illustrated by Dion MBD
- “You’re So Amazing!” by James and Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George
Children’s Literature Legacy Award
This award honors an author or an illustrator whose work has made a lasting contribution to literature for children.
Winner
- Carole Boston Weatherford Her award-winning works include “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre,” which won the Coretta Scott King Author Award in 2022, and “BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom,” recipient of the Newbery Medal Honor in 2021, among others.
Mildred L. Batchelder Award
This award goes to the publisher for a book published for children considered to be an outstanding contribution to translated literature.
Winner
- “John the Skeleton” written by Triinu Laan, illustrated by Marja-Liisa Plats, and translated by Adam Cullen
Honors
- “Home” written and illustrated by Isabelle Simler and translated by Vineet Lal
- “Johnny, the Sea, and Me” written by Melba Escobar, illustrated by Elizabeth Builes and translated by Sara Lissa Paulson
- “Mr. Lepron’s Mystery Soup” written by Giovanna Zoboli, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio and translated by Denise Muir
- “A Sleepless Night” written by Micaela Chirif, illustrated by Joaquín Camp and translated by Jordan Landsman
Odyssey Awards
These are given to outstanding audiobooks for children and young adults.
Children’s Literature Winner
- “A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen” written by Erin Frankel, illustrated by Paola Escobar and narrated by Luis Carlos de La Lombana
Honors
- “You Are Brave: A Book About Trying New Things” written by Margaret O’Hair and Sofia Sanchez, illustrated by Sofia Cardoso and narrated by Sofia Sanchez
Pura Belpré Awards
These awards honors Latine authors and illustrators whose work celebrates the Latine experience.
Illustration Winner
- “The Dream Catcher” illustrated and written by Marcelo Verdad
Illustration Honors
- “Abuelo, the Sea, and Me” illustrated by Tatiana Gardel, written by Ismée Williams and “A Maleta Full of Treasures” illustrated by Juana Medina, written by Natalia Sylvester
Children’s Author Winner
- “Lola” by Karla Arenas Valenti
Children’s Author Honors
- “Cruzita and the Mariacheros” by Ashley Granillo and Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
This award honors the author and illustrator of the most distinguished informational book published in the US in English.
Winner
- “Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall” by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin
Honors
- “Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos” written by Nathalie Alonso, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
- “The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II” written by Candace Fleming
- “The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival” written by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos with Bethany Strout, illustrated by Sammy Savos
- “Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills” written by Billy Mills and Donna Janell Bowman, illustrated by S.D. Nelson
Stonewall Book Awards
These awards are for excellence in LGBTQ+ books published in English.
Stonewall Book Award for Children’s Literature Winner
- “Lunar Boy” written and illustrated by Jes and Cin Wibowo
Stonewall Book Award for Children’s Literature Honors
- “Marley’s Pride” written by Joëlle Retener, illustrated by DeAnn Wiley
- “Murray Out of Water” by Taylor Tracy
- “The Flicker” by H.E. Edgmon
- “What I Must Tell the World: How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice” by Jay Leslie, illustrated by Loveis Wise
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book
This award honors the author and illustrator of the best American book for beginning readers. It must be published in English in the US.
Winner
- “Vacation” by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Mark Teague
Honors
- “Fox versus Fox” written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor
- “Towed by Toad” written and illustrated by Jashar Awan
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
These awards honor the best in children’s literature about Asian American and Pacific Islander American culture and heritage.
Picture Book Winner
- “Aloha Everything” by Kaylin Melia George, illustrated by Mae Waite
Picture Book Honor
- “The Rock in My Throat” by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei Lin
Children’s Literature Winner
- “Continental Drifter” written and illustrated by Kathy MacLeod
Children’s Literature Honors
- “Mabuhay!” written and illustrated by Zachary Sterling
- “Clairboyance” by Kristiana Kahakauwila
The Sydney Taylor Book Award
These awards honor the best in Jewish literature, highlighting the Jewish experience, for young readers.
Gold Medalist for Picture Books
- “An Etrog from Across the Sea” by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen
Silver Medalists for Picture Books
- “Amazing Abe: How Abraham Cahan’s Newspaper Gave a Voice to Jewish Immigrants” by Norman H. Finkelstein, illustrated by Vesper Stamper
- “Joyful Song: A Naming Story” by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal
- “Rising” by Sidura Ludwig, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy
- “The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World” by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Alianna Rozentsveig
