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ALA Youth Media Awards Announced

Cover of ALA Youth Media Awards
ALA Youth Media Awards

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults, including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards at its Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits in Philadelphia today.

A list of 2020 award winners follows:
  • John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature - New Kid written by Jerry Craft.
  • Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children - The Undefeated illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Kwame Alexander.
  • Mildred L. Batchelder Award to the publisher of the outstanding translated book -  Brown is the 2020 Batchelder Award winner.  Originally published in Norwegian as Brune, written by Håkon Øvreås and illustrated by Øyvind Torseter. Translated by Kari Dickson.
  • Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for most distinguished beginning reader book - Stop! Bot!  written & illustrated by James Yang.
  • Pura Belpré Author Award (cosponsored by REFORMA) for outstanding writing by a Latino author - Sal and Gabi Break the Universe written by Carlos Hernandez.
  • Pura Belpré Illustrator Award (cosponsored by REFORMA) for outstanding illustration by a Latino artist - Dancing Hands:  How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln illustrated by Rafael López and written by Margarita Engle.
  • Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children - Fry Bread:  A Native American Family Story written by Kevin Noble Maillard.
  • Michael L. Printz Award for literary excellence in young adult literature - Dig written by A.S. King.
  • YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction - Free Lunch written by Rex Ogle.
  • American Indian Youth Literature Award presented by the American Indian Library Association (AILA) - 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) wins the award for picture book; Indian No More written by Charlene Willing McManis (Umpqua/Confederated Tribles of Grande Ronde) with Traci Sorell (Cherokee), cover art of Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee Creek) is the Middle Grade Winner and Hearts Unbroken written Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) is the Young Adult Book winner. .
  • Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature presented by the Asian/Pacific Americans Librarians Association (APALA) - Queen of Physics:  How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom written by Teresa Robeson and illustrated by Rebecca Huang wins the award for picture book; Stargazing written by Jen Wang is the winner for children's literature; and They Called Us Enemy written by George Takei is the young adult literature winner.
  • Odyssey Award for outstanding audio book - Hey Kiddo:  How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction produced by Scholastic Audiobooks, written by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, narrated by the author, Jeanne Birdsall, Jenna Lamia, Richard Ferrone and a full cast.
  • Coretta Scott King Author Award for outstanding writing by an African American author - New Kid written by Jerry Craft.
  • Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for outstanding illustrations by an African American artist - The Undefeated illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Kwame Alexander.
  • Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience - Just Ask!  Be Different, Be Brave, Be You written by Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael Lopez wins the award for young children (ages 0 to 8); Song for a Whale written by Lynne Kelly is the winner for middle grades (ages 9-13); Cursed written by Karol Ruth Silverstein is the winner for teens (ages 14-18).
  • Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Award for English-language children's and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience - When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff and The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta.
  • Sydney Taylor Award presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) - The Book Rescuer:  How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come written by Sue Macy and illustrated by Stacy Innerst wins the award for young readers; White Bird:  A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio is the winner for older readers; Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin is the winner for teens.
  • William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens - The Field Guide to the North American Teenager written by Ben Philippe.

Special recognition this year:

  • Children's Literature Legacy Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children's lives and experiences.  The 2020 winner is local author Kevin Henkes.

View all 2020 winners and honors on the American Library Association website.

Jan 27, 2020