In mid-January, members of the American Library Association met in Baltimore for their annual wintertide conference. A highlight comes at the end of the long weekend when the Youth Media Awards are announced. These are essentially the “Oscars” of the Children’s & YA book world, and those chosen to be lauded were rich in surprises. The Children’s & YA Librarians have carefully examined our collection and are happy to share that we currently have over 50 of the award-winning books and will likely add more as we continue to explore the victorious titles.

Randolph Caldecott Medalist: Big illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison
Caldecott Honors: Jovita Wore Pants illustrated by Molly Mendoza and written by Aida Salazar
There Was a Party for Langston illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey and written by Jason Reynolds--You can also listen to this book in our Cloud Library! 

John Newbery Medalist: The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers 
Newbery Honor: Elf Dog & Owl Head by M.T. Anderson; Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow; Mexikid by Pedro Martín; The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri

Michael L. Printz Award: The Collectors edited by A.S. King and including stories by by M.T. Anderson, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, A.S. King, David Levithan, Cory McCarthy, Anna-Marie McLemore, G. Neri, Jason Reynolds, Randy Ribay, and Jenny Torres Sanchez.
Printz Honor: Gather by Kenneth Cadow

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award: An American Story illustrated by Dare Coulter and written by Kwame Alexander
Illustrator Honor: Big illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison; There Was a Party for Langston illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey and written by Jason Reynolds
Author Honor: Big illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison; How Do You Spell Unfair? By Carole Boston Weatherford
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award: We Could Fly illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu and written by Rhiannon Giddens
The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for lifetime achievement was awarded to Christopher Paul Curtis.

Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Honor: The Prince and the Coyote by David Bowles
Belpré Children’s Author AND Illustrator Award: Mexikid by Pedro Martín
Author AND Illustrator Honor: Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock written by Jesus Trejo and illustrated by Eliza Kinkz
Children’s Author Honor: Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera; Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango (available as an e-audiobook)

Odyssey Audiobook Award: El Deafo written by Cece Bell and narrated by a full cast
Honor Audiobooks: Mexikid written by Pedro Martín and narrated by a full cast; Sisters of the Lost Marsh written and narrated by Lucy Strange; Stateless written by Elizabeth Wein and narrated by Moira Quirk

Batchelder Award: Houses with a Story by Seiji Yoshida, translated from Japanese by Jan Mitsuko Cash
Honor: Pardalita by Joana Estrela and translated from Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann; Later When I’m Big by Bette Westera and translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson

The Schneider Family Award, Young Children: Henry, Like Always by Jenn Bailey 
Schneider Honor, Young Children: What Happened to You? by James Catchpole; Dancing Hands by Joanna Que & Charina Marquez
Schneider Honor, Middle Grade: Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow; 
Schneider Honor, YA Honor: Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award: The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day

Stonewall Book Award for YA: Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian
Honor: Imogen Obviously by Becky Albertalli
Honor Book for Children’s Literature: The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

William C. Morris Award: Rez Ball by Byron Graves

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award: Fox Has a Problem by Corey Tabor
Geisel Honor: Worm and Caterpillar are Friends by Kaz Windness; Henry, Like Always by Jenn Bailey

Sydney Taylor Book Award: Two New Years by Richard Ho 
Picture Book Honor: Hanukkah Upside Down written by Elissa Brent Weissman and illustrated by Omer Hoffmann; Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust written by Elisa Boxer and illustrated by Amy June Bates
YA Award: The Blood Years by Elana K. Arnold 
YA Honor: Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe by Steve Sheinkin; Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust written by Neal Shusterman with illustrations by Andrés Vera Martínez

Asian/Pacific American Award
Children's Literature Honor: Parachute Kids by Betty Tang

American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Award: A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers
Honor: Berry Song by Michaela Goade; Remember by Joy Harjo
Middle Grade Honor: JoJo Makoons: Fancy Pants and JoJo Makoons: Snow Day by Dawn Quigley
YA Award: Rez Ball by Byron Graves
Honor: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

YALSA Nonfiction Honor: America Redux by Ariel Aberg-Riger

The Children's Literature Legacy Award was bestowed upon Pam Muñoz Ryan and Neal Shusterman received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. Author Kyle Lukoff will deliver the 2025 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture.

Alex Award titles available in both print and e-book: 
*Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
*Maame by Jessica George
I Will Greet the Sun Again by Khashayar J. Khabushani
*Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
*These titles are also available in the Cloud Library on e-audio. 

Six other e-books were acquired for the Alex Award shelf in the Cloud Library: 
The Talk by Darrin Bell
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns (e-audio)
The Hard Parts by Oksana Masters
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Chlorine by Jade Song
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Our new book lists are posted on a monthly basis so you can stay current with our most recent acquisitions. And in our seasonal YA Library newsletters, you’ll find listings for the latest YA titles. Did you spy a favorite book from 2023 above? Let us know about your current favorites... maybe they will win next year!