The American Library Association announces:
2019 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
AWARD WINNERS
Newbery Medal
Merci Suárez Changes Gears, written by Meg Medina
Newbery Honor Books
The Night Diary, written by Veera Hiranandani, The Book of Boy, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, illustrated by Ian Schoenherr
Caldecott Medal
Hello Lighthouse, illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall
Caldecott Honor Books
Alma and How She Got Her Name, illustrated and written by Juana Martinez-Neal, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, illustrated and written by Grace Lin, The Rough Patch, illustrated and written by Brian Lies, Thank You, Omu!, illustrated and written by Oge Mora
Coretta Scott King Author Book Award
A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, written by Claire Hartfield
King Author Honor Books
Finding Langston, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, The Parker Inheritance, written by Varian Johnson, The Season of Styx Malone, written by Kekla Magoon
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award
The Stuff of Stars, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Marion Dane Bauer.
King Illustrator Honor Books
Hidden Figures, illustrated by Laura Freeman, written by Margot Lee Shetterly
Let the Children March, illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Monica Clark-Robinson
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Alice Faye Duncan.
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
Monday’s Not Coming, written by Tiffany D. Jackson
Coretta Scott King– Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Pauletta Brown Bracy is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
The Poet X, written by Elizabeth Acevedo
Printz Honor Books
Damsel, written by Elana K. Arnold
A Heart in a Body in the World, written by Deb Caletti
I, Claudia, written by Mary McCoy
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
Rescue & Jessica A Life-Changing Friendship, written by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes (Young Children Winner)
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, written by Leslie Connor(Middle Grades Winner)
Anger Is a Gift, written by Mark Oshiro (Teens Winner)
Schneider Honor Books
The Remember Balloons, written by Jessie Oliveros
The Collectors, written by Jacqueline West
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health
Pura Belpre Illustrator Award honoring a Latinx illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
WINNER: Dreamers, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
HONOR BOOK: Islandborn, illustrated by Leo Espinosa, written by Junot Díaz
HONOR BOOK: When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana, illustrated by Jose Ramirez, written by Michael Mahin
Pura Belpre Author Award honoring a Latinx writer whose children’s books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
WINNER: The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo
HONOR BOOK: They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems, by David Bowles
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:
WINNER: The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Meian’s Art Changed Science, by Joyce Sidman
HONOR BOOK: Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild, by Catherine Thimmesh
HONOR BOOK: Spooked!, by Gail Jarrow
HONOR BOOK: The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees, by Don Brown
HONOR BOOK: We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, written by Traci Sorell HONOR BOOK: When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana, by Michael Mahin
STONEWALL BOOK AWARD—MIKE MORGAN & LARRY ROMANS CHILDREN’S & YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE AWARD given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience:
WINNER: Julian Is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love
HONOR BOOK: Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World, by Ashley Herring Blake HONOR BOOK: Picture Us in the Light, by Kelly Loy Gilbert
THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL AWARD for the most distinguished beginning reader book:
WINNER: Fox the Tiger, by Corey R. Tabor
HONOR BOOK: The Adventures of Otto: See Pip Flap, by David Milgrim
HONOR BOOK: Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories, by Sergio Ruzzier
HONOR BOOK: King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth, by Dori Hillestad Butler HONOR BOOK: Tiger vs. Nightmare, by Emily Tetri
WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:
WINNER: Darius the Great Is Not Okay, by Adib Khorram
FINALIST: Blood Water Paint, by Joy McCullough
FINALIST: Check, Please! Book One: #Hockey, by Ngozi Ukazu FINALIST: Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi FINALIST: What the Night Sings, by Vesper Stamper
YALSA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS:
WINNER: The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees, by Don Brown
FINALIST: The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor, by Sonia Sotomayor
FINALIST: Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam, by Elizabeth Partridge
FINALIST: The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler, by John Hendrix FINALIST: Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction, by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
MILDRED L. BATCHELDER AWARD 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:
WINNER: The Fox on the Swing, by Evelina Daciuté, translated by The Translation Bureau
HONOR BOOK: Run for Your Life, by Silvana Gandolfi, translated by Lynne Sharon Schwarts
HONOR BOOK: My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder, by Nie Jun, translated by Edward Gauvin HONOR BOOK: Edison, by Torben Kuhlmann, translated by David Henry Wilson
HONOR BOOK: Jerome By Heart, by Thomas Scotto, translated by Claudia Bedrick
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR LITERATURE
The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit:
PICTURE BOOK WINNER: Drawn Together, written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE WINNER: Front Desk, by Kelly Yang
YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE WINNER: Darius the Great is Not Okay, by Adib Khorram
THE SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience:
YOUNGER READERS WINNER: All-of-a-Kind-Family Hanukkah, by Emily Jenkins
OLDER READERS WINNER: Sweep: The Story of Girl and Her Monster, by Jonathan Auxier TEEN READERS WINNER: What the Night Sings, by Vesper Stamper
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE LEGACY AWARD 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:
WINNER: Walter Dean Myers whose award-winning works include Somewhere in the Darkness, a 1993 Newbery Honor Book, and Monster, recipient of a 2000 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book. In addition, Myers received the first Coretta Scott King — Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime achievement in 2010.
2020 MAY HILL ARBUTHNOT HONOR LECTURE AWARD recognizing an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature, who then presnets a lecture at a winning host site.
NEIL GAIMAN will deliver the 2020 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Born in England, Gaiman is a United States resident. His work has been honored with many awards internationally, including the Newbery Medal. He is credited with being one of the creators of modern comics, as well as an author whose work crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages. Gaiman is a prolific creator of works of prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama and a vocal defender of the freedom to read.
MARGARET A. EDWARDS AWARD
for a lifetime of achievement in writing for young adults:
WINNER: M.T. Anderson, whose books include Feed, The Astonishing Life of Octavia Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party, and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves.