Children's & Young Adult Literature

"The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

This award "recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world."

"The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature."

"The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children."

"The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year."

"The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. "

"The Amelia Bloomer Project, a committee of the Feminist Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table, compiles the Amelia Bloomer List, an annual annotated book list (or bibliography) of well-written and well-illustrated books with significant feminist content, intended for young readers (ages birth through 18)."

From the American Indian Literature Association (an ALA affiliate), this award honors works "by and about Native Americans and the Indigenous peoples of North America."

The Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is bestowed by APALA, the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, to "honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage."

Africa Access and the Outreach Council of the African Studies Association created the Children's Africana Book Award to "encourage the publication and use of accurate, balanced children's materials about Africa."

"The Conscious Kid Is an education, research and policy organization that supports families and educators in taking action to disrupt racism, inequity and bias." This page contains lists of books ranging from "children's books by Latinx authors" to "Black history books by Black authors."

"The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values."

"The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people."

The Lambda Literary Award was created to "garner national visibility for LGBTQ books." Be sure to look specifically at titles for children, as there are many adult titles in the lists.

"The Malka Penn Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding children’s book addressing human rights issues or themes such as discrimination, equity, poverty, justice, war, peace, slavery or freedom."

"The Batchelder Award is awarded to a United States publisher for a children’s book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originating in a country other than the United States and in a language other than English and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States during the preceding year."

"The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth."

"The Rainbow Book List is created by the Rainbow Book List Committee of the Rainbow Round Table of the American Library Association. Originally a joint project between the Rainbow Round Table (formerly Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table) and the Social Responsibilities Round Table, the Rainbow Book List presents an annual bibliography of quality books with significant and authentic LGBQTIA+ content, which are recommended for people from birth through eighteen years of age."

"Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences."

The South Asia Book Award is offered by the South Asia National Outreach Consortium. It calls attention to outstanding works published in the United States and around the world that portray South Asians.

"The first and most enduring award for LGBTQIA+ books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association's Rainbow Round Table (formerly the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table)." Be sure to look at the award winners that are specifically children's and YA titles.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is one of the few showcasing religious diversity. It is presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries to encourage "the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature."

The Texas State University College of Education launched the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award for literature depicting "the Mexican American experience."

"The Outstanding International Books (OIB) committee is charged with selecting international books that are deemed most outstanding of those published during the calendar year. For the purposes of this honor list, the term "international book" is used to describe a book published or distributed in the United States that originated or was first published in a country other than the U.S."

"Inaugurated in 2016, the annual Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature recognize diverse authors (or co-authors) whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way."

"Each year a committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) identifies the best of the best in children's books. According to the Notables Criteria, "notable" is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children's books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways."

"ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives reports from libraries, schools, and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the country. We compile lists of challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship efforts that affect libraries and schools.

Peruse the following pages to explore banned and challenged books by topic, genre, time, and audience."

"The books that appear in these lists were selected as outstanding children's science trade books. They were chosen by a book review panel appointed by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and assembled in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC). NSTA and CBC have joined forces on this bibliographic project since 1973, when the list was known as Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children and was primarily targeted at grades K through 8. Beginning in 2002, the list has been expanded to include high school as well."

"Our expert librarians selected the year's best books for kids, teens, and adults." Includes the last five years' worth of lists.

Published annually by the National Council for the Social Studies, "books selected for this bibliography are written primarily for children in grades K-12. The selection committee looks for books that emphasize human relations, represent a diversity of groups and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences, present an original theme or a fresh slant on a traditional topic, are easily readable and of high literary quality, and have a pleasing format and, when appropriate, illustrations that enrich the text."
Online access to the most recent list is restricted to current NCSS members.

This is NPR's interactive reading guide (formerly known as the NPR book concierge). You can look at the labes "Kids' Books" and "Young Adult" for the most relevant titles. Don't forget to look at previous years!

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is a division of ALA that "brings together key stakeholders from the areas of libraries, education, research, out of school time, youth development and more to develop and deliver resources to libraries that expand their capacity to support teen learning and enrichment and to foster healthy communities."