- Home
- Government
- Public Library
- Books & More
- Reading Lists
- American Library Association Youth Media Awards
American Library Association Youth Media Awards
The American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards honor children's and young adult authors and illustrators, as well as producers of children's audio and video materials. The titles honored serve as a guide for parents, teachers and others interested in providing children and teens the very best reading and viewing materials. A complete list of awards and award-winning titles is available from ALA. Several of the well-known awards are listed below. Titles available at your Library may be requested through the title link to library's catalog.
2021 American Library Association Youth Media Awards
John Newbery Medal
John Newbery Medal is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children:
- When You Trap a Tiger, written by Tae Keller
- All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team, written by Christina Soontornvat
- BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood
- Fighting Words, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
- We Dream of Space, written by Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly and Celia Krampien
- A Wish in the Dark, written by Christina Soontornvat
Randolph Caldecott Medal
Randolph Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children:
- We Are Water Protectors, illustrated by Michaela Goade, written by Carole Lindstrom
- A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart, illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott
- The Cat Man of Aleppo, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha
- Me & Mama, illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera
- Outside In, illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award
Coretta Scott King Author Book Award recognizes an African American author of outstanding books for children and young adults:
- Before the Ever After, written by Jacqueline Woodson
- All the Days Past, All the Days to Come, written by Mildred D. Taylor
- King and the Dragonflies, written by Kacen Callender
- Lifting as We Climb: Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box, written Evette Dionne
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award recognizes an African American illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:
- R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Carole Boston Weatherford
- Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, written by Samara Cole Doyon
- Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, written by Suzanne Slade
- Me & Mama, illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
- Legendborn, written by Tracy Deonn
Schneider Family Book Award
The Schneider Family Book Award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences:
- Young Children's Book Winner: I Talk Like a River, written Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith
- Middle School Book Winner: Show Me a Sign, written by Ann Clare LeZotte
- Teen Book Winner: This is My Brain in Love, written I.W. Gregorio
- Young Children's Honor Books:
All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything, written by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali
Itzhak: A Boy who Loved the Violin, written by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin - Middle School Honor Books:
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!, written by Sarah Kapit
When Stars Are Scattered, written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson
Odyssey Award
Odyssey Award is given to the producer of the best audiobook for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States:
- Kent State, produced by Paul R. Gagne for Scholastic Audio, written by Deborah Wiles, narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina Delaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries.
- Clap When You Land produced by Caitlin Garing for HarperAudio, written by Elizabeth Acevedo and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte
- Fighting Words, produced by Karen Dziekonski for Listening Library, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, narrated by Bahni Turpin
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, produced by Robert Van Kolken for Hachette Audio, written by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, narrated by Jason Reynolds
- When Stars Are Scattered, produced by Kelly Gildea and Julie Wilson for Listening Library, written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, narrated by Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi and a full cast
Pura Belpré Author Award
Pura Belpré Author Award honors a Latino/Latina writer whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience:
- Efrén Divided, written by Ernesto Cisneros
- The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, written by Adrianna Cuevas
- Lupe Wong Won't Dance, written by Donna Barba Higuera
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award honors a Latino/Latina illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth:
- ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat, illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez
- Sharuko: El Arqueologo Peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, written by Monica Brown
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award recognizes the author and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers:
- See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
- The Bear in My Family, written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa
- Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!, written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata
- What About Worms!?, written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins
- Where's Baby?, written and illustrated by Anne Hunter