The American Library Association (ALA) revealed the cream of the literary crop for children and young adult books during its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience event held from Jan. 19-22 in Baltimore. Some of this year's winners are as follows:
Dave Eggers' "The Eyes and the Impossible" won the 2024 Newbery Medal, receiving praise for its outstanding narrative. The Newbery Medal Honor Books included "Eagle Drums" by NasuÄ¡raq Rainey Hopson, "Elf Dog and Owl Head" by M.T. Anderson, "Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir" by Pedro Martín, "Simon Sort of Says" by Erin Bow, and "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri.
Vashti Harrison's "Big" took home the 2024 Caldecott Medal. The four Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor Books included "In Every Life" by Marla Frazee, "Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter" by Aida Salazar, "There Was a Party for Langston" by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, and "The Truth About Dragons" by Julie Leung.
Ibi Zoboi's "Nigeria Jones" emerged victorious as the Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author winner. The Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books included "Big" by Vashti Harrison, "How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee" by Carole Boston Weatherford, and "Kin: Rooted in Hope" by Carole Boston Weatherford.
Illustrator Dare Coulter claimed the throne with "An American Story," written by Kwame Alexander. The Coretta Scott King Book Award for Illustrator Honor Books included "Big" by Vashti Harrison, "Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes" illustrated by Shannon Wright and written by Traci N. Todd, and "There Was a Party for Langston" by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey.
"The Collectors: Stories," edited by A.S. King, stood tall, earning the 2024 Michael L. Printz Award. The Michael L. Printz Award Honor Books included "Fire from the Sky" by Moa Backe Åstot, "Gather" by Kenneth M. Cadow, "The Girl I Am Was and Never Will Be" by Shannon Gibney, and "Salt the Water" by Candice Iloh.
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"Henry, Like Always" by Jenn Bailey was announced as the winner. Additionally, the Schneider Family Book Award Honor Books included "Dancing Hands," penned by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, with illustrations by Fran Alvarez, and "What Happened to You?" written by James Catchpole and illustrated by Karen George.
The Alex Awards, recognizing adult books that resonate with teen audiences, highlighted 10 exceptional works in 2024. Among the winners were "Bad Cree" by Jessica Johns, "Chain-Gang All-Stars" by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, "Chlorine" by Jade Song, "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros, "The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph" by Oksana Masters, "I Will Greet the Sun Again" by Khashayar J. Khabushani, "Maame" by Jessica George, "Starter Villain" by John Scalzi, "The Talk" by Darrin Bell, and "Whalefall" by Daniel Kraus.
Pam Muñoz Ryan was the recipient of this award. Ryan's notable works include "Esperanza Rising," "The Dreamer," "Echo," and "When Marian Sang."
Neal Schusterman was the recipient of this award. Schusterman's extensive body of work clearly demonstrates his significant influence on young adult fiction. His works include "Unwind," "Challenger Deep," "Bruiser," and "Scythe."
The 2024 Batchelder Award winner was "Houses with a Story: A Dragon's Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore," written and illustrated by Seiji Yoshida. The book was originally published in Japanese as "Houses with a Story" and translated by Jan Mitsuko Cash.
"Ruby Lost and Found" by Christina Li for Children's Literature, "The Truth About Dragons" by Julie Leung for Picture Book, and "I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom" by Shannon CF Rogers for Youth/Young Adult Literature were the winners. These works contribute significantly to the representation of Asian/Pacific American voices in literature.
For the full list, visit the official ALA website.
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