American Library Association Announces the 2022 Youth Media Awards!

It’s my favorite day of the year!

The 2022 ALA Youth Media Awards were announced this morning. For those of us book loving nerds, the ALA’s are the Academy Awards of children’s literature. We have been buzzing with anticipation for weeks, eager to hear which books (and which creators) will take home these tremendous honors.

Just like with any major awards, some years you can guess the winners, and some years you are shocked and thrilled with sleeper stories you didn’t expect.

I watched the awards from my school library and cheered with joy at the announcements. As always, many books that made us laugh and touched our hearts were not award winners this year, but many other books we loved have authors and illustrators who can’t stop grinning, their lives changed forever.

We are thrilled with today’s winners, and we are honored to share them with you!

Here is a list of some of the major awards (with a link to the complete list on the ALA website at the bottom), together with affiliate links for your ease of reference.

Without further ado, here are the winners!!!!

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:

WINNER: The Last Cuentista, by Donna Barba Higuera

HONOR: Red, White and Whole, by Rajani Larocca. This is on our list of Best Books for 5th Graders!

HONOR: A Snake Falls to Earth, by Darcie Little Badger

HONOR: Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff

HONOR: Watercress, by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin. Watercress is on our list of best Asian American Children’s Books AND Diverse Picture Books We Love!

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for Children

WINNER: WATERCRESS, illustrated by Jason Chin and written by Andrea Wang. Watercress is on our list of best Asian American Children’s Books and Diverse Picture Books We Love!

HONOR: Have You Ever Seen a Flower, by Shawn Harris

HONOR: Mel Fell, by Cory R. Tabor

HONOR: Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Masssacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper and written by Carole Boston Weatherford

HONOR: Wonder Walkers, by Micha Arche

Michael L. Printz Award

This award is for excellence in literature written for young adults.

WINNER: Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley

HONOR: Concrete Rose, by Angie Thomas

HONOR: Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo

HONOR: Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People, by Kekla Magoon

HONOR: Starfish, by Lisa Fipps. Starfish is on our list of Best Books for 5th Graders!

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

This award is given to the most distinguished beginning reader book.

WINNER: Fox at Night, by Corey R. Tabor. We love this entire series, whch is featured on our Best Books for Beginning Readers.

HONOR: Beak and Ally: Unlikely Friends, by Norm Feuti

HONOR: I Hop, by Joe Cepeda

HONOR: Nothing Fits a Dinosaur, by Jonathan Fenske

Coretta Scott King Book Awards – Author

This award recognizes African-American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

WINNER (AUTHOR): Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Masssacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper and written by Carole Boston Weatherford

HONOR: Home is Not a Country, by Safia Elhillo

HONOR: Revolution in our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People, by Kekla Magoon

HONOR: The People Remember, by Ibi Zoboi and illustrated by Loveis Wise

Coretta Scott King Book Awards – Illustrator

WINNER (ILLUSTRATOR): Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Masssacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper and written by Carole Boston Weatherford

HONOR: Nina: A Story of Nina Simone, by Christian Robinson

HONOR: We Wait for the Sun, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa and written by Dovey Johnson Rountree and Katie McCabe

HONOR: Soul Food Sunday, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza and written by Winsome Bingham

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award

WINNER (AUTHOR): Me (Moth), by Amber McBride

WINNER (ILLUSTRATOR): The Me I Choose to Be, illustrated by Regis and Kahran Bethencourt and written by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley. The Me I Choose to Be is on our list of the best self-esteem books for kids.

Pura Belpre Awards

This award honors Latinx writers and illustrators whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.

WINNER (ILLUSTRATOR): Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge, by Raul Gonzalez

HONOR (ILLUSTRATOR): Boogie Boogie, Y’all, by C.G. Esperanza

HONOR (ILLUSTRATOR): Bright Star, by Yuyi Morales

HONOR (ILLUSTRATOR): De Aqui Como El Coqui, by Nomar Perez and translated by Farah Perez

HONOR (ILLUSTRATOR): May Your Life be Deliciosa, illustrated by Loris Lora and written by Michael Genhart. This is on our list of the Best Hispanic Children’s Books and Diverse Picture Books We Love!

WINNER (AUTHOR): The Last Cuentista, by Donna Barba Higuera

HONOR (AUTHOR): Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, by Alda P. Dobs

HONOR (AUTHOR): Child of the FLower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua, by Gloria Amescua and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

HONOR (AUTHOR): De Aqui Como El Coqui, by Nomar Perez and translated by Farah Perez

Stonewall Book Award

This award is given annual to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.

WINNER (Children): Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff

WINNER (Young Adult): Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo

HONOR: Almost Flying, by Jake Maia Arlow

HONOR: The Darkness Outside Us, by Eliot Schrefer

HONOR: Grandad’s Camper, by Harry Woodgate. This is on our list of our favorite LGBT Children’s books!

Sydney Taylor Awards

This award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.

WINNER (YOUNGER READERS): The Passover Guest, by Susan Kusel and illustrated by Sean Rubin, by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinskey.

HONOR (YOUNGER READERS): Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued, by Peter Sis

HONOR (YOUNGER READERS): Dear Mr. Dickens, by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by Benthany Stancliffe

HONOR (YOUNGER READERS): The Christmas Mitzvah, by Jeff Gottesfeld and illustrated by Michelle Laurentia

WINNER (OLDER READERS): How to Find What You’re Not Looking for, by Veera Hiranandani

HONOR (OLDER READERS): The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain, by Eugene Yelchin

HONOR (OLDER READERS): Linked, by Godon Korman

WINNER (TEEN READERS): The City Beautiful, by Aden Polydoros

HONOR (TEEN READERS): The Last Words We Said, by Leah Scheier

HONOR (TEEN READERS): Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero, by E. Lockhart and illustrated by Manuel Preitano

HONOR (TEEN READERS): The Summer of Lost Letters, by Hannah Reynolds

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

This award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit.

WINNER (PICTURE BOOK): Watercress, by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin. Watercress is on our list of best Asian American Children’s Books AND Diverse Picture Books We Love!

HONOR (PICTURE BOOK): A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi, by James Yang