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Youth Media Awards 2023

The winners of the 2023 American Library Association Youth Media Awards have been announced! What an exciting time for readers of all ages, but especially for our J and YA lit fans. Every year, groups of dedicated committee members meet to discuss the best of the best in literature, both print and audio, for youth and young adults—including our very own Miss Julie who is serving on the Notable Children’s Book Committee.

Here are a few of our YMA 2023 favorites…The John Newbery Medal was awarded to Freewater written by Amina Luqman-Dawson for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The Michael L. Printz Award was given to All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir for the book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. The Randolph Caldecott Medal was awarded to Hot Dog by Doug Salati for the most distinguished American picture book for children. The Schneider Family Book Award, for books that embody the disability experience, was awarded to Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, A Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion written by Shannon Stocker, Wildoak written by C.C. Harrington and The Words We Keep written by Erin Stewart. The Pura Belpré Awards honoring Latinx writers and illustrators that best celebrate the Latino cultural experience was awarded to Adriana M. Garcia, for the illustrations of the title Where Wonder grows, the children’s author award for the title Frizzy written by Claribel A. Ortega and Burn Down, Rise Up written by Vincent Tirado for the young adult author award.

Since February is also Black History Month, we would like to spotlight the winners of the 2023 Coretta Scott King Book Awards. These awards are presented 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 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Jason Reynolds. The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award was given to Jas Hammonds for We Deserve Monuments. For the title, Freewater, Amina Luqman-Dawson was awarded the Coretta Scott King Author Award and Frank Morrison was awarded the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for the title, Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual.

You can find the winners of various other youth media awards and notable lists on the ALA website.

Want to read these award-winning books and discover more about what makes them so extraordinary? Find these titles in our catalog or stop by the Youth Services Desk for more information.

Youth Services Desk: 630/393-1171 x124

youthservices@warrenville.com

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