Award Winners and "Best of the Year" for Teens
Our shelves welcome the Award Winners and "Best of the Year" for Teens!
Each year, the American Library Association (ALA) honors outstanding materials for children and young adults with the Youth Media Awards. The ALA Youth Media Awards include the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, along with many others, as described below.
The National Book Awards also have a Young People's Literature category. In addition, BookPage, Publishers Weekly, National Public Radio (NPR), and others also compile "Best of The Year" lists for children's and/or young adult books.
Here, we feature the most recent award winners and "best of" books in our collection:
The Alex Awards
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, published by Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster (ISBN 9781534437678). A diverse group of priests, sailors, and travelers converge in the holy city of Tova in preparation for the annual winter solstice celebration, which coincides with a solar eclipse in this epic fantasy adventure. Great writing and world building transport the reader to a civilization inspired by pre-Columbian mythology.
The Alex Awards
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, published by Tom Doherty Associates/Tor Books (ISBN 9781250217288 ). Buttoned-up and by-the-book Linus is sent to investigate a classified orphanage on a strange island by Extremely Upper Management. Forced out of his comfort zone, he is surprised to find love and family in this magically joyful tale.
The Alex Awards
The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice - Crossing Antarctica Aloneby Colin O’Brady, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster (ISBN 9781982133115). Mindset expert Colin O’Brady recounts his experience as the first to traverse Antarctica solo and unassisted. Drawing strength from prior successes, failures, and his support system, he endures whiteouts, subzero temperatures, and starvation while pulling a 365-pound supply sled.
The Alex Awards
Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio by Derf Backderf, published by Abrams Comicarts (ISBN 9781419734847). In 1970 the Ohio National Guard opened fire on Kent State students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and wounding nine. This chilling graphic novel follows the lives of the students, politicians, guardsmen, and law enforcement in simple black and white, revealing a volatile situation ending in heartbreaking tragedy.
The Alex Awards
The Kids Are Gonna Ask by Gretchen Anthony, published by Park Row Books (ISBN 9780778308744). A few years after losing their mother, the McClair twins use podcasting to search for their biological father. The family is turned inside out by the media, but with the help of their loving grandmother, they persevere in this witty coming of age novel.
The Alex Awards
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones published by Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster (ISBN 9781982136451). Told through the backdrop of cultural tradition versus modern expectations, this horror story follows four Native American men as a decision from their past comes back to haunt them. Magical realism and realistic fiction blend as an avenging presence tracks them down.
The Alex Awards
Plain Bad Heroines by emily m. danforth, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins (ISBN 9780062942852) . This gothic horror novel follows the lives of queer women throughout history. As our past and present heroines learn about a mysterious curse connected to Brookhaunts School for Girls, they explore their own identities in this work of metafiction filled with sapphic romance.
The Alex Awards
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi, published by Tom Doherty Associates/Tor Books (ISBN 9781250214751). Ella has unexplained powers. She worries about her younger brother Kev, born during the LA riots and later incarcerated simply for being black. Magical realism highlights the injustice, anger, and systemic racism that is prevalent in modern society.
The Alex Awards
Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh, published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster (ISBN 9781982156947). In this humorous graphic memoir about the ups and downs of life, Allie Brosh uses simple, expressive illustrations and wit to grapple with difficult and challenging topics, such as grief, loneliness, and self-love, even if you’re a weirdo.
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn, published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy “Legendborn” offers the dark allure of “City of Bones” with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Honorees
All the Days Past, All the Days to Come, by Mildred D. Taylor, and published by Viking, an Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Honorees
Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box, by Evette Dionne, and published by Viking an Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
John Newbery Medal – Honor Books
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team, written by Christina Soontornvat, published by Candlewick Press.
Soontornvat skillfully describes the dramatic real-life rescue of the Thai Boys’ soccer team in 2018 by highlighting the teamwork of the cave divers and the drilling and medical teams which were crucial for the survival of the coach and the twelve boys. All Thirteen exemplifies superb narrative nonfiction writing.
John Newbery Medal – Honor Books
Fighting Words, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Della depends on her fierce older sister Suki, especially after escaping an abusive home. In foster care, though, Suki begins to unravel. Bradley creates a survival story that transcends—addressing the toughest of topics with honesty, hope, and humor. Della’s powerful voice lingers long after the last page is turned.
Michael L. Printz Award
Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story)
By Daniel Nayeri
Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido
In an autobiographical novel, middle-schooler Daniel, formerly Khosrou, tells his unimpressed and at times cruel classmates about his experience as an Iranian refugee.
Michael L. Printz Award Honor Books
Apple (Skin to the Core)
by Eric Gansworth
Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido
Gansworth—an enrolled member of the Onandaga Nation—revisits his childhood and teen years spent on a Tuscarora reservation in this ambitious and searing memoir. Told in verse and accompanied by original art, Gansworth’s compelling coming of age story is a moving, illuminating exploration of otherness, intergenerational trauma, and resilience.
Michael L. Printz Award Honor Books
Dragon Hoops
Gene Luen Yang, color by Lark Pien
First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
Gene Luen Yang never would have guessed that he would be working on a graphic novel about a basketball team, but he found inspiration in the men’s varsity team at Bishop O’Dowd High School. The games are only a small portion of the story, though, as readers learn about the history of basketball as well as Yang’s personal journey.
Michael L. Printz Award Honor Books
Every Body Looking
by Candice Iloh
Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House
In this novel in verse, Ada recounts her freshman year as a first generation student attending a Historically Black College, while simultaneously taking the reader through her younger life. Ada feels the pressure to make money from her major, but she ultimately realizes that dance is what connects, energizes, and sustains her.
Michael L. Printz Award Honor Books
We Are Not Free
by Traci Chee
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Just months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued the Civilian Exclusion Order, forcing the tight knit community of Japantown teens and their families to incarceration camps. Author Traci Chee deftly manages fourteen narratives all with a unique voice and experience. The lives of these teens may have been forever changed, but as Chee writes, “We are not free. But we are not alone."
The Odyssey Award
Kent State, written by Deborah Wiles, narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina Delaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries, and produced by Paul R. Gange, Scholastic Audio
Kent State uses alternating voices to convey the experiences behind the shootings at Kent State on May 4, 1970, with one goal: to ask us to listen. Original music by Jim Pearce and vivid sound effects combine with the narration to create an immersive, thought-provoking, and immediate experience for any listener.
The Odyssey Award Honor Books
Clap When You Land, written by Elizabeth Acevedo, narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte, and produced by Caitlin Garing for HarperAudio, a division of HarperCollins Publishers
Clap When You Land is a novel in verse about two sisters who learn about each other after their father’s death. In alternating chapters, the lyrical and expressive tones of these spoken-word performers are beautifully balanced. Listeners experience the pain and joy of the sisters as they reconcile and share their family stories.
The Odyssey Award Honor Books
Fighting Words, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, narrated by Bahni Turpin, and produced by Karen Dziekonski for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio.
This expertly delivered audiobook is raw, engaging, and powerful. Turpin’s skillful narration of this middle grade story about two sisters surviving and healing from sexual abuse conveys complicated emotions through the dynamic first-person voice of Della, the younger sister.
The Odyssey Award Honor Books
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, written by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, narrated by Jason Reynolds with an introduction by Ibram X. Kendi, and produced by Robert Van Kolken for Hachette Audio.
This compelling remix of Kendi’s academic work sets a new standard for nonfiction audio production. In sections framed by dynamic music, Reynolds delivers a conversational and riveting performance about the history of racism and antiracism that connects contemporary listeners to history.
Pura Belpre Awards
Furia, written by Yamile Saied Méndez and published by Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
Furiabrings us a story about Camila “La Furia” Hassan, a young Argentine girl and fútbol player with monumental talent. Living in a household that considers fútbol a boys’ sport and a society fighting for gender equality, Camila goes against all odds to follow her dreams and her heart.
Pura Belpre Awards Honor Books
Never Look Back, written by Lilliam Rivera and published by Bloomsbury YA.
In Never Look Back, Lilliam Rivera depicts the diverse culture of the Bronx and its people through the nascent romance of Eury and Pheus. This retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice evokes the smooth sounds of bachata, joys of Caribbean heritage, and the trauma caused by grief and loss.
Pura Belpre Awards Honor Books
We Are Not from Here, written by Jenny Torres Sanchez and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
We Are Not from Here is a compelling and realistic story of teenage friends, Pulga, Pequeña and Chico, forced to leave their homes in Guatemala and embark upon a dangerous and uncertain journey to the U.S. hoping for safety. An eye-opening and timely read.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal – Honor Books
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure, written and illustrated by John Rocco, and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a Division of Penguin Random House.
This ambitious book chronicles one of the most exciting and miraculous accomplishments in American history—the 1969 lunar landing. Through extensive research and intricate illustrations, Rocco highlights the achievements of NASA innovators while also explaining complex scientific concepts through precise, captivating diagrams.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal – Honor Books
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team, written by Christina Soontornvat, and published by Candlewick Press
All Thirteen is a well-documented and multilayered account of the worldwide effort to rescue a team of young soccer players. Through gripping exposition and dramatic photographs, this book showcases humanity’s ingenuity and courage.
Schneider Family Book Award
This is My Brain in Love, written by I.W. Gregorio and published by Little Brown and Company, a division of Hatchett Books, won the award for teens.
Told in dual narrative, I.W. Gregorio’s second YA novel is an own voices story exploring mental illness stigma, race and culture, and relationships. Jocelyn Wu and Will Domenici, high schoolers who find romance while trying to keep Jocelyn’s family restaurant from failing, fight to save it all, including their relationship.
Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Award
The Black Flamingo, by Dean Atta with illustrations by Anshika Khullar (Hodder Children’s Books, an imprint of Hachette Children’s Group, part of Hodder and Stoughton); ISBN 9781444948592
Stonewall Book Awards Honor Books
Pet, by Akwaeke Emezi (Make Me a World, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC); ISBN 9780525647072
Stonewall Book Awards Honor Books
Like a Love Story, by Abdi Nazemian (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers); ISBN 9780062839367
William C. Morris YA Debut Award
If These Wings Could Fly written by Kyrie McCauley, published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. 9780062885029.
Living in a house that magically conceals the damage inflicted by her volatile father’s rampages, Leighton Barnes finds nothing strange in the thousands of crows descending on her town. As tensions mount in town and at home, she struggles with simultaneously wanting to escape and to protect her mother and younger sisters. Through haunting, lyrical prose McCauley builds a devastatingly authentic tale of intergenerational trauma and violence and society’s “blind eye” that perpetuates it.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Honor Books
Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard written by Echo Brown published by Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. 9781250309853.
In this beautifully written, unflinching tale, Brown relays her wizarding journey of hope and self-awareness as a young Black woman growing up on Cleveland’s East Side. Using magical realism, Brown explores the intersection of racism, poverty, sexual assault, and intergenerational trauma, as well as the strength and power that women wield as they navigate these challenges.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Honor Books
The Black Kids written by Christina Hammonds Reed published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. 9781534462724.
Set against the LA riots in 1992, this historical yet timely novel follows Ashley through her senior year at her predominantly white, privileged school and wealthy neighborhood. Pulling away from her white friends, she gravitates towards the group of black students and identifies how racial bias, microaggressions, and her own complicity shape her relationships at home and school. Hammonds Reed’s honest, vivid descriptions of a city in chaos mirror Ashley’s own journey as her detached tone begins to crumble on her path toward growth and awakening.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Honor Books
It Sounded Better in My Head written by Nina Kenwood, published by Flatiron Books, Macmillan Publishers. 9781250219268.
Devastating acne during her adolescence left Natalie with low self-esteem. Now, as if the news of her parents’ divorce isn’t enough, Natalie feels like a third wheel with her best friends, is anxious about an unknown future after high school, and is confused by romantic feelings for her best friend's brother. A surprising romance begins, challenging Natalie to examine the kind of person her acne has formed her into versus who she really is. Told with snarky humor and vulnerability, Kenwood examines the often confusing yet empowering transition into adulthood.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Honor Books
Woven in Moonlight written by Isabel Ibañez, published by Page Street Publishing. 9781624148019
After the Indigenous Llacsans rebel and overthrow Illustrian rule, Ximena’s people are forced into exile. When the Llacsan king demands Illustrian Condesa’s hand in marriage, Ximena takes her place, intending to spy for the Illustrians and relay information to them through beautifully woven tapestries made from moonlight. This lush and descriptive story celebrates Bolivian culture and history while highlighting the impact of colonization.
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
The Rise & Fall of Charles Lindbergh, written by Candace Fleming and published by Schwartz and Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. 9780525646549
Charles Lindberg is one of the most complicated icons in American history. Celebrated aviator, dogged scientist, heartbroken father, Nazi sympathizer, unapologetic eugenicist, Candance Fleming shows all the facets of a deeply flawed American hero. In a well-researched, engaging narrative, Fleming brings Lindberg to life, warts and all.
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults – Finalists
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team, written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press. 9781536209457
On June 23, 2018, twelve young soccer players and their coach became trapped by flood waters in a northern Thailand cave. Clear maps, diagrams, photography and first hand interviews capture every detail of the rescue of all thirteen, an effort made by hundreds of volunteers. Their rescue seemed impossible but, as Christina Soontornvat shows in this page-turning book, miracles sometimes happen.
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults – Finalists
The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival, written by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan and published by Bloomsbury YA. 9781547604531
In 1992 Amra's life is forever changed when Serbian troops seize her hometown of Bihać, Bosnia. Her family and other Muslims face hate, violence, and unimaginable horrors of war. A enlightening memoir of a Muslim teen trying to survive through the Bosnian genocide and the stray cat that protected her family throughout all her ordeals.
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults – Finalists
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure, written and illustrated by John Rocco and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. 9780525647416
This extensively researched and illustrated account demonstrates the magnitude of ingenuity and creativity involved in the years' long effort to reach the moon. John Rocco's exquisite illustrations and diagrams pair perfectly with his clear text to illuminate "the grit, determination, and hard work to achieve the goal - also the problem-solving, the organization, the science, and the sheer cleverness of it all."
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults – Finalists
You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Democracy and Deliver Power to the People, written by Elizabeth Rusch and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 9780358387428
From gerrymandering and the electoral college to voter suppression and unequal representation, Elizbeth Rusch breaks down some of the most important problems facing our country's representative democracy. This nonpartisan guide to civic engagement offers ample suggestions for how teens can become involved in political reform.
National Book Awards - Young People's Literature Finalists
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
From New York Times bestselling and acclaimed author Traci Chee comes We Are Not Free, the collective account of a tight-knit group of young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II.
Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh, published by Dutton Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House
Key moments of Ada’s young life—her mother’s descent into addiction, her father’s attempts to create a home for his American daughter more like the one he knew in Nigeria, her first year at a historically black college—are weaved together into a luminous and inspiring verse novel.
The Way Back by Gavriel Savit, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House
The Way Back by Gavriel Savit is a spellbinding historical fantasy steeped in the rich Yiddish folklore of Eastern Europe. Yehuda Leib and Bluma are the best kind of unlikely heroes, finding courage to match wits with the sinister forces of the mysterious “Far Country,” and relying on each other in a way that will endear every reader. This compelling and timeless tale is beautiful, lyrical, and brimming with wholly original takes on familiar themes.