Congratulations to our 2023 ALA Award Winners
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 ALA AWARD WINNERS
2023 JOHN NEWBERY MEDAL & 2023 CORETTA SCOTT KING MEDAL
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award
An Indiebound Bestseller
A New York Times Bestseller
Award-winning author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children’s escape from a plantation and the many ways they find freedom.
Under the cover of night, twelve-year-old Homer flees Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, unwillingly leaving their beloved mother behind. Much as he adores her and fears for her life, Homer knows there’s no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the swamp.
In this society created by formerly enslaved people and some freeborn children, Homer finds new friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he crafts a plan to find his mother and help his new home.
Deeply inspiring and loosely based on the history of maroon communities in the South, this is a striking tale of survival, adventure, friendship, and courage.
2023 RANDOLPH CALDECOTT HONOR
A Caldecott Honor Book!
An Indie Bestseller!
Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade’s first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders.
On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.
Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry.
Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.
Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade’s luminous rendering of water and forest, berries and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth.
2023 RANDOLPH CALDECOTT HONOR
A determined Owl builds strength and confidence in this medieval picture book about the real mettle of a hero: wits, humor, and heart.
Since the day he hatched, Owl dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or the strongest, but his sharp nocturnal instincts can help protect the castle, especially since many knights have recently gone missing. While holding guard during Knight Night Watch, Owl is faced with the ultimate trial—a frightening intruder. It’s a daunting duel by any measure. But what Owl lacks in size, he makes up for in good ideas.
Full of wordplay and optimism, this surprising display of bravery proves that cleverness (and friendship) can rule over brawn.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • NPR • Kirkus Reviews • Bookpage • Good Housekeeping
★ “[A] story with an amusing twist and a cute-as-a-button protagonist that charms on every level. This will satisfy a wide range of readers, from Dragons Love Tacos fans to wannabe knights.” —Booklist, starred review
“It’s dangerous to label any picture book a ‘contemporary classic,’ but Knight Owl tempts you to try…. Sweet and epic by turns.”―NPR
“Adorably earnest and gallant…. A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.”―Kirkus Reviews
“Through delicately conveyed firelight, deep shadows, and even an imagined tapestry, Christopher Denise provides this cracking tale with illustrations that feel like fully fleshed animated classics as Owl’s actions subvert a traditional conflict story line.”―Publishers Weekly
2023 STONEWALL BOOK AWARD HONOR
A fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG.
Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks — and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can’t fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true self and be a champion?
With bold illustrations and an engaging, informative text, Strong introduces readers to Rob Kearney and his journey from an athletic kid trying to find his place to the world’s first openly gay professional strongman.
2023 SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD HONOR
An emotional and tender award-winning picture book that accessibly explores depression within a family, through the use of color.
I’ve always been my dad’s little sunspot.
But one day, his world was no longer bright and yellow—it was a deep, dark blue.
As one father embarks on an emotional journey, his daughter will navigate life lived in and around his depression. Most days the sun won’t be able to peek through the clouds. But with each new wave of change, love will always bond them together.
This poignant and important story, with its use of color to indicate the ups and downs of one family’s emotions, is an accessible way to discuss mental illness with young readers.
2023 ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR LITERATURE HONOR
An instant New York Times bestseller!
An Indiebound bestseller!
An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book!
Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan as he navigates school and family. This book will highlight the unique Korean American perspective.
12-year-old Jordan feels like he can’t live up to the example his older sister set, or his parent’s expectations. When he returns home from school one day hoping to hide his suspension, Los Angeles has reached a turning point. In the wake of the acquittal of the police officers filmed beating Rodney King, as well as the shooting of a young black teen, Latasha Harlins by a Korean store owner, the country is at the precipice of confronting its racist past and present.
As tensions escalate, Jordan’s father leaves to check on the family store, spurring Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey to come to his aide, and come to terms with the racism within and affecting their community.
2023 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD HONOR FOR MIDDLE GRADE
A heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons for fans of Rain Reign and Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World.
Thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out and people fit neatly into her predefined categories. She attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday. Ellen only gets crushes on girls, never boys, and she knows she can always rely on her best-and-only friend, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at their private Georgia middle school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal. But lately, Laurel has started making more friends, and cancelling more weekend plans with Ellen than she keeps. A school trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect place for Ellen to get their friendship back on track.
Making new friends and letting go of old ones is never easy, but Ellen might just find a comfortable new place for herself if she can learn to embrace the fact that life doesn’t always stick to a planned itinerary.
2023 YALSA AWARD FOR NONFICTION FINALIST
The true story of racial inequality—and resistance to it—is the prologue to our present. You can see it in where we live, where we go to school, where we work, in our laws, and in our leadership. Unequal presents a gripping account of the struggles that shaped America and the insidiousness of racism, and demonstrates how inequality persists. As readers meet some of the many African American people who dared to fight for a more equal future, they will also discover a framework for addressing racial injustice in their own lives.
