The American Library Association (ALA) announce the winners of the Youth Media Awards this week, including the Coretta Scott King, Caldecott, Newbery, and Stonewall Book Award. Read the full press release.

Many past guests of the podcast were honored and I was beaming with pride and bursting with love and had an overwhelming urge to just hug everybody. If you have not yet heard the stories behind these incredible books... well... you know what I'm about to say! Look no further! Bring some tissues. It's gonna get real and sincere and wonderful.

Happy listening!

Matthew

A selection of the 2021 award winners follows. Access the full list here.

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

Newbery Honor Book “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press

Newbery Honor Book “A Wish in the Dark,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

“We Are Water Protectors,” illustrated by Michaela Goade is the 2021 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was written by Carole Lindstrom and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings.

Caldecott Honor Book “A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart,” illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group

Caldecott Honor Book “The Cat Man of Aleppo,” illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha and published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House

Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:

King Illustrator Honor Book “Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration,” illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, written by Samara Cole Doyon and published by Tilbury House Publishers

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

Printz Honor Book “Apple (Skin to the Core),” by Eric Gansworth and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido

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Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:

Book for Young Children Winner “I Talk Like a River,” written by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith and published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, wins the award for young children (ages 0 to 10).

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Honor book for Middle Grades “When Stars Are Scattered,” written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, color by Iman Geddy and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States:

“Kent State,” produced by Paul R. Gagne for Scholastic Audio, is the 2021 Odyssey Award winner. The book is written by Deborah Wiles and narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina Delaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries.

Odyssey Honor Audiobook “When Stars Are Scattered,” produced by Kelly Gildea & Julie Wilson for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed and narrated by Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi and a full cast.

Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latinx writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

“¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat,” illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:

Sibert Honor Book “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat, published by Candlewick Press.

Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience:

“We Are Little Feminists: Families,” written by Archaa Shrivastav, designed by Lindsey Blakely and published by Little Feminist, is the 2021 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit.

Children’s Literature Honor “Prairie Lotus,” written by Linda Sue Park and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented since 1968 by the Association of Jewish Libraries, an affiliate of the American Library Association, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature.

This year’s Gold Medalists include: in the Picture Book category, “Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail,” by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Charlesbridge; in the Middle Grades category, “Turtle Boy,” by M. Evan Wolkenstein and published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC; and in the Young Adult category, “Dancing at the Pity Party,” written and illustrated by Tyler Feder and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

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