The winners of the 2016 Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, Coretta Scott King and other prestigious youth media awards were announced Monday morning by the American Library Association.
Matt de la Peña is the first Latino author to win the Newbery Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s literature for his book “Last Stop on Market Street,” illustrated by Christian Robinson.
The book tells the story of CJ’s bus ride with his grandma, the child noting the economic differences he sees along the way and Grandma teaching him to appreciate what he has in his life and throughout the city.
The Caldecott Medal went to “Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear,” illustrated by Sophie Blackall and written by Lindsay Mattick. The book tells the real-life story of a World War I veterinarian who rescued a bear and named it Winnie, who eventually became the inspiration for the fictional Winnie-the-Pooh.
Young adult author David Levithan, whose groundbreaking work on gender and sexuality includes “Boy Meets Boy,” “Love is the Higher Law,” “How They Met, and Other Stories,” “Wide Awake” and “The Realm of Possibility,” was honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for his significant contributions to young adult literature.
Author Becky Albertalli, who explored coming out in her debut book “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” won the William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.
Parents can use these titles as a guide when considering what books to recommend to their children and teens, while teachers and librarians look to the titles as a helpful list for what to encourage children to read.
The ALA Youth Media Awards were announced during the organization’s winter meeting in Boston and selected by a national judging committee of librarians and other children’s literature experts.
It’s not just books anymore. These awards highlight videos and other creative materials for children from last year.
Here’s the list of winners:
John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature
“Last Stop on Market Street,” written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children
“Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear,” illustrated by Sophie Blackall and written by Lindsay Mattick
Coretta Scott King awards for an African-American author and illustrator
Author award: Rita Williams-Garcia for “Gone Crazy in Alabama”
Illustrator award: Bryan Collier for “Trombone Shorty” (written by Troy Andrews and Bill Taylor)
Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe New Talent Award
Author award: Ronald L. Smith for “Hoodoo”
Illustrator award: “Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement,” illustrated by Ekua Holmes and written by Carole Boston Weatherford.
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for lifetime achievement for illustrator/author
Jerry Pinkney, whose award-winning works include the 2010 Caldecott Award-winning “The Lion and the Mouse”
Margaret A. Edwards Award, for an author’s significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature
David Levithan for “The Realm of Possibility,” “Boy Meets Boy,” “Love is the Higher Law,” “How They Met, and Other Stories,” “Wide Awake” and “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.”
May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture, recognizing an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature
Author Jacqueline Woodson will deliver the 2017 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Woodson is the 2014 National Book Award winner for her New York Times bestselling memoir “Brown Girl Dreaming” and the author of more than two dozen books for young readers.
Pura Belpré awards for a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
Author award: Margarita Engle for “Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir”
Illustrator award: Rafael López for “The Drum Dream Girl”
Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, honoring an author or illustrator whose books, published in the U.S., have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children
Jerry Pinkney
Stonewall Book Award, the Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award for books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience
“George,” written by Alex Gino
“The Porcupine of Truth,” written by Bill Konigsberg
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
Young children’s book: “Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah,” written by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls
Middle grade book: “Fish in a Tree,” written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and “The War that Saved My Life,” written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Teen book: “The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B,” written by Teresa Toten
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
“Bone Gap,” written by Laura Ruby
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for beginning reader book
“Don’t Throw It to Mo!” written by David A. Adler and illustrated by Sam Ricks
William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens
“Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” written by Becky Albertalli
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for informational books for children
“Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras,” written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
“Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War,” written by Steve Sheinkin
Mildred L. Batchelder Award for a book published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States
“The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy,” written (in French) and illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna and translated by Claudia Zoe Bedrick
Odyssey Award for best audiobook for children and young adults
“The War that Saved My Life,” written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and narrated by Jayne Entwistle
Andrew Carnegie Medal for children’s video
“That Is NOT a Good Idea,” produced by Weston Woods Studios Inc.
Alex Awards for 10 adult books that appeal to teens
“All Involved,” by Ryan Gattis
“Between the World and Me,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
“Bones & All,” by Camille DeAngelis
“Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits,” by David Wong
“Girl at War,” by Sara Novi?
“Half the World,” by Joe Abercrombie
“Humans of New York: Stories,” by Brandon Stanton
“Sacred Heart,” by Liz Suburbia
“Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to the Ivy League,” by Dan-el Padilla Peralta
“The Unraveling of Mercy Louis,” by Keija Parssinen