#Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award

[the-dust-jacket]

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Awards recognized Jade Adia in the author category and Briana Mukodiri Uchendu in the illustrator category this year. Congratulations!

[npdclaraoswald]

10, 11, 15, 16 for book asks

10. What was your favorite new release of the year?

Probably either True Biz by Sara Nović or The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan. True Biz shows the perspective of three different people at a school for the Deaf- the headmistress who is a CODA, a boy who's entire family is Deaf until his little sister is born hearing, and a girl who got a Cochlear Implant as a baby and wasn't allowed to learn ASL until her parents divorce and her dad allows her to enroll and learn about the community. The School for Good Mothers is a dystopia where parents who are deemed to be unfit- for reasons ranging from active abuse to letting their kid walk to and from school alone- are forced to attend a boarding school where they care for android children and are constantly monitored

11. What was your favorite book that has been out for a while, but you just now read?

I'm going to say The Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Cixin Liu translated by Ken Liu and Joel Martinsen. It spans centuries following humanity after first contact is made in the 60s during China's Cultural Revolution and the aliens say that because their world is dying, they are coming to invade and colonize Earth. They don't have FTL travel though, so we follow the centuries of people trying to find ways out of or cope with humanity's expiration date

15. Did you read any books that were nominated for or won awards this year (Booker, Women’s Prize, National Book Award, Pulitzer, Hugo, etc.)? What did you think of them?

I don't really follow any of the awards stuff, so there could be more, but as far as I know The Sentence by Louise Erdrich was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize and Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D Jackson won the Coretta Scott King and John Steptoe New Talent Award. I liked both of them but neither really blew me away. I gave both of them 4 stars. The Sentence is about a bookshop owner dealing with the tumult of 2020 while also dealing with the ghost of her most annoying customer still coming in. Monday's Not Coming is a mystery about a teenager girl who's best friend goes missing but she can't get any adults to care or look into it

16. What is the most over-hyped book you read this year?

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim. I had heard so many good things about it, but it was so ableist I had to DNF. It follows the courtroom drama after a miracle cure for everything from infertility to autism goes wrong and a fire breaks out and kills two people. Maybe if I had finished it the narrative would've ended up condemning the ableism, but I couldn't stand it

[acornreviewsya]

Moore, D. B. (2019). The Stars Beneath Our Feet. Random House Children's Books.

After the death of his older brother, twelve-year-old Wallace “Lolly” Rachpaul tries to navigate his grief by searching for ways to cope while coming of age in the projects of Harlem. During this process, Lolly finds that building with Legos is his greatest source of peace. While building castles from his imagination, he also builds new relationships that help him figure out who he is and what kind of future he wants for himself.

The Stars Beneath Our Feet carries a very powerful message to young children who are dealing with injustice and the grief that can often follow it. Lolly experiences a vast amount of emotions – often described as a rock in his chest – which are a product of the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death and his desire to decide how he wants to move forward in his life, whether that be with anger and revenge or with trust and creativity. Readers can see how each decision Lolly makes may change the course of his life forever and truly showcases how difficult those decisions can be when dealing with deep anger, sadness, and hopelessness. The novel features an incredibly diverse cast of characters, many of which are POC and LGBT. This is the first novel I’ve read that featured multiple queer parents who are all POC and have healthy relationships with their children.

Awards: Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Interested in the audiobook? Here is an excerpt read by the author: https://youtu.be/eTRSW2OY50Y

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34057229-the-stars-beneath-our-feet?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Z2N59SMGAB&rank=1

[newswireml]

Author Jas Hammond on their book, 'We Deserve Monuments' : NPR#Author #Jas #Hammond #book #Deserve #Monuments #NPR

NPR’s Juana Summers talks with author Jas Hammond about their book, We Deserve Monuments. It’s a young adult love story and a family mystery that explores intergenerational trauma and racism. JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: “We Deserve Monuments” is the debut novel by writer Jas Hammonds. And it just won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe book award for new talent. In the book, Hammonds touches on the…

[cheshirelibrary]

2021 Youth Media Awards Announced

Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards.

Here are the winners:

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

We Are Water Protectors by Michaela Goade and Carole Lindstrom

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

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller 

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

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

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

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Carole Boston Weatherford

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

...

Click through to see the full list.

[wellesleybooks]

The Newbery, the Caldecott, the Printz, oh my!

The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits taking place virtually from Chicago.

A list of all the 2021 award winners follows:

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

“When You Trap a Tiger,” written by Tae Keller, is the 2021 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Five Newbery Honor Books also were named:

“All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; “BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood and published by Candlewick Press;  “Fighting Words,” written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House;  “We Dream of Space,” written by Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly and Celia Krampien and published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;  and “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.

Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named:

“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; “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; “Me & Mama,” illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera and published by Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; and “Outside In,” illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:

“Before the Ever After,” written by Jacqueline Woodson, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.  

Three King Author Honor Books were selected:

“All the Days Past, All the Days to Come,” written by Mildred D. Taylor, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; “King and the Dragonflies,” written by Kacen Callender, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and “Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box,” written by Evette Dionne, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, is the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected:

“Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration,” illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, written by Samara Cole Doyon and published by Tilbury House Publishers; “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, written by Suzanne Slade and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; and “Me & Mama,” illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera and published by Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:

“Legendborn,” written by Tracy Deonn, is the Steptoe author award winner. The book is published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:

Dorothy L. Guthrie is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Dorothy L. Guthrie is an award-winning retired librarian, district administrator, author and school board member. A respected children’s literature advocate, Guthrie promotes and affirms the rich perspectives of African Americans. Her work, “Integrating African American Literature in the Library and Classroom,” inspires educators with African American literature. Guthrie founded the first African American museum in her home, Gaston County, North Carolina.

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

“Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story),” by Daniel Nayeri, is the 2021 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named:

“Apple (Skin to the Core),” by Eric Gansworth and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; “Dragon Hoops,” created by Gene Luen Yang, color by Lark Pien and published by First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; “Every Body Looking,” by Candice Iloh and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House; and “We Are Not Free,” by Traci Chee and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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

“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). Two honor books for young children were selected: “All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything,” written by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali and published by Sourcebooks eXplore, an imprint of Sourcebook Kids, and “Itzhak: A Boy who Loved the Violin,” written by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams.

“Show Me a Sign,” written by Ann Clare LeZotte and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., is the winner for middle grades (ages 11-13). Two honor books for middle grades were selected: “Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!,” written by Sarah Kapit and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, and “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.

“This Is My Brain in Love,” written by I.W. Gregorio and published by Little Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, is the winner for teens (ages 13-18). No honor book for teens was selected.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:

“Black Sun,” by Rebecca Roanhorse, published by Saga Press/Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“The House in the Cerulean Sea,” by TJ Klune, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan

“The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice - Crossing Antarctica Alone,” by Colin O’Brady, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio,” by Derf Backderf, published by Abrams Comicarts

“The Kids Are Gonna Ask,” by Gretchen Anthony, published by Park Row Books, an imprint of Harlequin, a division of HarperCollins Publishers

“The Only Good Indians,” by Stephen Graham Jones, published by Saga Press/Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“Plain Bad Heroines,” by emily m. danforth, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins

“Riot Baby,” by Tochi Onyebuchi, published by Tordotcom, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan

“Solutions and Other Problems,” by Allie Brosh, published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“We Ride Upon Sticks:  A Novel,” by Quan Barry, published by Pantheon Books, a division of Penguin Random House

Children’s Literature Legacy Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences.

The 2021 winner is Mildred D. Taylor, whose award-winning works include "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” the 1977 Newbery Medal winner and a Coretta Scott King (CSK) Author honor; "The Land," the 2002 CSK Author Award winner; "The Road to Memphis," the 1991 CSK Author Award winner; “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come”; and “The Gold Cadillac,” among other titles.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults:

 The 2021 winner is Kekla Magoon. Her books include: “X: A Novel,” co-written by Ilyasah Shabazz and published by Candlewick Press; “How It Went Down,” published by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; “The Rock and the River” and “Fire in the Streets,” both published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally 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:

“Telephone Tales” is the 2021 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Italian as “Favole al telefono,” the book was written by Gianni Rodari, illustrated by Valerio Vidali, translated by Antony Shugaar and published by Enchanted Lion Books.

One Honor Book also was selected: “Catherine’s War,” published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, written by Julia Billet, illustrated by Claire Fauvel and translated from French by Ivanka Hahnenberger.  

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.

Four Odyssey Honor Audiobooks also were selected:

“Clap When You Land,” produced by Caitlin Garing for HarperAudio, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, written by Elizabeth Acevedo and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte; “Fighting Words,” produced by Karen Dziekonski for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and narrated by Bahni Turpin; “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” produced by Robert Van Kolken for Hachette Audio, written by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi and narrated by Jason Reynolds with an introduction by Ibram X. Kendi; and “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.

One Belpré Illustrator Honor Book was named:

“Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello,” illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, written by Monica Brown and published by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books, Inc.

"Efrén Divided,” written by Ernesto Cisneros, is the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner. The book is published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Two Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books were named:

"The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez," written by Adrianna Cuevas and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, and "Lupe Wong Won’t Dance," written by Donna Barba Higuera and published by Levine Querido.

"Furia,” written by Yamile Saied Méndez, is the Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award winner. The book is published by Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

Two Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books were named:

"Never Look Back," written by Lilliam Rivera and published by Bloomsbury YA, and "We Are Not from Here," written by Jenny Torres Sanchez and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

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

“Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera,” written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House.

Three Sibert Honor Books were named:

“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, published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” written by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; and “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat, published by Candlewick Press.

The Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award is given to a digital media producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience.

The 2021 Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award winner is “The Imagine Neighborhood,” produced by Committee for Children.

One honor title was named: “Sesame Street Family Play: Caring for Each Other,” produced by Sesame Workshop.

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.

Four Honor Books were selected:

“Beetle & The Hollowbones,” illustrated and written by Aliza Layne and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Darius the Great Deserves Better,” written by Adib Khorram and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; “Felix Ever After,” written by Kacen Callender and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “You Should See Me in a Crown,” written by Leah Johnson and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book is:

“See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog,” written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka and published by Candlewick Press.

Four Geisel Honor Books were named:

“The Bear in My Family,” written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House; “Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!” written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; “"What About Worms!?” written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins and published by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group; and “Where’s Baby?” written and illustrated by Anne Hunter and published by Tundra Books of Northern New York, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, a Penguin Random House Company.

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:

“If These Wings Could Fly,” written by Kyrie McCauley, is the 2021 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Four other books were finalists for the award:  

“Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard,” written by Echo Brown and published by Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; “The Black Kids,” written by Christina Hammonds Reed and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; “It Sounded Better in My Head,” written by Nina Kenwood and published by Flatiron Books, Macmillan Publishers; and “Woven in Moonlight,” written by Isabel Ibañez and published by Page Street Publishing.

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults:

“The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh,” written by Candace Fleming, is the 2021 Excellence winner. The book is published by Schwartz and Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Four other books were finalists for the award:  

“All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; “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; “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; and “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.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.  The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Youth Literature.  The award is administered by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association.  This year’s winners include:

The Picture Book winner is “Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist,” written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki and published by Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one Picture Book honor title: “Danbi Leads the School Parade,” written and illustrated by Anna Kim and published by Viking Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

The Children’s Literature winner is “When You Trap a Tiger,” written by Tae Keller and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one children’s literature honor title: “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 Youth Literature winner is “This Light Between Us,” written by Andrew Fukuda and published by Tor Teen. The committee selected one Youth Literature honor title: “Displacement,” written by Kiku Hughes and published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

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.

Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medalists include: in the Picture Book category, “I Am the Tree of Life: My Jewish Yoga Book,” by Mychal Copeland, illustrated by André Ceolin and published by Apples and Honey Press, an imprint of Behrman House, and “Miriam at the River,” by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Khoa Le and published by Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group; in the Middle Grades category, “No Vacancy,” by Tziporah Cohen and published by Groundwood Books; “Anya and the Nightingale,” by Sofiya Pasternack and published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; and “The Blackbird Girls,” by Anne Blankman and published by Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House LLC; and in the Young Adult category, “They Went Left,” by Monica Hesse and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work.  For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

[blackchildrensbooksandauthors]

🎉Congratulations to…🎉

Genesis Begins Again

Alicia D. Williams 

Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

🌟Newbery Honor Book

🌟Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

🌟William C. Morris Award Finalist

This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself.

Available at👉🏿| Amazon | IndieBound

Find more children’s and young adult books by Black authors here

<> Follow BCBA on Twitter | Instagram <> Subscribe to Our Newsletter <>

[blacknerdproblems]

While I cannot recall exactly what age, I know I was in my middle school years when I first read The Skin I’m In. I remember being dissatisfied with the required books for my English class and found a copy of Sharon G. Flake’s book in my library. My memory is fuzzy on all the events that happen in the book, but I do mostly remember this was a tale about a black girl who was too Black, too poor, and seemingly too unlovable for the world she existed in.

I do always remember this book helped put a word to an issue that I was learning about but fully didn’t connect all the dots about: colorism. I was especially protective over this book, because it was a Black woman writing about a Black girl and those were the stories I wanted to read about. The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent winner has now been reissued with a striking new cover and a foreword by New York Times best-selling author Jason Reynolds and is now available for more readers to enjoy, which makes me happy as more Black girls are able to read this one.

“No Almond Joy-colored girls like me. No gum smacking, wisecracking girls from my side of town.”

Maleeka Madison knows her lot in life. She anticipates that the kids will sing that awful jingle they came up with that bashes her for her dark, Black skin. She knows her mom works so hard but doesn’t make enough money to where she can wear less home-made and hand-me-down clothing that adds to the teasing. She knows that her quiet disposition and studious nature is a boom to her academic career as a student, but it makes her a target as a teacher’s pet and a loser. She knows that she has to dull her senses in order to dull the pain of being who she is in order to survive each day she leaves home and goes to school–she does enough most days. She survives.

And then one day a new teacher, Miss Saunders, arrives. She is a confident, sassy, well to do woman who rubs everyone the wrong way and leads an engaging class that makes everyone think. Her downfall according to our middle school-aged protagonist is the imperfection marring her face: a startling white patch on her face. Maleeka ponders again and again how this woman lives so confidently in the skin she’s in knowing folks have torn down others for less.

“Then I end up the same paragraph with Akeelma saying she’s scared that maybe people will always think she’s ugly. But I’m really talking about myself.”

The joy in rereading this book is following along with Maleeka as she slowly gains the courage to not only stand up for herself, but for others and ultimately for what’s right. With each chapter, she keeps hitting that ceiling of what little love and self-esteem she has for herself, yet before the book is over she has a showdown with the one who treats her the worse and the one who seeks to keep her down. Getting to the end of the book where she chooses not to be apathetic and stand up and do something is refreshing and makes for a great emotional arc where she’s had enough and wants more for herself. What is equally enjoyable is reading about Maleeka finding her voice in another way: in her writing. It is her writing that also saves her–at first, it is a creative and therapeutic outlet and it evolves into a connection to a beloved family member who passed on and later to what helps her win a writing contest that she never dreamed of winning.

Read on here. [x]

[booksofwonder]

This Saturday! We’re proud to present a 30th Anniversary celebration of John Steptoe’s MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS with three award-winning authors & illustrators on Saturday, July 20th from 1-3pm. • In 1987, the late and legendary John Steptoe published MUFARO’S Beautiful Daughters, a Cinderella tale against the backdrop of Zimbabwe. When published, the New York Times stated, “Mr. Steptoe’s...illustrations have a muted brilliance and luminosity.” Award-winning artist Steptoe’s rich cultural imagery of Africa earned him the Coretta Scott King Award and the 1988 Caldecott Honor. The book also went on to win the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and was featured on Reading Rainbow. • Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, Baby Says, and Stevie were reissued last year with a new introduction from Mr. Steptoe’s daughter, Bweela Steptoe. We’ll gather with Ms. Steptoe, Pat Cummings, Jerry Pinkney, and Tiffany D. Jackson (2019 winner of the John Steptoe New Talent Award). The panel will discuss what has changed in children’s publishing for authors and illustrators of color and the journey ahead. Saturday, July 20th from 1-3pm at our 18th St store. Ages 6+ • • • • • • @bweelasteptoe @patcummingsbooks @writeinbk #johnsteptoe #johnsteptoeaward #mufarosbeautifuldaughters #caldecott #corettascottkingaward #anniversary #celebration #picturebooks #childrensbooks #kidlit #folklore #africanfolklore #youngreaders #indiebookstore #bookstagram #instabook #igreads #igbooks #booklover #bibliophile (at Books Of Wonder) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Eqzguhs3C/?igshid=1pskklvjcelxi

[ntlibrary]

Happy Friday!  You may have missed it with the blizzard and all, but the American Library Association announced its Youth Media Awards winners this week, and what a stunning bunch of books!  Find all the winners and honor books on display in the teen section. 

Darius the Great is Not Okay ~by Adib Khorram: Nerdy and depressed, Darius has never fit in, and he’s fairly certain that this will continue during his first trip to visit family in Iran.  Then he meets Sohrab, his grandparents’ neighbor. This story of friendship deservedly won both the William C. Morris Award for debut book and the teen division of the Asian/Pacific American Award for literature.

A Few Red Drops: The Chicago race riot of 1919 ~by Claire Hartfield:  Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award, this is nonfiction that reads like a heart-pounding thriller.  It started with a day at the beach, a rock thrown, and a boy killed.  By the time the riots ended, 38 people had died and over 500 were wounded.  A history lesson that bears learning today, and a book that you won’t be able to put down.

Monday’s Not Coming ~by Tiffany D. Jackson: When her friend Monday goes missing, it seems like Claudia is the only one to notice. Monday’s mom and sister are unhelpful, and it seems like no one can remember the last time they saw Monday. Claudia will find out much more than she bargained for when she starts digging into Monday’s disappearance. This won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award, and we wish you luck in remembering to take food breaks while reading it.

The Poet X ~by Elizabeth Acevedo:  Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award (and a National Book Award), Acevedo’s novel-in-verse appropriately stars Xiomaria, a girl who disobeys her mother to join her school��s slam poetry club.  Her mother’s obsessed with obeying church laws, her brother never defends her, and she taken to using her fists to defend her curvy body.  This is the book for everyone who ‘hates poems’ and the book for everyone who has fallen into an Ellen Hopkins book.  

[the-dust-jacket]

Congratulations to all those honored by the Coretta Scott King Awards! The Coretta Scott King Author Award, the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent recognize outstanding African-American creators of children’s books. 

[mkecountyteenbookaward]

A novel in verse book, winner of the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for new Talent, Me (Moth) by Amber McBride on the surface seems like a simple road trip story of two teens trying to find their identity. Moth, an aspiring dancer, the Black granddaughter of a Hoodoo root worker, is still navigating an accident’s fallout that took her parents and brother. Sani a talented Navajo musician originally from New Mexico, who had moved cross country to live with his white mother, step-father, who thinks he is “sick in the head” and family, has a similar traumatic background to Moth that includes an abusive step-father and severe depression.  

Both needing a change, they decide to go on a road trip out to New Mexico where Sani’s Navajo father, a medicine man lives. On their road trip, they stop at national landmarks that give them an opportunity to talk about their grief, their hurts and things that they have been going through. By the end of their journey, they find that their search for their identity has moved them forward to the place they both were meant to be.  

I really enjoyed this book. I am not a great fan of verse books, but this one is so well written. It kept me interested and wanting to go back and read it again to find all the things that I missed on the first read around.  

[letsjanukhan]

Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle) PDF Download Free

Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle) PDF Download Free

Price: (as of – Details) An Instant New York Times Bestseller! Winner of the Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award 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.After her mother dies in an…

[madelineantoinetteportfolio]

A Close Reading of the Visual Communication Within Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora

Upon opening Thank You, Omu! By Oge Mora, we are faced with vibrant shades of lilac, sages, and yellows, collaged together to form the map-esque portrait of what we can assume is an urban neighborhood (thanks, cut-out taxis and snip of subway map). We also learn from this front endpaper that our protagonist’s name, Omu, is the Igbo term for “queen.” The text goes on to tell a story of a generous woman, who lives “on the corner of First Street and Long Street, on the very top floor,” nurturing a big pot of stew, encountering constant interruptions by people within her community knocking on her apartment door, who simply cannot resist the delicious aroma of her stew. I will examine how the text-image relationship — rather simple text accompanied with specific, rich, telling images — works to establish the dynamic between protagonist Omu and her community, as well as provide social commentary.

We are shown protagonist Omu on the story’s first spread. The image tells us she is an older woman who is not white; she has she white hair, smile lines around her mouth, and brown skin. Her white hair is pinned back, showcasing a dangly gold earring. Her yellow dress compliments this gold earring, as does the “waft” exiting her red, blue, green, white, brown, and black floral patterned stew. The waft directs our eyes where to gaze: out the window, into the community, represented by skyscraper-like buildings. This waft symbolically represents the theme, that there is so much to gain from sharing one’s goodness. Additionally, we must notice that Omu, an older woman, who, as far as the reader is ever told, is single and lives alone, has a bright pink kitchen. Nothing about her or the environment in which she inhibits is muted. She appears joyful, warm, content, and confident. This challenges society’s traditional negative stereotypes of an older, single woman,; ie. matronly, drab, unhappy, unfulfilled, pitifully lonely. In this spread, there is a duality between the words and the images. “This duality can be in the form of a playful dance, where images and words can appear to flirt with and contradict each other...words themselves become pictorial elements and the outcome as a whole is ‘visual text’” (Salisbury and Styles, 89).

Turning to the next page, it is reiterated that Omu lives in an apartment building. On the floor below Omu, we see a little black boy playing with a toy car on a window sill. He is the only body in his window, making him appear to be alone, just like Omu. In the following spread, Omu opens her door after hearing a knock to discover him on the other side. The text does not detail Omu’s feelings regarding this little boy randomly showing up;, it only contains the dialogue of Omu inquiring about what he is doing there. The illustration, however, expresses Omu with a look of hesitancy, and perhaps concern, regarding the little boy. There is a line sketched from the top of her nose, down to her chin, her mouth is facing downward, and her eyebrows are raised. Omu’s expression, as well as the little boy’s lone state, work to emphasize Omu’s generous nature; of course, she is going to give this sweet, lonely little boy some of her stew, because that is the kind of person she is. Further, the little boy is illustrated at a much lower eye-level than she, making Omu appear “queen'' like. She is above him; she has the power in this situation, because she is the beholder of the ever-so- coveted stew, and she uses her power for good when she shares her stew with him. The little boy is also featured on the cover of the book, intentionally showing book shoppers some representation of a character other than a little, white suburban boy.

Of course, the little boy is not the only one who comes knocking on Omu’s door. He is followed by a female police officer, a hot dog vendor, a shop owner, a cab driver, an actor, a dancer, a baker, an artist, a singer, an athlete, a bus driver, a construction worker and the mayor. Each of these characters, although not verbally described, is communicated to us visually. Mora uses a diverse palette of browns, peaches, and tans to color their skin. Additionally, Mora does not make every character fit the traditional gender of its career choice. For example, the police officer is “Ms.” police officer, and the doctor appears to be drawn female as well. The construction worker appears to be male, yes, but as he lifts some lumber, his stance is sassy, and he almost appears drag-queen like, with his heels a little high. Despite all of these characters being very diverse, the main spread listing them illustrates them in a peaceful unison: they all have their eyes dreamily shut and soft smiles on their faces. Also, they float sporadically on the page, showing no divide of environment between characters. They all live in harmony to make the city peaceful. The generosity of citizens like Omu is what keeps the city going strong in this manner.

As the story progresses, we see that all of Omu’s generosity has rendered her with none of the stew left for herself. She is pictured alone with a sad expression, her formerly pink kitchen muted to a darker lavender color, until the entire community, led by the little boy, knocks on her door. All of the citizens bring in goodies to share, and we are reintroduced to the “waft,” coming from several of these new dishes, surrounding all of the community, just as Omu’s stew had done earlier in the story.

Omu and another older woman are at the head of the table, reiterating Mora’s theme that older women should be honored and respected...the author’s note states that “Thank You, Omu! was inspired by the strong female role models in Oge’s life,” and Mora called her own grandmother “Omu.” This second to last spread strongly emphasizes the relationship between Omu and her community. Omu’s seemingly simple act of kindness has brought the entire community together, just as a real queen would. The citizens are all huddled around Omu, delighted to soak in all of her love and generosity. She, in her yellow dress, is a warm sun, which is what makes the world go ‘round.

This warmth, both within Omu herself and within the entire story of Thank You, Omu!, certainly leaves a lasting impression, making it no surprise that Mora received the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent for Thank You, Omu! in 2019. The Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent rewards “affirms new talent and offers visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged” (The American Library Association). Through using the illustrations to supplement to the communication of the book, rather than simply match a picture to the written text, Mora lets the reader peak into a diverse community, displaying that the love, kindness, and generosity so many women constantly offer is no small act and conveying a sweet dynamic between Omu and her fellow citizens.

[thatwritererinoriordan]

The second book in the hit Young Prince series from Ronald L. Smith, recipient of the 2016 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award. I'm T'Challa. The Prince of Wakanda. Son of T'Chaka. And one day, I will wear the mantle. Thirteen-year-old T'Challa can't wait to go back to America to visit his friends Sheila and Zeke, who are staying with Sheila's grandmother in Beaumont, a small Alabama town, over their summer break. He's thrilled to be on vacation away from his duties as the Prince of Wakanda for a few weeks, and he's taking full advantage of his access to the amazing food and the South's rich history. But as T'Challa continues to explore the town, he finds that a man who goes by the ordinary name of Bob happens to be everywhere he is—and T'Challa begins to think it's no coincidence. When residents of the town begin flocking to Bob's strange message, and a prominent citizen disappears, the Young Prince has no choice but to intervene. T'Challa and his friends start to do their own sleuthing, and before long, the three teens find themselves caught in a plot involving a rare ancient book and a man who's not as he seems. Swept up in a fight against an unexpected and evil villain, T'Challa, Sheila, and Zeke must band together to save the people of Beaumont . . . before it's too late.