The Best Fiction for Young Adults list is compiled annually by YALSA, a committee of the Young Adult Library Services Association, and is comprised of fiction appropriate for ages 12 to 18. The purpose of this award is to provide school librarians with an updated list of recommendations. All titles must be published within the last fourteen months. The 2024 Best Fiction for Young Adults award included books like Becoming a Queen by Dan Clay, Dear Medusa by Olivia Cole, and I Kick and I Fly by Ruchira Gupta.
This award is selected by the Books for Youth editors. This award looks at a wide variety of topics, but it focuses on the ability to resonate with readers of a variety of ages and on imaginative immersion. Some notable titles that were awarded in 2023 include, Your Driver is Waiting by Priya Guns, Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun, and Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. To find more information on the books awarded visit Booklist.
The Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth celebrates a broad selection of books that mix literary writing and commercial interest. The Books for Youth editorial staff chooses titles ranging from fiction to nonfiction, to picture books. You can find the editors’ picks on Booklist, as well as individual book recommendations. Some notable award winners include, More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long, and Loud and Proud: The Life of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm by Lesa Cline-Ransome.
Named after bookseller John Newbery, this annual award is given out to the most distinguished author of children’s literature. Created in 1922, this long-standing award has highlighted the work of American authors. The most recent Newbery medal went to The Eyes and the Impossible written by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris. To learn more about this award given by the American Library Association, visit the ALA website.
The Randolph Caldecott medal honors the esteemed illustrator, Randolph Caldecott, through awarding the most distinguished picture book illustrator annually. He is best known for his illustrations for The House that Jack Built and The Diverting History of John Gilpin, both published in 1878. The ALA provides this medal and was inspired by the Newbery award, which celebrated the esteemed author John Newbury. The most recent Caldecott winner was Big, written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison. For more information, visit the Caldecott Medal Home Page.
The William C. Morris Award, administered by the YALSA, honors a book written for young adults by a first-time, previously unpublished author. Named after the influential children’s publisher, William C. Morris, this award advocates and promotes literature for children and teens. The most recent winner for this award was Rez Ball by Byron Graves.
The winners of the Michael L. Printz Honor for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, administered by the YALSA and sponsored by Booklist, celebrates teen literature with a focus on literary writing. The namesake of this award came from an evocative publisher from Topeka, Kansas, who wished to demonstrate his passion for literature and reading. The recent winner of this award is The Collectors: Stories by A.T. Anderson, E.E. Charlton-Trujillo, A.S. King, David Levithan, Cory McCarthy, Anna-Marie McLemore, G. Neri, Jason Reynolds, Randy Ribay, and Jenny Torres Sanchez.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is an award given to authors and illustrators of informational children’s books. These titles are books with factual information presented in children’s literature and published in the United States. This award is presented by the ALA and is named after Robert F. Sibert, president of Bound to Stay Books, Inc. The previous winner of this medal was The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity written by Nicholas Day and illustrated by Brett Helquist.
The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction awards nonfiction books published for young adults during a single publishing year. This award is granted by the ALA and highlights true stories in particular. This year the award was given to Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater.
The Coretta Scott King Award celebrates books written by African American authors and encourages creative and artistic expression. Named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, this award values the Black experience in literature. Handed out by the ALA, this award explores the importance of diversity and representation in children’s and teen’s literature. Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi was given this award in 2024.
The Pura Belpré Award, named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library, celebrates Latino/Latina authors and illustrators who capture the Latino cultural experience. Co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking (REFORMA), the winners portray affirming cultural experiences in children’s and YA books. This year’s award winner was Pedro Martín for his story, Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir. For more information, visit the Pura Belpré Award Home Page.
The Stonewall Book Awards are sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT). This award celebrates the merit of novels exploring the LGBTQA+ experience. The Stonewall Award was given to Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dåsnes and translated by Matt Bagguley in 2024. For more information, see the American Library Association’s page on the Stonewall Award.
The Sydney Taylor Book Award is given each year to books for both children and young adults that authentically illustrate the Jewish experience. This award is named after Sydney Taylor, a children’s author who portrayed Jewish characters in her writing. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries, the award encourages the publication of Judaic literature. This year’s Sydney Taylor Award went to Two New Years, written by Richard Ho and illustrated by Lynn Scurfield. To learn more, visit the Sydney Taylor Book Award Home Page.
These awards are integral for anyone passionate about literature and representation. Celebrating exceptional writing, storytelling, and illustration, these awards spotlight diverse voices and experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed. By promoting books that resonate with young readers and their backgrounds, the awards encourage inclusivity, inspiring a lifelong love for reading. For authors and readers alike, these honors serve as a reminder of the transformative power of storytelling and the importance of uplifting books that reflect the human experience.
Jenica Delaney, Pine Reads Review Writer