The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, for children and young adults – including the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children, the Coretta Scott King Award recognizing an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults, the Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature, and other unique celebratory book awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A list of all the 2020 award winners follows:
“New Kid,” written by Jerry Craft, is the 2020 Newbery Medal winner. The book is illustrated by the author and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. It is also the Coretta Scott King Author Award winner.
“The Undefeated,” illustrated by Kadir Nelson is the 2020 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was written by Kwame Alexander and published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It also received a Newbery Medal Honor and was The Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner.
“Scary Stories for Young Foxes,” written by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group is a Newberry Honor book.
“Other Words for Home,” written by Jasmine Warga and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers is a Newbery Honor book.
"Genesis Begins Again,” written by Alicia D. Williams and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book is a Newbery Honor book. It is also the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award winner.
“Bear Came Along,” illustrated by LeUyen Pham, written by Richard T. Morris and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group is a Caldecott Honor book.
“Double Bass Blues,” illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Andrea J. Loney and published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC is a Caldecott Honor book.
“Going Down Home with Daddy,” illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons and published by Peachtree Publishers is a Caldecott Honor book..
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“The Stars and the Blackness Between Them,” written by Junauda Petrus and published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC is a Coretta Scott King Author Honor winner.
“Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky,” written by Kwame Mbalia and published by Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group is a Coretta Scott King Author Honor winner.
“Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks,” written by Jason Reynolds and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book is a Coretta Scott King Author Honor book.
“The Bell Rang,” illustrated by James E. Ransome, written by the illustrator and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book.
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“Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace,” illustrated by Ashley Bryan, written by the illustrator and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book.
“Sulwe,” illustrated by Vashti Harrison, written by Lupita Nyong’o and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book.
“What Is Given from the Heart,” illustrated by April Harrison, is the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award winner. The book is written by Patricia C. McKissack and published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:
Mildred D. Taylor 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.
Born in Mississippi in 1943 and raised in Ohio, Taylor resides in Colorado. “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” won the 1977 Newbery Award and a Coretta Scott King Book Award honor. Taylor received the international 2003 inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature. Her books earned national recognition including four CSK author awards and two author honors. Her 2020 Logan family series conclusion “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come” continues addressing systemic injustice, entrenched inequality and the roots of racism.
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Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
“Dig,” written by A.S. King, is the 2020 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “The Beast Player,” written by Nahoko Uehashi, translated by Cathy Hirano and published by Godwin Books/Henry Holt, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me,” written by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell and published by First Second/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir,” written by Nikki Grimes and published by Wordsong, an imprint of Boyds Mills & Kane
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Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Where the World Ends,” written by Geraldine McCaughrean and published by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:
“Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You,” written by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael López and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, wins the award for young children (ages 0 to 10).
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:
One honor book for Young Children was selected: “A Friend for Henry,” written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song and published by Chronicle Books LLC.
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:
“Song for a Whale,” written by Lynne Kelly and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Book, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, is the winner for middle grades (ages 11-13).
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Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:
One honor book for middle grades was selected: “Each Tiny Spark,” written by Pablo Cartaya and published by Kokila Penguin Young Readers Group, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
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Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience:
“Cursed,” written by Karol Ruth Silverstein and published by Charlesbridge, is the winner for teens (ages 13-18).
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
“Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln,” illustrated by Rafael López, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was written by Margarita Engle and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
Three Belpré Illustrator Honor Books were named:
"Across the Bay,” illustrated by Carlos Aponte, written by the illustrator and published by Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
"My Papi Has a Motorcycle," illustrated by Zeke Peña, written by Isabel Quintero and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
"¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market," illustrated by Raúl Gonzalez, written by the author and published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
“Sal and Gabi Break the Universe,” written by Carlos Hernandez, is the Pura Belpré Author Award winner. The book is published by Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group.
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Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
Four Belpré Author Honor Books was named:
"Lety Out Loud," written by Angela Cervantes and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
"Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré," written by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers won a Pura Belpre Honor.
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
"The Other Half of Happy," written by Rebecca Balcárcel and published by Chronicle Books won a Pura Belpre Honor.
Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
"Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War," written by Duncan Tonatiuh, illustrated by the author and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS won a Pura Belpre Honor.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:
“Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story,” written by Kevin Noble Maillard and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings. Fry Bread also won an American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:
Four Sibert Honor Books were named:
"All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World," written by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:
Four Sibert Honor Books were named:
"This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality," written by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy and published by Bloomsbury Children's Books
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:
"Hey, Water!" written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis and published by Neal Porter Books, Holiday House won a Sibert Picture Book Honor.
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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:
“Pet,” written by Akwaeke Emezi and published by Make Me a World, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
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:
“Like a Love Story,” written by Abdi Nazemian and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
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:
“The Best at It,” written by Maulik Pancholy and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.