JLG’s 2025 Youth Media Award Winning Books
On Monday, January 27, the 2025 Youth Media Awards were presented by the American Library Association (ALA) at Lib Learn X. JLG is excited to share that our gold standard authors and illustrators received 54 awards and honors this year! Read on to learn more about the awards and make sure to add these titles to your monthly book box—award-winners go FAST from our inventory!
John Newbery Medal
John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
Newbery Honor Books
- Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller
- One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome
- The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Randolph Caldecott Medal
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- Chooch Helped illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz
Caldecott Honor Books
- Home in a Lunchbox illustrated and written by Cherry Mo
- My Daddy Is a Cowboy illustrated by C.G. Esperanza
- Noodles on a Bicycle illustrated by Gracey Zhang
- Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
Coretta Scott King Book
Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- Twenty-four Seconds from Now . . .: A LOVE Story by Jason Reynolds
King Author Honor Books
- Black Star by Kwame Alexander
- One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome
King Illustrator Book
- My Daddy Is a Cowboy illustrated by C.G. Esperanza
King Illustrator Honor Books
- Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King illustrated by Ekua Holmes
- Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava illustrated by E.B. Lewis
- Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller illustrated by April Harrison
Printz Honor Books
This award honors the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit, each year (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
- Bright Red Fruit written by Saa Elhillo
- Road Home written by Rex Ogle
Schneider Honor Books
Schneider Family Book Award is for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- Monster Hands by Karen Kane and Jonaz McMillan
- You’re So Amazing! by James and Lucy Catchpole
Schneider Middle Grade Award
- Popcorn written and illustrated by Rob Harrell
Schneider Middle Grade Honor Books
- Louder Than Hunger by John Schu
- Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston
Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences
The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18 (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
Belpré Illustration for Honor Books
Pura Belpré Awards honors Latino writers and illustrators whose children's and young adult books best portray, arm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience (ALA). Read more about the award here.
- A Maleta Full of Treasures illustrated by Juana Medina, written by Natalia Sylvester
Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books
- Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar
Belpré Young Adult Author Award
- Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta
Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books
- Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldívar
- Wild Dreamers by Margarita Engle
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Jason Chin
Sibert Honor Books
- The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming
- The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos with Bethany Strout, illustrated by Sammy Savos
- Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills by Billy Mills and Donna Janell Bowman, illustrated by S. D. Nelson
Stonewall Honor Books for children’s literature
Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience (ALA). Learn more about this award here.
- The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon
Stonewall Honor Books for Young Adult Literature
- Road Home written by Rex Ogle
Geisel Honor Books
The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winner(s) are recognized for their literary and artistic achievements that demonstrate creativity and imagination to engage children in reading (ALA). Learn more about this award here.
- Fox versus Fox written and illustrated Corey R. Tabor
William C. Morris Award finalists
The William C. Morris YA Debut Award honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho
- Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear by Robin Wasley
- Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
YALSA's Award for Excellence in Nonfiction honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a Nov. 1 – Oct. 31 publishing year (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
- Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire by Paula Yoo
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults finalists
- A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women’s Soccer—and Beyond by Elizabeth Rusch
- Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away by Candy J. Cooper
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
The award promotes Asian/Pacic 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 Young Adult Literature. The award is administered by the Asian Pacic American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA). Read more about the award here.
Picture Book honor title
- The Rock in My Throat written by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei Lin
The Children’s Literature title
- Continental Drifter written and illustrated by Kathy MacLeod
Children’s Literature honor titles
- Mabuhay! written and illustrated by Zachary Sterling
- Clairboyance by Kristiana Kahakauwila
The Young Adult Literature winner
- Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
Young Adult Literature honor titles
- Lunar New Year Love Story written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
The Sydney Taylor Book Award
The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature (ALA). Learn more about the award here.
Gold Medalists
Middle Grade
- The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival written by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos with Bethany Strout, illustrated by Sammy Savos
Young Adult
- Night Owls by A.R. Vishny
Picture Book
- Joyful Song: A Naming Story written by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal
Young Adult
- Trajectory by Cambria Gordon
