2019 Youth Media Awards facts for kids

The 2019 Youth Media Awards were announced by the American Library Association on January 28, 2019. These special awards celebrate the best books for kids and teens. They also honor the amazing authors and artists who create them. It's a big day for books!

What is the May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture?

The May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture celebrates someone special in children's books. This person could be an author, a critic, a librarian, a historian, or a teacher. They are chosen for their great work in children's literature.

For 2020, the chosen lecturer was Neil Gaiman. He is known for creating modern comics and for supporting intellectual freedom.

What are the Alex Awards?

The Alex Awards are given to books written for adults. However, these books are also very popular with teenagers. They are chosen because teens enjoy reading them too!

Here are some of the books that won Alex Awards in 2019:

• The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
• The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir
• Circle by Madeline Miller
• Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
• Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

What is the American Indian Youth Literature Award?

This award celebrates great books by and about Native Americans. It is given out every two years. In 2020, it was announced as part of the Youth Media Awards for the first time.

What is the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature?

This award highlights books that share Asian/Pacific American culture. It helps more people learn about these stories and experiences.

In 2019, the winners were:

• Picture book: Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat
• Children's literature: Front Desk by Kelly Yang
• Young Adult literature: Darius the Great is Not Okay

What is the Mildred L. Batchelder Award?

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is for children's books that were first published in another language. Then, they are translated into English and published in the United States. This award helps us discover amazing stories from all over the world!

The winner of the 2019 Batchelder Award was:

• The Fox on the Swing by Evelina Daciūtė, translated from Lithuanian.

What are the Pura Belpré Awards?

The Pura Belpré Award celebrates Latinx (Latino/Latina) writers and illustrators. It honors their work in children's books. These books show Latinx culture and experiences.

Here are some of the 2019 Pura Belpré Medal winners and honors:

• Author Winner: Elizabeth Acevedo for The Poet X
• Illustrator Winner: Yuyi Morales for Dreamers / Soñadores

What is the Caldecott Medal?

The Caldecott Medal is a very important award. It is given to the artist who creates the most amazing American picture book of the year.

The winner of the 2019 Caldecott Medal was:

• Sophie Blackall for Hello Lighthouse

What is the Children's Literature Legacy Award?

The Children's Literature Legacy Award is a special award for authors or illustrators. It celebrates their entire career and all the wonderful children's books they have created. It's like a lifetime achievement award!

In 2019, the award went to Walter Dean Myers. He wrote many powerful books for young people, like Somewhere in the Darkness and Monster.

What are the Coretta Scott King Book Awards?

The Coretta Scott King Awards honor African American authors and illustrators. Their books must show African American culture and important human values.

Here are some of the 2019 Coretta Scott King Award winners:

• Author Winner: Claire Hartfield for A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919
• Illustrator Winner: Ekua Holmes for The Stuff of Stars
• John Steptoe New Talent Author Award: Tiffany D. Jackson for Monday's Not Coming
• John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award: Oge Mora for Thank You, Omu!
• Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award: Pauletta Brown Bracy

What is the Margaret Edwards Award?

The Margaret Edwards Award is another lifetime achievement award. It celebrates authors who write amazing books for young adults.

The 2019 award went to M.T. Anderson. He is known for books like Feed and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party.

What is the Geisel Award?

The Geisel Award recognizes great books for beginner readers. These are books that help young children learn to read on their own.

The winner of the 2019 Geisel Award was:

• Corey Tabor for Fox the Tiger

What is the William C. Morris Award?

The Moriss Award is given to a first-time author who writes for teens. It helps new voices in young adult literature get noticed.

The winner of the 2019 Morris Award was:

• Adib Khorram for Darius the Great is Not Okay

What is the Newbery Medal?

The Newbery Medal is one of the most famous awards in children's literature. It is given to the author of the most outstanding book for children published in America.

The winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal was:

• Meg Medina for Merci Suárez Changes Gears

What is the Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award?

This award was given for the first time in 2019. It celebrates the best digital media for very young learners. This could be an app or a website that helps kids learn.

The 2019 winner was Play and Learn Science by PBS Kids.

What is the Odyssey Award?

The Odyssey Award is given to the best audiobook for children or young adults. Audiobooks are books that are read aloud.

The winner of the 2019 Odyssey Award was:

• Sadie, produced by Macmillan Audio, narrated by Rebecca Soler and others, written by Courtney Summers.

What is the Printz Award?

The Printz Award celebrates excellence in young adult literature. These are books written specifically for teenagers.

The winner of the 2019 Printz Award was:

• Elizabeth Acevedo for The Poet X

What is the Schneider Family Book Award?

The Schneider Family Book Award honors books that show the experience of living with a disability. These books help readers understand different perspectives.

Here are some of the 2019 winners:

• Young Children: Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, illustrated by Scott Magoon.
• Middle Grades: The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor.
• Teens: Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro.

What is the Sibert Award?

The Sibert Award is given to the most distinguished informational book for children. These are non-fiction books that teach kids new things.

The winner of the 2019 Sibert Award was:

• Joyce Sidman for The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

What is the Stonewall Book Award?

The Stonewall Book Award celebrates children's and young adult books that relate to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) experience.

Here are the 2019 winners:

• Jessica Love for Julian is a Mermaid
• Kheryn Callender for Hurricane Child

What is the Sydney Taylor Book Award?

The Sydney Taylor Book Award honors children's and young adult books that show the Jewish experience.

In 2019, the winners were:

• Younger reader: All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
• Older reader: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
• Teen reader: What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper

What is the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults?

The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults is for the best non-fiction books written for teens.

The 2019 winner was The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown.