Update 1/29/2019: ALA Youth Media Award Winners Added
In this pinned feature post we compile links to 2018 children’s and young adult book award announcements, as well as “best-of” lists from professional library journals, newspapers, and other websites and organizations. We’re also curating a Best Books of 2018 Collection in Sora, Granite’s digital library.
Book Awards and Professional Organizations
2019 ALA Youth Media Awards
Winners of these awards were announced on January 28, 2019. Details and an archived recording of the presentation here: http://ala.unikron.com/about.php
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is awarded each year “to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.”
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded each year “to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.”
Printz Award
The Michael L. Printz Award is given each year to “a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.”
Additional ALA Youth Media Awards
ALA sponsors numerous other awards for children’s and young adult literature that were also announced on January 28, 2019.
- At http://ala.unikron.com/ you can access a press release announcing all the winners and honors for each award or watch a recording of the presentation
- Read the American Libraries recap of the award winners at https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/2019-youth-media-award-winners/
- Find general information about all of the awards and links to their individual web sites at http://www.ilovelibraries.org/booklovers/youth-media-awards
2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
[Visit the official site to see the finalists and long list for this award: https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2018/?cat=ypl]
2019 NCTE Children’s Book Awards
2019 Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 – National Science Teachers Association
Best of 2018 Lists – Professional Journals
Booklist – 2018 Editors’ Choice
- Books for Youth (single page includes Nonfiction and Fiction selections divided into sections for Older Readers, Middle Readers, and Young Readers)
- Adult Books for Young Adults
- Audiobooks for Youth
Kirkus Reviews – The Best Books of 2018
- Kirkus – Best Picture Books of 2018
- Kirkus – Best Middle-Grade Books of 2018
- Kirkus – Best Young Adult Books of 2018
Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s and YA Books 2018
- Publisher’s Weekly – Best Picture Books 2018
- Publisher’s Weekly – Best Middle Grade 2018
- Publisher’s Weekly – Best Young Adult 2018
School Library Journal – Best Books 2018
Horn Book Fanfare 2018
Best of 2018 Lists – Newspapers, Websites, &c.
The 2018 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books
NPR’s Book Concierge – Guide to 2018’s Great Reads
Granite Media – 2017-2018 Top Circulating Library Titles in Granite School District
We also feature our Best New Books review categories. Any book given at least 4 out of 5 stars by one of our student, teacher, or library staff reviewers is added to these lists:
- Best Picture Books
- Best Middle Grade Fiction
- Best YA Fiction
- Best Children’s Nonfiction
- Best YA Nonfiction
- Best Chapter Books
- Best Children’s Graphic Novels
- Best YA Graphic Novels
Did you read a great book in 2018 that you think should be in our website’s best of lists? Why not submit a review?
Know of any other “best-of” book lists or awards we should include in this post? Let us know in the comments section below or @ us on twitter.
