2025 Youth Media Awards Winners

2025 Youth Media Award Winners

John Newbery Medal
Honors author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

 

Randolph Caldecott Medal
Awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Chooch Helped illus. by Rebecca Lee Kunz, written by Andrea L. Rogers

 

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Honors to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States.

Vacation by Ame Dyckman, illus. by Mark Teague

 

Children’s Literature Legacy Award
Honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences. 

Carole Boston Weatherford

 

Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media
Given to a digital media producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience.

Carl the Collector, produced by Fuzzytown Productions and Spiffy Pictures for PBS Kids

 

Robert F. Sibert Medal

Awarded to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English.

Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle, illus. by Jason Chin

 

Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Citation awarded to an American publisher for a children’s book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States. 

John the Skeleton, published by Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books for Young Readers, written by Triinu Laan, illus. by Marja-Liisa Plats, translated by Adam Cullen

 

ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture Award
Given to an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature, of any country, who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature. 
Cynthia Leitich Smith

 

Pura Belpré Awards
Presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. 

Illustration
The Dream Catcher, illustrated and written by Marcelo Verdad

Children’s Author
Lola by Karla Arenas Valenti

Young Adult Author
Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta

 

Michael L. Printz Award
Presented to a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.

Brownstone by Samuel Teer, illus. by Mar Julia
Odyssey Award
Given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.

Children’s (0-14) Award
A Place of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, produced by Andy T. Jones for Dreamscape Audio, written by Erin Frankel, illus. by Paola Escobar

Young Adult (12-18) Award
How the Boogeyman Became a Poet, produced by Abigail Marks for HarperAudio, written by Tony Keith Jr., narrated by Tony Keith Jr.

 

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a Nov. 1 – Oct. 31 publishing year.

Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire by Paula Yoo

 

William C. Morris Award
Honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens. 

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo

Margaret A. Edwards Award
Honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature

Tiffany D. Jackson

Alex Awards
Books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18

Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths About Disability by Melissa Blake
Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined by David F. Walker
Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung
Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djeli Clark
How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Novel by Kristen Perrin
I Feel Awful, Thanks by Lara Pickle
I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett
The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff
Woman, Life, Freedom by Marjane Satrapi

Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Recognize outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. 

Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Carolyn L. Garnes

Coretta Scott King Author Award
Jason Reynolds for Twenty-four Seconds from Now…

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
C.G. Esperanza for My Daddy is a Cowboy, written by Stephanie Seales

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
Craig Kofi Farmer for Kwame Crashes the Underworld 

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award
Jamiel Law for Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin 

 

Stonewall Book Awards
Given to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience. 

Children’s Literature
Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo

Young Adult Literature
Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa
Schneider Family Book Awards
Honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. 

Younger Children
A Little Like Magic by Sarah Kurpiel

Middle Grade
Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Young Adult
Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen

 

Sydney Taylor Book Awards
Recognizes titles for children and teens that exemplify high literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.

Picture Book
An Etrog from Across the Sea by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illus. by Stacey Dressen McQueen

Middle Grade
The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos with Bethany Strout

Young Adult
Night Owls by A.R. Vishny

 

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
Honors and recognizes individual works by Asian/Pacific American authors that highlight Asian/Pacific American cultures and experiences. 

Picture Book 
Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George, illus. by Mae Waite

Children’s Literature
Continental Drifter by Kathy MacLeod

Young Adult Literature 
Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay

The American Indian Youth Awards are presented biennially. The next winners will be announced in January 2026.