LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ books not only offer needed representation, but can also take their place with some of the best children’s literature around, bar none, as this year’s Youth Media Awards once again proved.
Click book titles for my own reviews!
The American Library Association yesterday announced its Youth Media Awards, which include the renowned Newbery and Caldecott Medals, at its annual conference for library professionals. The Stonewall Book Award—Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s Literature Award, for a book of “exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience,” went to:
- Love, Violet, by Charlotte Sullivan Wild, illustrated by Charlene Chua (Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Bookshop; Amazon). I also loved this sweet story, the first picture book (to my knowledge) to clearly depict a young girl’s same-sex crush.
Four Stonewall Honor Books were also chosen:
- Kapaemahu, by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa (Kokila; Bookshop; Amazon), a picture book about four legendary beings, neither male nor female, who brought healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii.
- Strong, by Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani (Little, Brown; Bookshop; Amazon), a delightful picture book biography of the world’s first openly gay professional strongman.
- The Real Riley Mayes, by Rachel Elliott (Balzer & Bray; Bookshop; Amazon), a graphic novel about fifth-grader Riley and her often elaborate imaginings as she navigates school, friendships, family, and the sometimes mixed messages they send.
- In the Key of Us, by Mariama J. Lockington (Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Bookshop; Amazon), a lyrical and moving story of transformation and identity centered on two Black girls at a summer music camp.
The Stonewall Award for Young Adult Books (which I don’t typically review but am happy to celebrate here) went to:
- When the Angels Left the Old Country, by Sacha Lamb (Arthur A. Levine. Bookshop; Amazon). This was also the Young Adult winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award for books “that authentically portray the Jewish experience” and earned a Printz Honor for “excellence in literature written for young adults.”
Four Stonewall Honors for Young Adult Books went to:
- I Kissed Shara Wheeler, by Casey McQuiston (Wednesday Books; Bookshop; Amazon)
- Kings of B’more, by R. Eric Thomas (Kokila; Bookshop; Amazon)
- Man o’War, by Cory McCarthy (Dutton; Bookshop; Amazon)
- The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, by Jen Ferguson (Heartdrum; Bookshop; Amazon). This was also a finalist for the William C. Morris Award for a debut book by a first-time author writing for teens.
All of the Stonewall Awards and Honors are hugely well-deserved. As I’ve said before, though, I would still love to see a third category, splitting out picture books from middle grade. As my own database shows, there are now dozens of books in each age range every year, and some truly excellent ones in each—enough, I believe, to support awards in both age ranges.
Awards in other categories also went to a number of LGBTQ-inclusive books:
- Ellen Outside the Lines, by A. J. Sass, won a Sydney Taylor Book Award Middle Grade Honor (Little, Brown). I also really enjoyed this middle-grade novel about a queer, Jewish, autistic, middle-grader (and not just because the cover image looks like me, another queer Jew with curly red hair).
- The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, by Sonora Reyes (Balzer & Bray; Bookshop; Amazon), was a Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Book, given to books that “portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.” It was also a finalist for the William C. Morris Award.
- Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality, by Eliot Schrefer, illustrated by Jules Zuckerberg (Katherine Tegen; Bookshop; Amazon), earned a Printz Honor.
- The Honeys, by Ryan La Sala (Push; Bookshop; Amazon), won the Odyssey Award for Young Adults, given for the best audiobook.
- Chef’s Kiss, by Jarrett Melendez, illustrated by Danica Brine (Oni Press; Bookshop; Amazon), won an Alex Award as one of the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences.
Congratulations to them all!
As I’ve said before, banning LGBTQ-inclusive books for children and youth is now not only removing vital representation for LGBTQ children and youth and their peers, but also depriving them of some of the best literature around. One could say the same about books featuring protagonists from other marginalized groups, many of which have their own ALA award categories but also win in broader ones.
Here is the full list of this year’s ALA Youth Media Award winners. As always, you can find the Stonewall winners from previous years (for board, picture, and middle grade books) tagged as such in my database.
I hope you’ll also check out my post on this year’s Rainbow Book List from the ALA, a larger selection of LGBTQ-inclusive books for children and teens.
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