Update 1/29/2019: ALA Youth Media Award Winners Added

On Granitemedia.org, our sister site where we focus on library resources and book reviews written by Granite students and staff, we are collecting links to lists of the “Best Books of 2018” and award winners. These lists come from professional library publications, teacher organizations, and general news organizations. We even have a few Granite-specific lists. School library staff use them to find more great books to add to library collections and recommend to students. You can check out the collection of lists as it currently stands below, but we will continue to update the post at http://bestbooks.edtech.fun throughout the season as more awards are announced or come to our attention. No matter your interests or focus you’re sure to find some new books for your “to-read” list.

Best Books of 2018

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.”

2019 Newbery Medal Winner: *Merci Suárez Changes Gears* by Meg Medina

2019 Newbery Honor Books: *The Book of Boy* by Catherine Gilbert Murdock and *The Night Diary* by Veera Hiranandani

Caldecott Medal

The Caldecott Medal is awarded each year “to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.”

2019 Caldecott Honor Books: *Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, *A Big Mooncake for Little Star* by Grace Lin, *The Rough Patch* by Brian Lies, and *Thank you, Omu!* by Oge Mora*

Printz Award

The Michael L. Printz Award is given each year to “a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.”

2019 Printz Honor Books: *Damsel* by Elana K. Arnold, *A Heart in a Body in the World* by Deb Caletti, and *I, Claudia* by Mary McCoy

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

Winner – The Poet X, written by Elizabeth Acevedo

[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

Orbis Pictus Award Winner – *Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery*, written by Sandra Neil Wallace and Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Charlotte Huck Award Winner – *Sweep: the Story of a Girl and Her Monster*, written by Jonathan Auxier

2019 Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 – National Science Teachers Association

Annual list created by the National Science Teachers Association. More info here: https://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/

Best of 2018 Lists – Professional Journals

Booklist – 2018 Editors’ Choice

Booklist 2018 ‘Top of the List’ Youth Titles – Cover Images

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