The American Library Association (ALA) has announced the winners of its 2025 awards, recognizing outstanding books and media for children and young adults. The event took place on January 27th at ALA’s 2025 LibLearnX conference in Phoenix and highlighted the hard work of many writers.
- ALEX Award: The ten best adult books that appeal to teen audiences are:
Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths About Disability by Melissa Blake, Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined written by David F. Walker and illustrated by Marcus Kwame Anderson, Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung, Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark, How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Novel by Kristen Perrin, I Feel Awful, Thanks written and illustrated by Lara Pickle, I Was a Teenage Slasher written by Stephen Graham Jones, The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett, The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff, and Woman, Life, Freedom, created by Marjane Satrapi.
- Caldecott Medal: Chooch Helped illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz and written by Andrea L. Rogers was honored as the best picture book.
- Children’s Literature Legacy Award: Carole Boston Weatherford was recognized for her lasting impact on children’s literature.
- Coretta Scott King Book Award: Twenty-four Seconds from Now… written by Jason Reynolds and My Daddy Is a Cowboy illustrated by C.G. Esperanza was awarded for African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.
- Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award: Carl the Collector, produced by Fuzzytown Productions, was recognized for a digital media producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience.
- Margaret A. Edwards Award: Tiffany D. Jackson won the award for the lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and her books include: Allegedly, The Awakening of Malcolm X, Grown, Let Me Hear a Rhyme, The Long Walk, Blackout, Monday’s Not Coming, and White Smoke.
- Michael L. Printz Award: Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Illustrated by Mar Julia was recognized for excellence in young adult literature.
- Newbery Medal: The First State of Being written by Erin Entrada Kelly was awarded for excellence in children’s literature.
- Odyssey Award: A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen produced by Andy T. Jones and How the Boogeyman Became a Poet produced by Abigail Marks were awarded for the best audiobooks produced for children and young adults, available in English in the United States.
- Pura Belpré Award: This award honors Latino writers and illustrators whose children’s and young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:
Belpré Children’s Illustration Award
The Dream Catcher illustrated by Marcelo Verdad
Belpré Illustration for Honor Books
Abuelo, the Sea, and Me, illustrated by Tatiana Gardel, written by Ismée Williams
Belpré Children’s Author Award
Lola written by Karla Arenas Valenti
Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books
Cruzita and the Mariacheros written by Ashley Granillo
Belpré Young Adult Author Award
Shut Up, This Is Serious written by Carolina Ixta
Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books
Libertad written by Bessie Flores Zaldívar
- Robert F. Sibert Medal: Life After Whale by Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin, awarded for the best informational book.
- Schneider Family Book Award: Honoring books that highlight the disability experience, including Monster Hands written by Karen Kane and Jonaz McMillan, and illustrated by Dion MBD, Popcorn written and illustrated by Rob Harrell, and Chronically Dolores written by Maya Van Wagenen.
- Stonewall Award: Lunar Boy written and illustrated by Jes and Cin Wibowo was the recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s Literature Award. It honors English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.
- Sydney Taylor Book Award: Night Owls by A.R. Vishny, recognized for its authentic Jewish representation.
- Theodore Suess Geisel Award: Vacation written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Mark Teague was awarded for the most distinguished beginner reader book.
- William C. Morris Award: Not Like Other Girls written by Meredith Adamo was honored for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.
- YALSA Award: Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire written by Paula Yoo was awarded for excellence in young adult nonfiction.
These awards celebrate the best in children’s and young adult literature, highlighting stories that inspire, educate, and entertain. Every year of nominations serves as an inspiration to other writers and future writers to keep creating books that people are eager to read for decades.