The Winners of the 2024 Newbery & Caldecott Awards
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Are you ready to learn who won the 2024 Newbery and Caldecott awards and honors? Today, the American Library Association Youth Media announced all children’s book awards, including the 2024 Newbery and Caldecott awards and honors books.
Committees of hardworking nominated librarians collaborate to find a consensus on the children’s book author and illustrator winners. Not an easy task, to be sure.
Other awards given by the ALA include the Sydney Taylor, Coretta Scott King, and the Odyssey awards, some of which I’ve included below.
I’ll share the 2024 Newbery and Caldecott awards, plus many other winners and award honorees for picture books and middle grade books, but for the entire awards list, visit the ALA website.
If you’re wondering about my favorite books of the past year, check out my Imagination Soup’s 2023 favorite children’s books:
Best Middle Grade Books of 2023
John Newbery Award 2024
Named for a British bookseller, the John Newbery Award was first awarded in 1922. This is an annual book award that honors the most distinguished book for children.
The Newbery Award winner for 2024 is
The Eyes and the Impossible written by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris
This is the story of a wild dog who works as the park’s Eyes, the park’s Bison elders, and other animals. in the park who observe the humans and their behavior.
The Newbery Honor titles are
- Eagle Drums written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson
- Elf Dog and Owl Head written by M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu
- MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir written by Pedro MartÃn
- Simon Sort of Says written by Erin Bow
- The Many Assassinations of Samir, The Seller of Dreams written by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares
Randolph Caldecott Award 2024
Started in 1938, the Caldecott is awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in the United States in the previous year.
The 2024 Caldecott Award winner is
Big by Vashti Harrison.
Big is beautifully illustrated in pinks and browns; it’s gorgeous! After experiencing cruel words about her size and feeling sad feelings, this young dancer embraces her big size.
The Caldecott Honor books are:
- In Every Life illustrated and written by Marla Frazee
- Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter illustrated by Molly Mendoza, written by Aida Salazar
- There Was a Party for Langston illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds,
- The Truth About Dragons illustrated by Hanna Cha, written by Julie Leung
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Theodore Seuss Geisel Award 2024
This is the author and illustrator award for creativity and distinguished beginning reader books.
The winner is
Fox Has a Problem written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor.
The Honor books are
- Henry Like Always written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song
- Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends written and illustrated by Kaz Windness.
The Sydney Taylor Book Award
This award is presented to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience since 1986.
The picture book winner is
Two New Years written by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield.
Simple first-person narration explains that the child celebrates two New Years — one for their Chinese heritage, Lunar New Year in the spring, and the other for their Jewish faith, Rosh Hashanah, in the fall. Both celebrations are filled with family and food, traditions and good wishes. Bright, colorful illustrations dance across the pages.
The picture book honor books are:
- Dancing Hands written by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez
- Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust written by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Amy June Bates
- Hanukkah Upside Down written by Elissa Brent Weissman, illustrated by Omar Hoffmann
- Afikomen written by Tziporah Cohen, illustrated by Yaara Eshet
The middle grade book award winner is
The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman written by Mari Lowe
This is a book about friendships, peer pressure, and bullying. Shaindy is heavily influenced by her neighbor Gayil, agreeing to participate in pranks that are becoming more malicious. Shaindy realizes that she doesn’t want to join Gayil anymore but is worried Gayil will come after her next.
The middle grade honor winners include:
- Don’t Want to be Your Monster written by Deke Moulton
- The Jake Show written by Joshua S. Levy
- Not So Shy written by Noa Nimrodi
- A Sky Full of Song written by Susan Lynn Meyer.
Reading Journal for Kids
102 pages of fun!
Write reviews for books! Draw, imagine, and write more about the books you read. This is a wonderful journal to get kids excited about what they read!
Sibert Book Award and Honor
This award goes to books for children written and illustrated to present, organize, and interpret documentable, factual material for children.
The 2024 Sibert medal winner is
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist
One of the BEST books of 2023 in any category! You will love the incredible writing, the fun illustrations, the biographical information about the curious, brilliant, and distractable Leonardo Da Vinci, the other art heists from the poorly guarded Louvre (one involving Pablo Picasso), the burgeoning science of fingerprints to replace France’s ear-measuring methodology and the surprising, eventual discovery of the Mona Lisa. Interestingly, the Mona Lisa wasn’t a well-known painting until this art heist in 1911. And the Louvre wasn’t well-attended until after this dramatic theft. The theft was dramatic because the thief simply walked out with the stolen painting tucked under his shirt. Highly recommended!
The Sibert honors go to:
- Holding Her Own written by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright
- Jumper: a Day in the Life of the Backyard Jumping Spider written by Jessica Lanan, illustrated by Jesica Lanan
- Shipwrecked Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor written by Martin W. Sandler
- The Book of Turtles written by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Matt Patterson.
Odyssey Award
The Odyssey Award goes to the best children’s audiobook production in English in the United States.
The Odyssey children’s book award goes to El Deafo written by Cece Bell and narrated by a full cast.
The Odyssey Honors go to:
- Chinese Menu written by Grace Lin, narrated by Lisa Ling
- MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir written by Pedro MartÃn, narrated by a full cast
- Once There Was written by Kiyash Monsef, narrated Nikki Massoud
- Sisters of the Lost Marsh written by Lucy Strange, narrated by Lucy Strange
- Stateless written by Elizabeth Wein, narrated by Moira Quirk
Pura Belpré Award
The Belpré Youth Illustration Award honoring Latino cultural experience, awarded to writers and illustrators, goes to
The Belpré Youth Author Award for Latinx illustrators goes to
MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir, illustrated and written by Pedro Martin.
The children’s Belpré honor books for illustration are:
- Mi papá es un agrÃcola / My Father, the Farm Worker illustrated by Jose B. Ramirez, written by J. Roman Perez Varela
- Papá‘s Magical Water-Jug Clock illustrated by Eliza Kinkz, written by Jesús Trejo
- Remembering illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, written by Xelena Gonzalez
Pura Belpre children’s book author winner is MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir written by Pedro Martin.
Pura Belpre children’s author honor books are:
- Alebrijes written by Donna Barba Higuera
- Aniana del Mar Jumps In written by Jasmine Mendez
- Benita y las Criaturas Nocturas written by Mariana Llason, illustrated by Cocoretto
- Papá‘s Magical Water-Jug Clock written by Jesús Trejo, illustrated by Elizz Kintz
- Something Like Home written by Andrea Beatriz Arango
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Asian Pacific American Award Picture Book Award & Honor
The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The Asian Pacific American Award for picture book winner is
The Truth About Dragons written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Hanna Cha.
I’m looking forward to reading this. It’s the bedtime stories told by a child’s mom that leads him to learn from two grandmas two truths about dragons.
The picture book honor is Finding Papa written by Angela Pham Krans and illustrated by Thi Bui.
The Asian/Pacific American Award for children’s middle grade goes to:
Ruby Lost and Found written by Christiana Li.
The honor goes to Parachute Kids written and illustrated by Betty C. Tang.
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
This award celebrates and honors Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her work to foster peace and unity for all people.
The Coretta Scott King Virginia Hamilton lifetime achievement award goes to Christopher Paul Curtis.
The award honors African American authors and illustrators who create books that promote the understanding and appreciation of all people.
Coretta Scott King John Steptoe awards for new talent illustrator Brianna Bukodiri Uchendu for We Could Fly and author Jade Adia for There Goes the Neighborhood.
The Coretta Scott King Author Award goes to
Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi.
Three Coretta Scott King author honor books are:
- Big by Vashti Harrison
- How Do You Spell Unfair by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison
- Kin: Rooted in Hope written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford.
The Coretta Scott King illustrator award goes to Dare Coulter for An American Story written by Kwame Alexander.
The Coretta Scott King honor books are Big illustrated by Vashti Harrison, Holding Her Own illustrated by Shannon Wright, There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarret Pumphrey.
Reading Journal for Kids
102 pages of fun!
Write reviews for books! Draw, imagine, and write more about the books you read. This is a wonderful journal to get kids excited about what they read!
Schneider Family Book Award
This is the award for artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.
The picture book winner is
Henry Like Always written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song.
The picture book honor is What Happened to You? by James Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George.
The middle grade winner is
The Fire, the Water and Maudie McGinn written by Sally J. Pla.
Maudie is an autistic girl staying with her father for the summer, but a California fire forces them from their cabin. She and her dad head south to where her dad grew up. A friend sets them up in an old camper at a campground near the beach. While her dad looks for work, Maudie works up her courage to ask an older surfer woman for lessons. She spends the summer worrying about her big secret and learning to surf, hoping to win the beginning surfer competition at the end of the summer. Maudie makes a new friend who is friendly and neurodiverse like her. All of these things help her consider that she is more than what her mom and her abusive stepdad think of her. This is a moving coming of age story of a girl who learns to thrive instead of survive.
The middle grade honors go to:
- Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
- Simon Sosrt of Says written by Erin Bow
These are only some of the awards. FOR ALL THE ALA AWARDS, visit their website.
KEEP READING
