Walter Dean Myers Award

The Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature, known as "The Walters,” was created by the American nonprofit We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) in 2014, and the inaugural award was presented in 2016.[1] Named after young adult author Walter Dean Myers, the award recognizes published, diverse authors who champion marginalized voices in their stories.[2] The awards program is managed by WNDB's co-directors Kathie Weinberg and Terry Hong. In 2018, WNDB changed the categories from a single category of young adult titles to two categories of teen and young readers.[3] Subsequent awards include both categories.[4]

Recipients

Award winners and finalists
Year Category Recipient Title Result Ref.
2016 N/A Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely All American Boys Winner [5][6]
Margarita Engle and Edel Rodriguez (illus.) Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir Honor [6]
Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon X
2017 N/A John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nathan Powell March: Book Three Winner [7][8]
Marina Budhos Watched Honor [8]
Meredith Russo If I Was Your Girl
Nicola Yoon The Sun Is Also a Star
2018 Teen Jason Reynolds Long Way Down Winner [9][10]
Mitlali Perkins You Bring the Distant Near Honor [9][10]
Francisco X. Stork Disappeared
Younger Reader Carole Boston Weatherford and Eric Velasquez (illus.) Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library Winner [9][10]
Margarita Engle Forest World Honor [9][10]
2019 Teen Elizabeth Acevedo The Poet X Winner [11][12][13]
Tiffany Jackson Monday’s Not Coming Honor [11][12][13]
Emily X.R. Pan The Astonishing Color of After
Younger Reader Jewell Parker Rhodes Ghosts Boys Winner [11][12][13]
David Bowles They Call Me Güero Honor [11][12][13]
Veera Hiranandani The Night Diary
2020 Teen Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell (illus.) Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me Winner [14][15]
Akwaeke Emezi Pet Honor [14][15]
Elizabeth Acevedo With the Fire on High
Younger Reader Padma Venkatraman The Bridge Home Winner [14][15]
Lisa Moore Ramée A Good Kind of Trouble Honor [14][15]
Jasmine Warga Other Words for Home
2021 Teen Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam and Omar T. Pasha (illus.) Punching the Air Winner [16][17]
Traci Chee We Are Not Free Honor [16][17]
Robin Ha Almost American Girl
Younger Reader Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, and Iman Geddy When Stars Are Scattered Winner [16][17]
Kacen Callender King and the Dragonflies Honor [16][17]
Daniel Nayeri Everything Sad Is Untrue
2022 Teen Angeline Boulley Firekeeper’s Daughter Winner [18][19]
Malinda Lo Last Night at the Telegraph Club Honor [18][19]
Kekla Magoon Revolution in Our Time
Younger Reader Rajani LaRocca Red, White, and Whole Winner [18][19]
Thomas King and Natasha Donovan (illus.) Borders Honor [18][19]
Eden Royce Root Magic
2023 Teen Andrea L. Rogers and Jeff Edwards Man Made Monsters Winner [20]
Sonora Reyes The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School Honor [20]
Sabaa Tahir All My Rage
Young Reader Angela Joy and Janelle Washington Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement Winner [20]
Christina Soontornvat The Last Mapmaker Honor [20]
Ibi Zoboi Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler
2024 Teen Ari Tison Saints of the Household Winner [21][22]
Hannah V. Sawyerr All the Fighting Parts Honor [21][22]
Young Reader Jacqueline Woodson Remember Us Winner [21][22]
Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, and S. K. Ali Grounded Honor [21][22]

References

  1. ^ Kirch, Claire (20 January 2016). "Reynolds, Kiely win WNDB's debut Walter Award". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  2. ^ Kirch, Claire (16 October 2014). "Diversity Group Announces Walter Dean Myers Award and Grants". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Walter Dean Myers Award - Children's Books". UCF Research Guides at University of Central Florida Libraries. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Walter Awards". We Need Diverse Books. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  5. ^ "2016 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  6. ^ a b Kirch, Claire (2016-01-20). "Reynolds, Kiely Win WNDB's Debut Walter Award". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  7. ^ "2017 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  8. ^ a b SLJ (2017-01-20). ""March: Book Three" Named Winner of the 2017 Walter Award". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  9. ^ a b c d SLJ (2018-01-12). "Reynolds, Weatherford Named Winners of 2018 Walter Dean Myers Award". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  10. ^ a b c d "WNDB Announces the Winners of the 2018 Walter Awards". We Need Diverse Books. 2018-01-11. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  11. ^ a b c d SLJ Staff (2019-01-14). "We Need Diverse Books Announces 2019 Walter Awards Winners". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  12. ^ a b c d Morales, Macey (2019-01-28). "Walter Dean Myers wins 2019 Children's Literature Legacy Award". News and Press Center. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  13. ^ a b c d Sacks, Oliver (2019-04-02). "Walter Dean Myers Awards Honor Diverse Authors". www.shelf-awareness.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  14. ^ a b c d Marketing, Chris (2020-02-09). "2020 Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Literature". Eisenhower Public Library. Retrieved 2022-01-20.[permanent dead link‍]
  15. ^ a b c d SLJ Staff (2022-01-22). "We Need Diverse Books Names 2020 Walter Dean Myers Award Winners". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2020-03-14. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  16. ^ a b c d Schaub, Michael (2021-01-22). "Winners of the Walter Dean Myers Awards Announced". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  17. ^ a b c d Nutt, Gina (2021-03-15). "Walter Dean Myers Awards". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  18. ^ a b c d S. L. J. Staff (2022-01-19). "2022 Walter Dean Myers Award Winners Announced". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  19. ^ a b c d Schaub, Michael (2022-01-20). "Walter Dean Myers Award Winners Are Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  20. ^ a b c d Jones, Iyana (2023-01-10). "2023 Walter Dean Myers Awards Announced". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
  21. ^ a b c d "The 2024 Walter Award Winners for Youth Literature". BOOK RIOT. 2024-01-17. Archived from the original on 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
  22. ^ a b c d "2024 Walter Dean Myers Awards: 'The Work Goes On"". Shelf Awareness. 2024-03-14. Retrieved 2024-06-01.