Earlier today, the American Library Association announced the winners and honour books for the 2026 Youth Media Awards. Twelve Canadians titles are among the titles honoured.
American Indian Youth Awards
Administered by the American Indian Library Association, the American Indian Youth Awards are announced biennially and were established to identify and honour the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians and Alaska natives.
Violet Duncan's Buffalo Dreamer is the winner of the American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Middle Grade Book. Duncan is Plains Cree and Taino from Kehewin Cree Nation in Alberta. She splits her time between Alberta and Arizona. Three Canadian titles were also named honour books.
Children's Literature Honour Book
Raven's Ribbons, written by Tasha Spillett (Cree and Trinidadian), illustrated by Daniel Ramirez (Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan) (Little, Brown & Company/Owlkids Books).
Middle Grade Honour Book
Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival, written by Trina Rathgeber (Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation), illustrated by Alina Pete (Little Pine First Nation), coloured by Jillian Dolan (Kapawe'no Cree Nation) (Orca Book Publishers)
Young Adult Honour Book
The Unfinished, written by Cheryl Isaacs (Kanyen'keha) (Heartdrum/HarperCollins)
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
Administered by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage, and are awarded based on literary and artistic merit.
Many Things at Once by Veera Hiranandani and Canadian illustrator Nadia Alam (Random House Studio) was awarded the Asian/Pacific American Award for Asian American Picture Book. Every Peach Is a Story by David Mas Masumoto and Nikiko Masumoto, with illustrations by Canadian illustrator Lauren Tamaki (Abrams Books for Young Readers), and A Vaisakhi to Remember by Simran Jeet Singh and Toronto-based illustrator Japneet Kaur (Kokila), were named honour books in the same category.
William C. Morris Award
Awarded for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.
Red Flags and Butterflies, written by the late Sheryl Azzam (DCB Young Readers), was named a finalist.
Stonewall Book Awards — Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Youth Literature Award
Awarded annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children and teens relating to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.
Call Me Gray, written by Andrew Larsen and Bells Larsen, illustrated by Tallulah Fontaine (Kids Can Press), was named an honour book in the children's literature category. Vancouver-based author Corey Liu's debut YA novel, He's So Possessed with Me (Little, Brown & Company), was named an honour book in the young adult literature category.
Sydney Taylor Book Awards
Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries, these awards honour outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience and encourage the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature.
The Keeper of the Stories, written by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, with illustrations by Canadian illustrator Selina Alko (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), was awarded a silver medal in the picture book category. Jordyn Taylor's The Rebel Girls of Rome (HarperCollins Children's Books) was awarded a silver medal in the young adult book category.
For a complete list of winners and honour books visit ala.org.