2024 Winner
Praised for acting like a big girl when she is small, as a young girl grows, “big” becomes a word of criticism, until the girl realizes that she is fine just the way she is.
2024 Honor(s)
In Every Life by Marla Frazee
A picture book celebrating both the highs and lows that everyone experiences in the course of a life.
Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar
Jovita Wore Pants is the story of a trailblazing revolutionary who fought for her freedom, told by her great niece, bestselling author Aida Salazar
There was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds
A celebration of Langston Hughes and African American authors he inspired, told through the lens of the party held at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in 1991.
The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung
In a mix of Eastern and Western mythologies, a mother tells her child about two forests inhabited by different, but equally enchanting dragons that coexist within the child’s heart.
2023 Winner & Honor(s)
- Hot Dog illustrated and written by Doug Salati
- Ain’t Burned All the Bright illustrated by Jason Griffin, written by Jason Reynolds
- Berry Song illustrated and written by Michaela Goade
- Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement illustrated by Janelle Washington, written by Angela Joy
- Knight Owl illustrated and written by Christopher Denise
2016-2022 Winners & Honor(s)
2016
- Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear illustrated by Sophie Blackall text: Lindsay Mattick
- Trombone Shorty illustrated by Bryan Collier text: Troy Andrews
- Waiting by Kevin Henkes
- Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement illustrated by Ekua Holmes text: Carole Boston Weatherford
- Last Stop on Market Street illustrated by Christian Robinson text: Matt De le Peña
2017
- Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
- Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol
- Freedom in Congo Square illustrated R. Gregory Christie text: Carole Boston Weatherford
- Du Iz Tak? By Carson Ellis
- They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
2018
- Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
- Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper
- Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut illustrated by Gordon C. James text: Derrick D. Barnes
- A Different Pond illustrated by Thi Bui text: Bao Phi
- Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
2019
- Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
- 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
- Thank you, Omu! By Oge Mora
2020
- The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
- Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris
- Double Bass Blues by Andrea J. Loney
- Going Down Home with Daddy illustrated by Daniel Minter text: Kelly Starling Lyons
2021
- We Are Water Protectors illustrated by Michaela Goade text: Carole Lindstrom
- The Cat Man of Aleppo illustrated by Yuko Shimizu text: Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha
- Me & Mama by Cozbi A. Cabrera
- Outside In illustrated by Cindy Derby text: Deborah Underwood
- A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart illustrated by Noa Denmon text: Zetta Elliott
2022
- Watercress illustrated by Jason Chin, written by Andrea Wang
- Have you ever seen a flower? by Shawn Harris
- Mel fell by Corey R. Tabor
- Unspeakable : the Tulsa Race Massacre illustrations by Floyd Cooper, written by Carole Boston Weatherford
- Wonder walkers by Micha Archer
*Descriptions are taken from publishers, book summaries and/or the library’s catalog*