2023 Winners:
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison – Young Adult Winner!
Max and Jay depend on each other. Growing up in Minnesota with a physically abusive father, the two Bribri American brothers have learned to protect themselves and their mom by keeping their heads down. But when they hear a classmate in trouble in the woods, instinct takes over and they break up a fight, harming their school’s star soccer player in the process.
Mexikid by Pedro Martin – Author & Illustrator Winner!
Pedro Martin’s grown up in the U.S. hearing stories about his legendary abuelito, but during a family road trip to Mexico, he connects with his grandfather and learns more about his own Mexican identity in this moving and hilarious graphic memoir.
Young Adult Honor(s):
- The Prince and the Coyote by David Bowles
- Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey by Edel Rodriguez
Children’s Author Honor(s)
- Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera
- Aniana Del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez
- Benita Y Las Criaturas Nocturnas by Mariana Llanos
- Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock by Jesús Trejo
- Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Youth Illustration Honor(s)
- Mi papá es un agrícola/My Father, the Farmworker by J. Roman Perez Varela; illustratrated by Jose Ramirez
- Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock by Jesús Trejo; illustrated by Eliza Kinkz
- Remembering by Xelena González; illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia
2023
Note: Winners are in bold
Young Adult Author:
- Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado
- Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
- High Spirits by Camille Gomera-Tavarez
- The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
Children’s Author:
- Frizzy by Claribel Ortega
- The Coquíes Still Sing by Karina Nicole González
- The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border by Stephen Briseño
- Tumble by Celia C. Pérez
Youth Illustration:
- Where Wonder Grows by Adriana M. Garcia
- Where Wonder Grows by Adriana M. Garcia
- A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, written by Duncan Tonatiuh
- Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land illustrated by Mirelle Ortega, written by Mirelle Ortega
- Phenomenal AOC: The Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez illustrated by Loris Lora, written by Anika Aldamuy Denise
- Srta. Quinces illustrated by Kat Fajardo, written by Kat Fajardo
- Still Dreaming / Seguimos Soñando illustrated by Magdalena Mora, written by Claudia Guadalupe Martínez
2016-2021 (Winners & Honors)
Winners are in bold.
2016
Narrative
- Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle, español
- The Smoking Mirror by David Bowles
- Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina
Illustration
- Drum dream girl : how one girl’s courage changed music illustrated by Rafael López text: Margarita Engle
- My Tata’s Remedies = Los remedios de mi tata illustrated by Antonio Castro L. text: Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford
- Mango, Abuela, and Me illustrated by Angela Dominguez text: Meg Medina
- Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh
2017
Narrative
- Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina
- The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz
Illustration
- Lowriders to the Center of the Earth illustrated by Raúl Gonzalez text: Cathy Camper
- Esquivel!: Space-Age Sound Artist illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh text: Susan Wood
- The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuh
2018
Narrative
- Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
- The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
- The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez
Illustration
- La Princesa and the Pea by Juana Martinez-Neal text: Susan Middleton Elya
- All Around Us by Adriana M. Garcia text: Xelena Gonzalez
- Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown text: John Parra
2019
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, eBook/eAudio
- They call me Guero: A Border Kid’s Poems by David Bowles
Illustration
- Dreamers by Yuyi Morales, español
- Islandborn by Leo Espinosa text: Junot Diaz, español
- When Angels Sing: The story of Rock Legend Carlos Santa by Jose Ramirez, text Michael Mahin
2020
Narrative
- Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Alberto Pablo Hernandez – eBook
- Lety Out Loud by Angela Cervantes
- The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel
- Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Denise
- Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War by Duncan Tonatiuh
Illustration
- Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle
- Across the Bay by Carlos Aponte
- My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
- ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raul Gonzalez
Young Adult Author:
- Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
- Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera
- We Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez
2021
Children’s Author:
- Efrén divided by Ernesto Cisneros
- Lupe Wong won’t dance by Donna Barba Higuera
- The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez by Adrianna Cuevas
Youth Illustration:
- ¡Vamos! Let’s go eat! by Raúl the Third
- Sharuko : Peruvian archaeologist Julio C. Tello = El arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello by/por Monica Brown
2022
Young Adult Author:
- How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe Hardcover by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
- Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun by Jonny Garza Villa
- Somewhere between bitter and sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp
- Where I belong by Marcia Argueta Mickelson
Children’s Author:
- The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
- Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs
- Child of the flower-song people : Luz Jiménez, daughter of the Nahua by Gloria Amescua
- De Aqui como el coqui by Nomar Perez | English Edition: Coquí in the city)
Youth Illustration:
- ¡Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge by Raúl the Third
- Boogie boogie Y’all by C. G. Esperanza (on order) | eCopy
- Bright Star by Yuyi Morales
- De Aqui como el coqui by Nomar Perez | English Edition: Coquí in the city
- May Your Life be Deliciosa by Michael Genhart
*Descriptions are taken from the publisher, summaries and/or our online catalog*