As the chill of late November sets in and the season of giving begins, there’s no better time to discover the year’s most celebrated books for young readers! This curated collection highlights a range of 2025 award winners, from the familiar Caldecott and Newbery honorees to titles recognized for amplifying diverse voices and experiences.
If you love to stay up to date on children’s literature, but don’t have time to track down all the newest titles earning recognition, we’ve got you covered! Links to Bookshop.org are included below for easy browsing, whether you’re adding to your classroom library, searching for the perfect student recommendation, or choosing a meaningful gift. So, grab a cozy blanket and a warm beverage, and enjoy a few minutes adding to your to-be-read list!
Focus: The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. (ala.org)
The 10 Alex Award Winners for 2025
“The goal of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit.” (Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association)
PreK-3
Aloha Everything, written by Kaylin Melia George and illustrated by Mae Waite (Picture Book winner)
The awards “encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and the graphic arts; promote an understanding and appreciation of the Black culture and experience, and commemorate the life and legacy of Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination in supporting the work of her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for peace and world brotherhood.” (Ala.org)
PreK-3
My Daddy Is A Cowboy, by Stephanie Seales, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza (Illustrator Winner)
The award “recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people.” (Jane Addams Peace Association)
Middle Grades
Not Nothing, by Gayle Forman (Chapter Book Category winner)
“The most distinguished contributions to American literature for children.” (Ala.org)
The award, “affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African American creator of children’s books.” (Ala.org)
The National Book Award for Young People’s Literature is one of five annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation (NBF) to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards given “by writers to writers.” (Wikipedia)
The Belpré Award “honors Latinx writers and illustrators whose works best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.” (ala.org)
PreK-3
The Dream Catcher, written and illustrated by Marcelo Verdad (Youth Illustrator Award winner)
Awarded to the illustrator of the “most distinguished American picture book for children.”
PreK-3
Chooch Helped, written by Andrea L. Rogers and illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz
Books that “embody an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.” (ala.org)
Middle Grades
Popcorn, written and illustrated by Rob Harrell (Middle Grades)
Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries to, “outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.” (AJL)
Young Adult (Ages 13+)
Night Owls by A. R. Vishny (Young Adult)
2025 Sydney Taylor Book Awards Honors and Notable Books
The Stonewall Book Awards are presented to English language books that have exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience. (Ala.org)
Middle Grades
Lunar Boy, by Jes and Cin Wibowo (Children’s)
Young Adult (Ages 13+)
Canto Contigo, by Jonny Garza Villa (Young Adult)
The award is named for children’s author Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, and is given annually to “the most distinguished American books for beginning readers.”
2025 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Awards
The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature, also known as “The Walters” and hosted by nonprofit We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) “recognize diverse authors whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.”
Middle Grades
Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston (Younger Readers Category)
Young Adult (Ages 14+)
Black Girl You Are Atlas, written by Renée Watson and illustrated by Ekua Holmes (Teen Category)
Want to catch up on past favorites?
Explore previous roundups of award-winning children’s and YA books:
About the Author
Sarah Murphy is the Evaluation Manager and a Professional Learning Specialist at Teaching Channel. She holds a B.A. in History and a Master’s in Education. Sarah began teaching in 2004 at the elementary level. She now leads Teaching Channel’s Evaluation Team, managing our wonderful team of Course Evaluators. Sarah is also a coursewriter and content creator, specializing in edtech, educator wellness, and content area teaching.
Fun fact: Sarah has camped in 18 national parks and hopes to visit all 63 someday!
