Books in National Book Award for Young People's Literature - 1996-Present

The National Book Award for Young People's Literature is one of five annual National Book Awards given by the National Book Foundation (NBF) to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. The award recognizes one book written by a US citizen and published in the US from December 1 of the previous year to November 30 in the award year. The National Book Foundation accepts nominations from publishers until June 15, requires mailing nominated books to the panelists by August 1, and announces five finalists in October. The winner is announced on the day of the final ceremony in November. The award is $10,000 and a bronze sculpture; other finalists get $1000, a medal, and a citation written by the panel.

2025

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Teacher of Nomad Land The Teacher of Nomad Land Daniel Nayeri Winner Log In To Like
(S)Kin (S)Kin Ibi Zoboi Finalist Log In To Like
Truth Is Truth Is Hannah V. Sawyerr Finalist Log In To Like
A World Worth Saving A World Worth Saving Kyle Lukoff Finalist Log In To Like
The Leaving Room The Leaving Room Amber Mcbride Finalist Log In To Like

2024

Book Author Award Level Completed
Kareem Between Kareem Between Shifa Saltagi Safadi Winner Log In To Like
The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky Josh Galarza Finalist Log In To Like
Buffalo Dreamer Buffalo Dreamer Violet Duncan Finalist Log In To Like
The First State of Being The First State of Being Erin Entrada Kelly Finalist Log In To Like
The Unboxing of a Black Girl The Unboxing of a Black Girl Angela Shanté Finalist Log In To Like

2023

Book Author Award Level Completed
A First Time for Everything A First Time for Everything Dan Santat Winner Log In To Like
Gather Gather Kenneth M. Cadow Finalist Log In To Like
Big Big Vashti Harrison Finalist Log In To Like
Huda F Cares? Huda F Cares? Huda Fahmy Finalist Log In To Like
The Lost Year The Lost Year Katherine Marsh Finalist Log In To Like

2022

Book Author Award Level Completed
All My Rage All My Rage Sabaa Tahir Winner Log In To Like
Maizy Chen's Last Chance Maizy Chen's Last Chance Lisa Yee Finalist Log In To Like
Victory. Stand! Victory. Stand! Tommie Smith Finalist Log In To Like
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School Sonora Reyes Finalist Log In To Like
The Ogress and the Orphans The Ogress and the Orphans Kelly Barnhill Finalist Log In To Like

2021

Book Author Award Level Completed
Last Night at the Telegraph Club Last Night at the Telegraph Club Malinda Lo Winner Log In To Like
Too Bright to See Too Bright to See Kyle Lukoff Finalist Log In To Like
Me (Moth) Me (Moth) Amber Mcbride Finalist Log In To Like
Revolution in Our Time Revolution in Our Time Kekla Magoon Finalist Log In To Like
The Legend of Auntie Po The Legend of Auntie Po Shing Yin Khor Finalist Log In To Like

2020

Book Author Award Level Completed
King and the Dragonflies King and the Dragonflies Kacen Callender Winner Log In To Like
We Are Not Free We Are Not Free Traci Chee Finalist Log In To Like
The Way Back The Way Back Gavriel Savit Finalist Log In To Like
Every Body Looking Every Body Looking Candice Iloh Finalist Log In To Like
When Stars are Scattered When Stars are Scattered Victoria Jamieson Finalist Log In To Like

2019

Book Author Award Level Completed
1919: The Year That Changed America 1919: The Year That Changed America Martin W. Sandler Winner Log In To Like
Look Both Ways Look Both Ways Jason Reynolds Finalist Log In To Like
Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All Laura Ruby Finalist Log In To Like
Pet Pet Akwaeke Emezi Finalist Log In To Like
Patron Saints Of Nothing Patron Saints Of Nothing Randy Ribay Finalist Log In To Like

2018

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Poet X The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo Winner Log In To Like
Hey, Kiddo Hey, Kiddo Jarrett Krosoczka Finalist Log In To Like
The Journey of Little Charlie The Journey of Little Charlie Christopher Paul Curtis Finalist Log In To Like
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge M.T. Anderson Finalist Log In To Like
The Truth as Told By Mason Buttle The Truth as Told By Mason Buttle Leslie Connor Finalist Log In To Like

2017

Book Author Award Level Completed
Far from the Tree Far from the Tree Robin Benway Winner Log In To Like
What Girls Are Made Of What Girls Are Made Of Elana K. Arnold Finalist Log In To Like
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground Clayton Byrd Goes Underground Rita Williams-Garcia Finalist Log In To Like
American Street American Street Ibi Zoboi Finalist Log In To Like
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Erika L. Sánchez Finalist Log In To Like

2016

Book Author Award Level Completed
March: Book Three March: Book Three John Lewis Winner Log In To Like
The Sun Is Also A Star The Sun Is Also A Star Nicola Yoon Finalist Log In To Like
Ghost Ghost Jason Reynolds Finalist Log In To Like
Raymie Nightingale Raymie Nightingale Kate DiCamillo Finalist Log In To Like
When the Sea Turned to Silver When the Sea Turned to Silver Grace Lin Finalist Log In To Like

2015

Book Author Award Level Completed
Challenger Deep Challenger Deep Neal Shusterman Winner Log In To Like
Most Dangerous Most Dangerous Steve Sheinkin Finalist Log In To Like
Bone Gap Bone Gap Laura Ruby Finalist Log In To Like
The Thing About Jellyfish The Thing About Jellyfish Ali Benjamin Finalist Log In To Like
Nimona Nimona ND Stevenson Finalist Log In To Like

2014

Book Author Award Level Completed
Brown Girl Dreaming Brown Girl Dreaming Jacqueline Woodson Winner Log In To Like
Threatened Threatened Eliot Schrefer Finalist Log In To Like
Noggin Noggin John Corey Whaley Finalist Log In To Like
Revolution Revolution Deborah Wiles Finalist Log In To Like
The Port Chicago 50 The Port Chicago 50 Steve Sheinkin Finalist Log In To Like

2013

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Thing About Luck The Thing About Luck Cynthia Kadohata Winner Log In To Like
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp Kathi Appelt Finalist Log In To Like
Boxers and Saints Gene Luen Yang Finalist Log In To Like
Far Far Away Far Far Away Tom McNeal Finalist Log In To Like
Picture Me Gone Picture Me Gone Meg Rosoff Finalist Log In To Like

2012

Book Author Award Level Completed
Goblin Secrets Goblin Secrets William Alexander Winner Log In To Like
Endangered Endangered Eliot Schrefer Finalist Log In To Like
Never Fall Down Never Fall Down Patricia McCormick Finalist Log In To Like
Out of Reach Out of Reach Carrie Arcos Finalist Log In To Like
Bomb Bomb Steve Sheinkin Finalist Log In To Like

2011

Book Author Award Level Completed
Inside Out & Back Again Inside Out & Back Again Thanhhà Lại Winner Log In To Like
Flesh and Blood So Cheap Flesh and Blood So Cheap Albert Marrin Finalist Log In To Like
Okay for Now Okay for Now Gary D. Schmidt Finalist Log In To Like
My Name Is Not Easy My Name Is Not Easy Debby Dahl Edwardson Finalist Log In To Like
Chime Chime Franny Billingsley Finalist Log In To Like

2010

Book Author Award Level Completed
Mockingbird Mockingbird Kathryn Erskine Winner Log In To Like
Dark Water Dark Water Laura McNeal Finalist Log In To Like
Ship Breaker Ship Breaker Paolo Bacigalupi Finalist Log In To Like
One Crazy Summer One Crazy Summer Rita Williams-Garcia Finalist Log In To Like
Lockdown Lockdown Walter Dean Myers Finalist Log In To Like

2009

Book Author Award Level Completed
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice Phillip Hoose Winner Log In To Like
Charles and Emma Charles and Emma Deborah Heiligman Finalist Log In To Like
Stitches Stitches David Small Finalist Log In To Like
Lips Touch, Three Times Lips Touch, Three Times Laini Taylor Finalist Log In To Like
Jumped Jumped Rita Williams-Garcia Finalist Log In To Like

2008

Book Author Award Level Completed
What I Saw and How I Lied What I Saw and How I Lied Judy Blundell Winner Log In To Like
Chains Chains Laurie Halse Anderson Finalist Log In To Like
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks E. Lockhart Finalist Log In To Like
The Spectacular Now The Spectacular Now Tim Tharp Finalist Log In To Like
The Underneath The Underneath Kathi Appelt Finalist Log In To Like

2007

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexie Winner Log In To Like
Touching Snow Touching Snow M. Sindy Felin Finalist Log In To Like
The Invention of Hugo Cabret The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick Finalist Log In To Like
Story of a Girl Story of a Girl Sara Zarr Finalist Log In To Like
Skin Hunger Skin Hunger Kathleen Duey Finalist Log In To Like

2006

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing M. T. Anderson Winner Log In To Like
American Born Chinese American Born Chinese Gene Luen Yang Finalist Log In To Like
Keturah and Lord Death Keturah and Lord Death Martine Leavitt Finalist Log In To Like
The Rules of Survival The Rules of Survival Nancy Werlin Finalist Log In To Like
Sold Sold Patricia McCormick Finalist Log In To Like

2005

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Penderwicks The Penderwicks Jeanne Birdsall Winner Log In To Like
Each Little Bird That Sings Each Little Bird That Sings Deborah Wiles Finalist Log In To Like
Autobiography of My Dead Brother Autobiography of My Dead Brother Walter Dean Myers Finalist Log In To Like
Inexcusable Inexcusable Chris Lynch Finalist Log In To Like
Where I Want to Be Where I Want to Be Adele Griffin Finalist Log In To Like

2004

Book Author Award Level Completed
Godless Godless Pete Hautman Winner Log In To Like
Harlem Stomp! Harlem Stomp! Laban Carrick Hill Finalist Log In To Like
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart Honey, Baby, Sweetheart Deb Caletti Finalist Log In To Like
Luna: A Novel Luna: A Novel Julie Anne Peters Finalist Log In To Like
The Legend of Buddy Bush The Legend of Buddy Bush Shelia P. Moses Finalist Log In To Like

2003

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Canning Season The Canning Season Polly Horvath Winner Log In To Like
Breakout Breakout Kate Messner Finalist Log In To Like
An American Plague An American Plague Jim Murphy Finalist Log In To Like
The River Between Us The River Between Us Richard Peck Finalist Log In To Like
Locomotion Locomotion Jacqueline Woodson Finalist Log In To Like

2002

Book Author Award Level Completed
The House of the Scorpion The House of the Scorpion Nancy Farmer Winner Log In To Like
This Land Was Made for You and Me This Land Was Made for You and Me Elizabeth Partridge Finalist Log In To Like
Hush Hush Jacqueline Woodson Finalist Log In To Like
Feed Feed M. T. Anderson Finalist Log In To Like
19 Varieties of Gazelle 19 Varieties of Gazelle Naomi Shihab Nye Finalist Log In To Like

2001

Book Author Award Level Completed
True Believer True Believer Virginia Euwer Wolff Winner Log In To Like
A Step From Heaven A Step From Heaven An Na Finalist Log In To Like
Carver: A Life in Poems Carver: A Life in Poems Marilyn Nelson Finalist Log In To Like
The Tiger Rising The Tiger Rising Kate DiCamillo Finalist Log In To Like
We Were There Too! We Were There Too! Phillip Hoose Finalist Log In To Like

2000

Book Author Award Level Completed
Homeless Bird Homeless Bird Gloria Whelan Winner Log In To Like
Many Stones Many Stones Carolyn Coman Finalist Log In To Like
The Book of the Lion The Book of the Lion Michael Cadnum Finalist Log In To Like
Forgotten Fire Forgotten Fire Adam Bagdasarian Finalist Log In To Like
Hurry Freedom Jerry Stanley Finalist Log In To Like

1999

Book Author Award Level Completed
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town When Zachary Beaver Came to Town Kimberly Willis Holt Winner Log In To Like
Speak Speak Laurie Halse Anderson Finalist Log In To Like
The Birchbark House The Birchbark House Louise Erdrich Finalist Log In To Like
Monster Monster Walter Dean Myers Finalist Log In To Like
The Trolls The Trolls Polly Horvath Finalist Log In To Like

1998

Book Author Award Level Completed
Holes Holes Louis Sachar Winner Log In To Like
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key Jack Gantos Finalist Log In To Like
A Long Way from Chicago A Long Way from Chicago Richard Peck Finalist Log In To Like
The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods Ann Cameron Finalist Log In To Like
No Pretty Pictures No Pretty Pictures Anita Lobel Finalist Log In To Like

1997

Book Author Award Level Completed
Dancing on the Edge Dancing on the Edge Han Nolan Winner Log In To Like
Where You Belong Where You Belong Mary Ann McGuigan Finalist Log In To Like
The Facts Speak for Themselves The Facts Speak for Themselves Brock Cole Finalist Log In To Like
Sons of Liberty Sons of Liberty Adele Griffin Finalist Log In To Like
Mean Margaret Mean Margaret Tor Seidler Finalist Log In To Like

1996

Book Author Award Level Completed
Parrot in the Oven, Mi Vida Parrot in the Oven, Mi Vida Victor Martinez Winner Log In To Like
The Long Season of Rain The Long Season of Rain Helen Kim Finalist Log In To Like
A Girl Named Disaster A Girl Named Disaster Nancy Farmer Finalist Log In To Like
What Jamie Saw What Jamie Saw Carolyn Coman Finalist Log In To Like
Send Me Down a Miracle Send Me Down a Miracle Han Nolan Finalist Log In To Like