Award Books

Carter G. Woodson Award Winner, Elementary, 2021
The remarkable, little-known story of William Still, known as the Father of the Underground Railroad from award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate. William Still's parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. And then one day, a strangely familiar man came into William's office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be? Motivated by his own family's experience, William began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry "Box" Brown, and William and Ellen Craft. Don Tate brings to life the incredible true story of William Still's life and work as a record keeper of enslaved people who had fled to freedom. Tate's powerful words and artwork are sure to inspire readers in this first-ever picture book biography of the Father of the Underground Railroad.

Carter G. Woodson Award, Honor, Elementary, 2021
Ethel L. Payne always had an ear for stories. Seeking truth, justice, and equality, Ethel followed stories from her school newspaper in Chicago to Japan during World War II. It even led her to the White House briefing room, where she broke barriers as one of the first black journalists. Ethel wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions of presidents, elected officials, or any one else in charge, earning her the title "First Lady of the Black Press." Fearless and determined, Ethel L. Payne shined a light on the darkest moments in history, and her ear for stories sought answers to the questions that mattered most in the fight for civil rights.

Carter G. Woodson Award, Honor, Middle Level, 2021
"A biography of Philip Freelon, whose rich family history and deep understanding of Black culture brought him to the role of lead architect for the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture"--Provided by publisher.

Carter G. Woodson Award Winner, Middle Level, 2021; Coretta Scott King Honor, Author, 2021; Orbis Pictus Award, Honor, 2021
"For African American women, the fight for the right to vote was only one battle. An eye-opening book that tells the important, overlooked story of Black women as a force in the suffrage movement--when fellow suffragists did not accept them as equal partners in the struggle."--Publisher's description.
When the epic story of the suffrage movement in the United States is told, the most familiar leaders, speakers at meetings, and participants in marches written about or pictured are generally white. Dionne shows that the real story isn't monochromatic. Women of color, especially African American women, were fighting for their right to vote and to be treated as full, equal citizens of the United States. They had to overcome deep, exclusionary racial prejudices that were rife in the American suffrage movement. Dionne draws an important historical line from abolition to suffrage to civil rights to contemporary you

Carter G. Woodson Award, Secondary, Honor, 2021; Michael L. Printz Honor Book, 2021
"Gene understands stories - comic book stories, in particular. Big action. Bigger thrills. And the hero always wins. But Gene doesn't get sports. As a kid, his friends called him 'Stick' and every basketball game he played ended in pain. He lost interest in basketball long ago, but at the high school where he now teaches, it's all anyone can talk about. The men's varsity team, the Dragons, is having a phenomenal season that's been decades in the making. Each victory brings them closer to their ultimate goal: the California State Championships. Once Gene gets to know these young all-stars, he realizes that their story is just as thrilling as anything he's seen on a comic book page. He knows he has to follow this epic to its end. What he doesn't know yet is that this season is not only going to change the Dragons' lives, but his own life as well."--Provided by publisher

Carter G. Woodson Book Award Elementary Winner, 2020; Caldecott Medal 2020; Newbery Honors 2020"The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree. Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more."--Provided by publisher.

Carter G. Woodson Book Award Elementary Honor, 2020
"The story of the 1931 Lemon Grove incident, in which Mexican families in southern California won the first school desegregation case in United States history. Told in Spanish and English. Includes a corrido (ballad), and information about the people involved and events leading up to and after the court case ruling."--Provided by publisher."
A Roberto Álvarez le encantaba la escuala. Junto con otros niños mexicoamericanos, asistió a la escuela de Lemon Grove, donde todos los estudiantes, mexicoamericanos y angloamericanos estudiaban juntos como iguales. En el verano de 1930, las familias mexicanas se enteraron de un plan para segregar a sus hijos en una escuela pequeña e inferior. Negándose a dejar que esto sucediera, los padres se organizaron. Presentaron una demanda contra el consejo escolar, con Roberto, de doce años, como demandante. El 12 de marzo de 1931, el juez anunció su fallo, apoyando el derecho de los niño a la igualdad de educación. Los estudiantes mexicoamericanos fueron reincoporados de inmediato en la escuela de Lemon Grove para aprender una vez más como iguales. Con ilustraciones fascinantes inspiradas en las antiguas etiquetas en las cajas de cítricos, Christy Hale le da vida a la historia poco conocida del primer caso exitoso de desgregación escolar en los Estados Unidos. Es un testimonio conmovedor de una comunidad de inmigrantes y su tenacidad en la lucha por la igualdad educativa. =
Roberto Álvarez loved school. Along with other Mexican American children, he attended the Lemon Grove school, where all students - Mexican American and Anglo - studied together as equals. In the summer of 1930, the Mexican families learned of a plan to segregate their children in a small, inferior school. Refusing to let this happen, the parents organized. They filed a lawsuit against the school board, with twelve-year-old Roberto as the plaintiff. on March 12, 1931, the judge announced his ruling, supporting the children's right to equal education. The Mexican American students were immediately reinstated in the Lemon Grove School to learn as equals once again. With captivating illustrations inspired by vintage citrus crate labels, Christy Hale brings to life the little-known story of the first successful school desegregation case in the United States. It stands as an empowering testament to an immigrant community and its tenacity in the fight for educational equality.--From dust jacket.
"The story of the 1931 Lemon Grove incident, in which Mexican families in southern California won the first school desegregation case in United States history. Told in Spanish and English. Includes a corrido (ballad), and information about the people involved and events leading up to and after the court case ruling"--Provided by publisher."