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The Walter Awards

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The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature recognize diverse authors whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.

About the Awards

The Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature, also known as “The Walter,” celebrates the legacy of author Walter Dean Myers (1937-2014). Myers served as the third National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (2012-2013), authored over a hundred titles, and won countless awards, including two Newbery Honors, five Coretta Scott King Awards, the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, and was a three-time National Book Award finalist. Throughout his prolific, lauded career, Myers was a life-long champion of diversity in children’s and young adult books.

Inaugurated in 2016, the 2016 and 2017 Walter Awards and Honor Books represented young adult titles only. In 2018, the Walters expanded into two categories: Teen (ages 13-18) and Younger Readers (ages 9-13). One Walter Award is given in each category; one or two titles are also named Honor Books in each category.

For additional questions, please contact WalterAward@diversebooks.org.

2021 Walter Awards

THE WALTER AWARD, TEEN CATEGORY

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, illustrated by Omar T. Pasha

THE WALTER HONOR BOOKS, TEEN CATEGORY

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

THE WALTER AWARD, YOUNGER READERS CATEGORY

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, with color by Iman Geddy

THE WALTER HONOR BOOKS, YOUNGER READERS CATEGORY

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri

 

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (illustrations by Omar T. Pasha)
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (color by Iman Geddy)
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

The​ ​sixth annual Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​for​ ​Outstanding​ ​Children’s​ ​Literature Ceremony and Symposium ​on​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature ​will​ ​be​ ​held on ​Friday,​ ​March​ ​12,​ ​2021. The pre-recorded event will be virtual and will begin at 1:00 PM EST. Award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson will serve as Ceremony’s Emcee.

The​ ​Symposium,​ ​titled​ ​“Listening, Learning, Creating Communities,”​ ​will be​ ​moderated​ ​by​ librarian and educator ​Deborah D. Taylor, awarded the 2015 Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. Co-sponsored by the Library of Congress, the symposium will feature panelists Traci Chee, Robin Ha, Daniel Nayeri, and Kacen Callender.

The​ ​2021 ​Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee:​ Morika Tsujimura ​(Committee Chair; Science and Math Teacher, Grace Church School), Cathy Berner (Events Coordinator and Children’s/YA Specialist, Blue Willow Bookshop), Lindsay Hall (Lower School Librarian, Sidwell Friends School), Alicia K. Long (Access Services Supervisor/Librarian, State College of Florida), Gregory Lum (Library Director, Jesuit High School, Portland OR), J. Joseph Prince (Curriculum & Outreach Educator, Curriculum Resource Center, Jerome Library, Bowling Green State University), and Hadeal Salamah (Lower/Middle School Librarian, Georgetown Day School).

 

past winners and honorees

The​ ​2021 ​Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee

Morika TsujimuraMorika Tsujimura (2021 Walters Chair) teaches Math and Science at Grace Church School in New York City. Her previous service on book committees has included the 2020 Walter Awards Committee and the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, as well as the Cook Prize and the Irma Black Prize, both awarded by the Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature. Morika is also involved in organizing the annual Young Men of Color Symposium and YALA Gala for APISA+ youth and has presented at national conferences for the Progressive Educators Network and NAIS. Born in Nagano, Japan, she grew up in Harlem and now lives in the Bronx.

Cathy BernerCathy Berner, a former school librarian, is the Children’s/YA Specialist and Event Coordinator at Blue Willow Bookshop, an independent bookstore on the west side of Houston, Texas. She also serves as the programming coordinator for three literary festivals: Bookworm, TweensRead, and TeenBookCon, all of which promote reading and literacy by connecting young readers and authors.

Lindsay HallLindsay Hall has been fortunate to work with students from grades kindergarten through 12th grade, and is currently a lower school librarian at Sidwell Friends. She has spread great books for children through projects in Guatemala, Ghana, and Jamaica. A Georgia native, she currently lives in Washington, D.C., and has occasionally reminds people that #DCPSNeedsLibrarians.

Alicia LongAlicia K. Long is an academic librarian and Access Services Supervisor at the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. She also is an adjunct instructor at the University of South Florida’s School of Information, where she teaches Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults. She is a past Chair and member of the Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee (co-sponsored by REFORMA and ALSC), a former reviewer for The Horn Book Magazine, a 2012 ALA Emerging Leader, and a 2010 ALA Spectrum Scholar. Alicia is originally from Argentina.

Gregory LumWorking over 30 years as a classroom teacher or school librarian, Gregory Lum is the Library Director at Jesuit High School’s Clark Library in Portland, Oregon. He previously served on the Michael L. Printz Award Committee in 2012 and 2014, as chair of the 2016 Excellence in Nonfiction Award Committee, the 2018 Schneider Family Book Award Committee, the 2019 John Newbery Medal Committee, and will return to the 2022 Walter Awards Committee. Most recently, Gregory was recognized as YALSA’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and enjoys traveling with his four grown children.

J. Joseph PrinceJoe Prince, a former middle school librarian, is the Curriculum & Outreach Educator at Bowling Green State University’s Jerome Library. He previously served on the 2020 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Committee and will serve on the 2022 Sibert Committee. He lives in Bowling Green, Ohio, with his husband and their collection of cardigans.

Hadeal SalamahHadeal Salamah is a Lower/Middle School Librarian at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C. She previously served on the 2021 APALA Picture Book Committee, the 2020 APALA Literature Committee, the 2019 Stonewall Book Awards-Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children's and Young Adult Literature Award, and the 2018 ALSC Building Partnerships Committee as Co-Chair. She will serve on the 2022 Newbery Medal Committee. Hadeal reviews for Kirkus and is a co-founder of Hijabi Librarians, where she is one of four librarians reviewing children’s and young adult literature featuring Muslims.

Submission Guidelines

WNDB is pleased to invite submissions for the annual Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature, also known as “The Walter,” named after celebrated children’s book author Walter Dean Myers (1937-2014).

The 2022 Walter Awards will be given in two categories: Teen and Younger Readers.

One book will be awarded the 2022 Walter Award for Teen Readers. One to two books will be chosen as 2022 Walter Honor Book(s) for Teen Readers. The age range for these titles is 13-18.

Additionally, one book will be awarded the 2022 Walter Award for Younger Readers. One to two books will be chosen as 2022 Walter Honor Book(s) for Younger Readers. The age range for these titles is 9-13.

The Walters will be decided by a judging committee of esteemed librarians and educators. The Chairperson of the 2022 Judging Committee is Alicia K. Long.

The 2022 Walters will be announced in January 2022. The 2022 Walters Awards Ceremony and Symposium will follow in March 2022.

The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2021. All shipments must be marked no later than Monday, November 15, 2021.

ELIGIBILITY

  • A submission must be written by a diverse author and the submission must be a diverse work. If a work has co-authors, at least one of the authors must be diverse.
  • A diverse work constitutes a work written by a diverse author featuring a diverse main character. For works without a main character, the work must address diversity in a substantial capacity.
  • Work must be an original work published in English for the first time in 2021 and must be readily available in the United States either from a U.S. publisher or U.S. distributor.
  • Work may have been originally in another language and translated, but the first English publication date must be in 2021. Multilingual editions are also eligible as long as the primary language is English.
  • For Teen consideration, work must be determined to be for an audience of ages 13-18.
  • For Younger Readers consideration, work must be determined to be for an audience of ages 9-13.

WHAT IS MEANT BY “DIVERSE”?

Authors must identify as one or more of the following. The main character of the story must also identify as one or more of the following:

  • Person of color
  • Native American
  • LGBTQIA
  • Person with a disability
  • Marginalized religious or cultural minority in the United States.

Please note:

  • If the work does not include a main character, the subject matter must pertain substantially to diverse experiences and content.
  • Socioeconomic status and class do not qualify as diverse for the purposes of this award.

Any submission received that does not meet these requirements will not be read.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Publishers are invited to submit eligible titles for consideration to the Walter Awards Judging Committee. One physical book must be provided to each of the committee members. Please contact WalterAward@diversebooks.org to receive Committee members’ shipping addresses.

When publishers submit books, they must supply information regarding which book[s] they are sending. Requested information includes:

  1. A tally of the books included in the shipment, with the publication dates for each book.
  2. The diversity with which the author identifies.
  3. The diversity of the main character or the overall diversity of the work.

Publishers must submit physical copies. Physical copies may be a finished book or an ARC. All ARCs must be followed up with a final copy by the November 15, 2021 deadline.

** COVID-19 UPDATE FOR MAILINGS: In these unprecedented times, e-books will be accepted until further notice. **

Self-published titles are not being accepted.

To maintain a professional boundary between judges and authors, no author, their family member, or their business partner may directly send any materials to a judge. If any author, their family member, or their business partner sends a work to a judge directly, that work will be disqualified.

Please note: The last date to mail eligible titles is Monday, November 15, 2021. Entries must be postmarked by this date to be eligible for consideration.

For any questions, please contact WalterAward@diversebooks.org.

We look forward to your submissions!

Walter Award FAQ

WNDB’s definition of who is diverse is stated in our mission statement. Our definition of diversity recognizes all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.

*We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.