We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books announces the​ ​2023​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​and​ ​Honor​ ​Books  for​ ​Outstanding Children’s​ Literature​ Teen​ ​and​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Categories

January​ 10,​ ​2023

BETHESDA, MD — The​ ​We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books​ ​Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee​ ​has​ ​selected​ ​the​ ​Winners​ ​and Honorees​ ​for​ ​the​ ​eighth​ ​annual​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​for​ ​Outstanding​ ​Children’s​ ​Literature. 

The ​Awards​ ​comprise two​ ​categories:​ ​Teen​ ​(​ages​ ​13-18​)​ ​and​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​(​ages 9-13​).​ ​One​ Winner​ and two Honor Books ​in​ each ​category​ ​have​ ​been​ ​named. 

2023​ ​Walter​ ​Award,​ ​Teen​ ​Category

Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers and illustrated by Jeff Edwards

2023​ ​Walter​ ​Honors,​ ​Teen​ ​Category

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

2023​ ​Walter​ ​Award,​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Category

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington

2023​ ​Walter​ ​Honors,​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Category

Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler by Ibi Zoboi 

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat 

The​ ​Walter​ ​Awards ​Ceremony​ and Symposium ​will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​Friday,​ ​March​ ​17,​ ​2023,​ ​at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC.​ ​The event will begin at 10:30 AM, is open to the public, and will be livestreamed. 

Award-winning Jacqueline Woodson, the sixth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, will serve as ceremony’s emcee. The​ ​ceremony​ ​will​ ​be​ ​preceded​ ​by​ ​a​ symposium​ ​on​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature.​ ​The​ ​symposium,​ ​titled​ ​“Books Saves Lives,”​ ​will be​ ​moderated​ ​by​ WNDB f​ounding member, CEO, and award-winning writer Ellen Oh.

The​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Award,​ ​also​ ​known​ ​as​ ​“The​ ​Walter,”​ ​is​ ​named​ ​for​ ​prolific​ ​children’s​ ​and young​ ​adult​ ​author​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​(1937-2014).​ ​Myers​ ​was​ ​the​ ​third​ ​National​ ​Ambassador for​ ​Young​ ​People’s​ ​Literature,​ ​appointed​ ​in​ ​2012​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Library​ ​of​ ​Congress.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​a​ ​champion of​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​books.​ ​The​ ​Walter​ ​Awards​ commemorate ​Myers’​ ​memory​ ​and​ ​his​ ​literary legacy,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​celebrate​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature. 

The​ ​2023 Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee:​ ​Ariana Hussain (Chair), Jeremiah Henderson (Vice Chair), Jennifer Bonilla, Rose Dawson, Jamie Kurumaji, Sara Martinez, Rachel Lee Rickard Rebellino, Juan Samperio, and Monica Valentine.

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