Acclaimed Middle-Grade Novel Celebrates the Legacy of Enslaved Communities

The John Newbery Medal for the best children’s book of the year has been awarded to Amina Luqman-Dawson for her novel Freewater, which tells the powerful story of a hidden community of formerly enslaved individuals. Alongside this honour, Doug Salati’s Hot Dog, depicting the summer escapades of an urban pet, has received the Randolph Caldecott Medal for exceptional illustrations.

These two prestigious awards, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, are among the longest-standing recognitions in children’s literature, each with a legacy of over 80 years.

In addition to the Newbery, Luqman-Dawson has also been honoured with the Coretta Scott King Award, recognising her as the best Black author for children’s literature. The King Award for illustration was presented to Frank Morrison for his work on Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual, authored by Carole Boston Weatherford.

Another significant accolade went to Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice, co-authored by Tommie Smith, the former Olympic gold medalist. This book, reflecting on his famous protest at the 1968 Summer Olympics, won the YALSA Award for best nonfiction for young adults and was a finalist for the King Award for both author and illustrator.

Lifetime achievement awards were granted to Jason Reynolds, known for his titles such as Ghost and The Boy in the Black Suits, and Claudette McLinn, who founded the Centre for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature.

The American Library Association announced the awards on Monday during its event, LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, taking place in New Orleans.