2023 Winners and Honors

"Freewater,” written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, and published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

"Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

“Star Child,” written by Ibi Zoboi and published by Dutton Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

“The Talk,” written by Alicia D. Williams, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

“Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

“Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love,” illustrated by April Harrison, written by Michelle Edwards and published by Anne Schwartz Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

“Swim Team,” illustrated and written by Johnnie Christmas and published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

“Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

“We Deserve Monuments,” written by Jas Hammons and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

“Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement," illustrated by Janelle Washington, written by Angela Joy, and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

Dr. Claudette McLinn (Distinguished Practioner)

Dr. Claudette McLinn is the 2023 recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. McLinn is the founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL). She is a retired district supervising librarian for the LA Unified School District with over 34 years of experience, a former bookseller and a much sought-after book award juror/presenter.