2022 Américas Book Award Winners

 

The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean or Latinos in the United States. By combining both and linking the Americas, the award reaches beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural boundaries, focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere. The award is sponsored by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP).

 

http://claspprograms.org/uploads/Americas_Award_Annotated_Bibliography_2022-1651856019.pdf

 

 

2022 Américas Award Winners

 

Child of the Flower-Song People written by Gloria Amescua and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams ComicArts, 2021. ISBN: 9781419740206.

 

My Two Border Towns written by David Bowles and illustrated by Erika Meza. Kokila, 2021. ISBN 9780593111048.

 

2022 Américas Award Honorable Mention Titles

 

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna written by Alda P. Dobbs. Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2021. ISBN: 9781728234656.

 

Niños: Poems for the Lost Children of Chile written by María José Ferrada and illustrated by María Elena Valdez. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021. ISBN 978-0802855671.

 

The Last Cuentista written by Donna Barba Higuera. Levine Querido, 2021. ISBN 9781646140893. 

 

 

2022 Américas Award Commended Titles

 

ABC El Salvador written by Holly Ayala and illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez. Luna’s Press Books, 2021. ISBN 978-0964120358.

 

Aquí era el paraiso/Here Was Paradise written by Humberto Ak'abal and illustrated by Amelia Lau Carling. Groundwood Books Ltd, 2021. ISBN: 9781773064956.

 

Coquí in the City written and illustrated by Nomar Perez. Dial Books, 2021. ISBN 9780593109038. 

 

Isabel and Her Colores Go to School written by Alexandra Alessandri and illustrated by Courtney Dawson. Sleeping Bear Press, 2021. ISBN: 9781534110632.

 

Lotería written by Karla Arenas Valenti and illustrated by Dana SanMar. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2021. ISBN: 9780593176962.

 

¡¡Manu!! Written and illustrated by Kelly Fernández. Graphix, 2021. ISBN: 9781338264197.

 

Neverforgotten written by Alejandra Algorta and illustrated by Iván Rickenmann, with English translations by Aida Salazar. Levine Querido, 2021. ISBN 9781646140947.

 

On the Hook written by Francisco X. Stork. Scholastic Press, 2021. ISBN 9781338692150.

 

The Life of – La Vida de Dolores written by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein and illustrated by Citlali Reyes. Lil’ Libros Press, 2021. ISBN 9781947971585.

 

The Mirror Season written by Anna-Marie McLemore. Feiwel & Friends, 2021. ISBN: 9781250624123. 

 

To Carnaval! A Celebration in Saint Lucia written by Baptiste Paul and illustrated by Jana Glatt. Barefoot Books, 2021. ISBN 9781646861613.

 

When We Make It written by Elisabet Velasquez. Dial Books, 2021. ISBN: 9780593324486

 

Your Heart, My Sky: Love in a Time of Hunger written by Margarita Engle. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2021. ISBN 9781534464964.

 

Zonia’s Rain Forest written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal. Candlewick Press, 2021. ISBN: 9781536208450.

 

2020 Américas Book Award Winners

The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. By combining both and linking the Americas, the award reaches beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural-international boundaries, focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere. The award is sponsored by the national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP).

Award Winners

Beast Rider by Tony Johnston and Maria Elena Fontanot De Rhoads (Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, 2019)

Between Us and Abuela by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2019)

Honorable Mentions

My Papi has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and illustrated by Zeke Peña, Kokila (Penguin Young Readers Group, 2019)

The Moon Within by Aida Salazar (Arthur A. Levine Books, 2019)

The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2019)

2020 Américas Award Commended Titles

Along the Tapajós written and illustrated by Fernando Vilela and translated by Daniel Hahn. Amazon Crossing Kids, New York, 2019.

A New Home written and illustrated by Tania de Regil. Candlewick Press, 2019.

Caravan to the North written by Jorge Argueta. Groundwood Books, 2019.

Freedom Soup written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara. Candlewick Press, 2019.

Fuego Fuegito/ Fire, Little Fire/ Tit, Titchin written by Jorge Tetl Argueta and illustrated by Felipe Ugalde Alcántara. Piñata Books, 2019.

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré written by Anika Aldamuy Denise and illustrated by Paola Escobar Harper. HarperCollins Publishers, 2019.

Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2019.

The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border written by Juan Pablo Villalobos. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2019.

Titanosaur written by Dr. José Luis Carballido and Dr. Diego Pol and illustrated by Florencia Gigena. Orchard Books, New York, an Imprint of Scholastic Inc. 2019.

The Only Road

By Alexandra Diaz

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1481457500
• ISBN-13: 978-1481457507

PURA BELPRÉ HONOR BOOK

ALA NOTABLE BOOK

“Powerful and timely.” —Booklist (starred review)

“An important, must-have addition to the growing body of literature with immigrant themes.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

Twelve-year-old Jaime makes the treacherous and life-changing journey from his home in Guatemala to live with his older brother in the United States in this gripping and realistic middle grade novel.

Jaime is sitting on his bed drawing when he hears a scream. Instantly, he knows: Miguel, his cousin and best friend, is dead.

Everyone in Jaime’s small town in Guatemala knows someone who has been killed by the Alphas, a powerful gang that’s known for violence and drug trafficking. Anyone who refuses to work for them is hurt or killed—like Miguel. With Miguel gone, Jaime fears that he is next. There’s only one choice: accompanied by his cousin Ángela, Jaime must flee his home to live with his older brother in New Mexico.

Inspired by true events, The Only Road is an individual story of a boy who feels that leaving his home and risking everything is his only chance for a better life. It is a story of fear and bravery, love and loss, strangers becoming family, and one boy’s treacherous and life-changing journey.

En Español

En esta absorbente y emocionante novela juvenil, Jaime de doce años emprende el peligroso y traicionero viaje que le transforma su vida de su hogar en Guatemala a Estados Unidos para vivir con su hermano mayor.

Alexandra Diaz is the author of Of All the Stupid Things, which was a ALA Rainbow List book and a New Mexico Book Award finalist. Alexandra is the daughter of Cuban refugees and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but got her MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University in England. A native Spanish speaker, Alexandra now teaches creative writing to adults and teens. Visit her online at Alexandra-Diaz.com.