Courtesy of diversebooks.org
January 18, 2022
Washington, DC — The We Need Diverse Books Walter Awards Judging Committee has selected the Winners and Honorees for the seventh 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.
2022 Walter Award, Teen Category
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Henry Holt and Co.)
2022 Walter Honors, Teen Category
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (Dutton Books for Young Readers)
Revolution in Our Time by Kekla Magoon (Candlewick)
2022 Walter Award, Younger Readers Category
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (Quill Tree Books)
2022 Walter Honors, Younger Readers Category
Borders by Thomas King and illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Root Magic by Eden Royce (Walden Pond Press)
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 seventh annual Walter Awards will be held on Friday, March 11, 2022. The two-part event will include a symposium on children’s literature followed by the awards ceremony. The event will be livestreamed and tentatively held in person at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. The final decision will consider the COVID-19 situation and align with recommended CDC guidelines for indoor gatherings.
