Walter Dean Myers Award Explained

The Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature, known as "The Walters,” was created by the American nonprofit We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) in 2014, and the inaugural award was presented in 2016.[1] Named after young adult author Walter Dean Myers, the award recognizes published, diverse authors who champion marginalized voices in their stories.[2] The awards program is managed by WNDB's co-directors Kathie Weinberg and Terry Hong. In 2018, WNDB changed the categories from a single category of young adult titles to two categories of teen and young readers.[3] Subsequent awards include both categories.[4]

Recipients

Year! scope="col"
CategoryRecipientTitleResult
2016N/A and All American BoysWinner[5] [6]
and (illus.)Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A MemoirHonor
and X
2017N/A,, and March: Book ThreeWinner[7] [8]
WatchedHonor
If I Was Your Girl
The Sun Is Also a Star
2018TeenLong Way DownWinner[9] [10]
You Bring the Distant NearHonor
Disappeared
Younger Reader and (illus.)Winner
Forest WorldHonor
2019TeenThe Poet XWinner[11] [12] [13]
Monday’s Not ComingHonor
The Astonishing Color of After
Younger ReaderGhosts BoysWinner
They Call Me GüeroHonor
The Night Diary
2020Teen and (illus.)Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With MeWinner[14] [15]
PetHonor
With the Fire on High
Younger ReaderThe Bridge HomeWinner
A Good Kind of TroubleHonor
Other Words for Home
2021Teen and Yusef Salaam and Omar T. Pasha (illus.)Punching the AirWinner[16] [17]
We Are Not FreeHonor
Almost American Girl
Younger Reader, Omar Mohamed, and Iman GeddyWhen Stars Are ScatteredWinner
King and the DragonfliesHonor
Everything Sad Is Untrue
2022TeenAngeline BoulleyFirekeeper’s DaughterWinner[18] [19]
Last Night at the Telegraph ClubHonor
Revolution in Our Time
Younger ReaderRed, White, and WholeWinner
and Natasha Donovan (illus.)BordersHonor
Root Magic
2023Teen and Jeff EdwardsMan Made MonstersWinner[20]
Honor
All My Rage
Young Reader and Janelle WashingtonChoosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights MovementWinner
Honor
Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler
2024TeenSaints of the HouseholdWinner[21] [22]
All the Fighting PartsHonor
Young ReaderRemember UsWinner
, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, and S. K. AliGroundedHonor

Notes and References

  1. News: Kirch. Claire. 20 January 2016. Reynolds, Kiely win WNDB's debut Walter Award. Publishers Weekly. 9 January 2017. 24 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180924110119/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/69190-reynolds-kiely-win-wndb-s-debut-walter-award.html. live.
  2. News: Kirch. Claire. 16 October 2014. Diversity Group Announces Walter Dean Myers Award and Grants. Publishers Weekly. 9 January 2017. 24 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160924052009/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/64420-diversity-group-announces-walter-dean-myers-award-and-grants.html. live.
  3. Web site: Walter Dean Myers Award - Children's Books. 12 June 2021. UCF Research Guides at University of Central Florida Libraries. 25 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210725032917/https://guides.ucf.edu/c.php?g=851147&p=7149618. live.
  4. Web site: Walter Awards. 2018-09-24. We Need Diverse Books. en-US.
  5. Web site: 2016 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature. 2022-01-20. Library of Congress. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203801/https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-7852/. live.
  6. Web site: Kirch. Claire. 2016-01-20. Reynolds, Kiely Win WNDB's Debut Walter Award. 2022-01-20. PublishersWeekly.com. en. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203806/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/69190-reynolds-kiely-win-wndb-s-debut-walter-award.html. live.
  7. Web site: 2017 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature. 2022-01-20. Library of Congress. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203808/https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-8155/. live.
  8. Web site: SLJ. 2017-01-20. "March: Book Three" Named Winner of the 2017 Walter Award. 2022-01-20. School Library Journal. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120224750/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=march-book-three-named-winner-of-the-2017-walter-award. live.
  9. Web site: SLJ . 2018-01-12 . Reynolds, Weatherford Named Winners of 2018 Walter Dean Myers Award . 2022-01-20 . School Library Journal . 2022-01-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203803/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=reynolds-weatherford-named-winners-2018-walter-dean-myers-award . live .
  10. Web site: 2018-01-11 . WNDB Announces the Winners of the 2018 Walter Awards . 2022-01-20 . We Need Diverse Books . en-US . 2022-01-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203804/https://diversebooks.org/4222-2/ . live .
  11. Web site: SLJ Staff. 2019-01-14. We Need Diverse Books Announces 2019 Walter Awards Winners. 2022-01-20. School Library Journal. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203805/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=we-need-diverse-books-announces-2019-walter-awards. live.
  12. Web site: Morales. Macey. 2019-01-28. Walter Dean Myers wins 2019 Children's Literature Legacy Award. 2022-01-20. News and Press Center. en. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203812/https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2019/01/walter-dean-myers-wins-2019-children-s-literature-legacy-award. live.
  13. Web site: Sacks. Oliver. 2019-04-02. Walter Dean Myers Awards Honor Diverse Authors. 2022-01-20. www.shelf-awareness.com. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120203803/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3464. live.
  14. Web site: Marketing. Chris. 2020-02-09. 2020 Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Literature. 2022-01-20. Eisenhower Public Library. en-US.
  15. Web site: SLJ Staff. 2022-01-22. We Need Diverse Books Names 2020 Walter Dean Myers Award Winners. 2022-01-20. School Library Journal. 2020-03-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20200314151340/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=we-need-diverse-books-names-2020-walter-dean-myers-award-winners. live.
  16. Web site: Schaub. Michael. 2021-01-22. Winners of the Walter Dean Myers Awards Announced. 2022-01-20. Kirkus Reviews. en. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120201739/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/winners-of-walter-dean-myers-awards-revealed/. live.
  17. Web site: Nutt. Gina. 2021-03-15. Walter Dean Myers Awards. 2022-01-20. Shelf Awareness. 2022-01-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20220125080402/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3942. live.
  18. Web site: S. L. J. Staff. 2022-01-19. 2022 Walter Dean Myers Award Winners Announced. 2022-01-20. School Library Journal. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120061802/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=2022-walter-dean-myers-award-winners-announced. live.
  19. Web site: Schaub. Michael. 2022-01-20. Walter Dean Myers Award Winners Are Revealed. 2022-01-20. Kirkus Reviews. en. 2022-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120194432/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/walter-dean-myers-award-winners-are-revealed/. live.
  20. Web site: Jones . Iyana . 2023-01-10 . 2023 Walter Dean Myers Awards Announced . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2023-02-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230209102008/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/91267-2023-walter-dean-myers-awards-announced.html . live .
  21. Web site: 2024-01-17 . The 2024 Walter Award Winners for Youth Literature . 2024-06-01 . BOOK RIOT . en-US . 2024-03-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240301045429/https://bookriot.com/the-2024-walter-award-winners-for-youth-literature/ . live .
  22. Web site: 2024-03-14 . 2024 Walter Dean Myers Awards: 'The Work Goes On" . 2024-06-01 . Shelf Awareness.