The winners of the 2025 Lammy Awards have been announced. The awards recognize the best in LGBTQ+ literature and have a wide variety of categories. Below are the winners in the categories for books for youth:
The masters who gave us We’re Going on a Bear Hunt reunite for another great read-aloud picture book in a similar style. A little boy heads from shop to shop asking for something but instead getting a rhyming item. He asks for a carrot and gets a parrot. He asks for a hat and gets a cat. Along the way, his lineup of animals steadily grows until he finally asks for a cup and gets a pup who manages to set in motion a real mess. In the end, the animals are returned to the shop keepers and the boy gets the items he wanted all along.
This book is filled with energy and romping rhythms that make it a treat to read aloud. Rosen cleverly builds his rhymes into the story, creating moments that children can guess what the animal might be. He also uses repeating lines that audience members will enjoy saying along with the book character. “Do I want that? No, I do NOT!” The illustrations are pure Oxenbury joy, mimicking the structure of Bear Hunt while also creating something fresh and new.
A great read-aloud pick that will be a new classic. Appropriate for ages 2-5.
Piccolo creates a list of the places he wants to visit in his Italian city that day. He makes it to the gelato store and almost gets to start eating, but his friend Mr. Rosso needs help carrying his artwork to the museum. Luckily, the museum is on Piccolo’s list of favorite places. Soon Piccolo is being asked to help with all sorts of things around town. He manages to either check most of the items off his list of places to visit or to do something very similar as he helps everyone. Unfortunately though, he doesn’t make it back in time for the gelato shop to be open. What’s a shrew to do? Happily, his friends come through. With Yaccarino’s signature illustration style, this Italian picture book merrily brings readers into the city and all around. Filled with all sorts of animals, the city is lively and active.
All the better to learn a bit of Italian along the way. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Hachette Book Group.
The finalists for the National Book Award have been announced. The winners will be announced on November 19th. NPR has the full list of finalists. Here are the finalists in Young People’s Literature:
Feather has never met a stranger before, since her community has been isolated along the decaying wall. So when he asks her for a favor, she helps him and manages to lose one of her group’s most valuable items, a spyglass for spotting oncoming danger. Now Feather must follow the stranger into along the wall and close to the dangers of the Forest where vines strangle and plants take over. Animals and insect grow huge and aggressive. As she travels, Feather finds safe places to hide at night, walking during the day and eventually finds small groups of other people living along the wall, each with their own societies and solutions for survival. Feather has to catch up to the stranger, save the spyglass and perhaps then she can return home to her family without disgrace.
As always, Hardinge’s text is extraordinary. She paints a vivid world being steadily devoured by the Forest and its invasive branches. Feather is such a small heroine against this sea of woods, the isolation of her journey, and the small moments of kindness. She shines against the darkness, alone and afraid but driven to fix what she has done. Gravett’s illustrations depict with some humor the daunting height of the wall, the dangers that Feather faces and the ingenuity of people in the face of destruction.
Perfect for sharing aloud thanks to the great pairing of text and illustration. Like Feather, this is a journey you must finish. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
It’s almost picture day at school and everyone is talking about the great haircuts they are going to get. Jordan’s mom has made an appointment for him at the barbershop. It will be his first time getting his hair cut. Jordan likes his cloudlike hair and is very worried about going to the barber. When they get there, it’s busy and loud. Jordan sees classmates getting their new haircuts and his Mom sits down to get her done too. Soon it is Jordan’s turn and he knows just what haircut he wants.
Miller captures both the worry of a child trying something new to them and also the busy community feel of a neighborhood barbershop. The writing is fast paced and inviting, with the first person perspective bringing readers directly into Jordan’s point of view. The illustrations are bold and colorful, tantalizing readers with what haircut Jordan will choose.
A book that celebrates Black hair and culture. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Rain has been signed up for a new school reading program: Giddy-Up and Read where she will read to a horse. She has never read to a horse before, but it can’t be worse than reading aloud to her classmates where the words catch in her throat. Snow stands in the stable, tail swishing but Rain isn’t ready to read that first day and instead spends her time mucking out the stall. Rain keeps coming, keeps trying to read, spending quiet yet busy time with Snow. Eventually, Rain whispered the book to Snow and she listened with twitching ears. Then the two got to ride together and over the days, Rain learned her book by heart.
Gianferrari captures the emotions and physical response of being shy and anxious. The book offers deep moments of quiet and solitude with an animal, slowing the reader down and allowing that stillness to spill out. The connection between reader and horse is built steadily and just as unrushed as their time with one another. This is a lovely picture book with pacing that matches the topic well. The illustrations are done in colored pencil and pastel, creating a warm softness around the budding relationship.
A picture book that celebrates anxious children and the animals they love. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Welcome to a very loud picture book that celebrates the joy of recess. This is not a story book for children to sit quietly and enjoy, instead it’s a book where there are quiet parts and then very raucous moments built in. The book tells the story of being at school, sitting quietly at your desk until suddenly RECESS! The breaks for recess involve booty shaking, typing in the air, making trombone sounds, quacking like a duck, and much more.
I love the swooping action of this picture book, the delight of moving from quiet to loud to quiet to loud. The beauty of shouting “Bananas!” or stomping your feet to make music. As always, Smith’s art is a large part of the story, capturing the quiet in subtle colors and then amping the color up for the repeating recesses. Sharing this one aloud may take a bit of practice beforehand and a willingness to get wild and just let things happen.
Let the wild recess start. Appropriate for ages 5-7.
The sisters from What Can a Mess Make head out with their mother to run errands around town in this jaunty sequel. After finding their missing bag and gathering their phone, the three head out to the farmer’s market. They dance to some music and buy some flowers. Then they have to wait in line at the post office where they make a young friend along the way. They meet a puppy next, then make a mess in the vintage store. Lunch at the diner has a little chaos and then a dash home in the rain. Throughout the busy day, there are moments of waiting and what happens in those times is just as important as the rest of the day.
Johnson captures the dynamic nature of a busy day of errands in this picture book. From the list at the beginning of the book to the end where it’s all somehow been accomplished, the day is a glorious riot of moments spent together, items getting done and the busy city around it all. The text rhymes and has the repeating phrase “while we wait” that make it a pleasure to share aloud. The illustrations are merry, filled with small details that bring the world alive, and capture the warm love of family.
Just right for your own busy day. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Henry Holt and Company.
Enter the weird and wonderful world of the Head friends in this graphic novel for elementary-age readers. Cabin Head and Tree Head are good friends and spend a lot of time together. They spend one day saying hello to all the other Heads and then realize the impact their surprise hellos are having on some of the more volatile Heads. In another story, Cabin Head starts doing portraits, first of a taco and then of other Heads who request it, but Tree Head thinks the taco portrait is too delicious to leave alone. There are adventures with holes and treasure maps, and another with the perfect hiding space that fits far too many. The book ends with byes, stories, drawing and a final pool party.
I just can’t express how delightful this graphic novel is. The concept is bizarre and immensely charming, creating a childlike playfulness that is enticing and great fun. I particularly enjoyed the riff on Jack and the Beanstalk as well as the interaction between the various Heads to solve problems and have fun.
Laugh-out-loud funny and joyful, this is a must-read for those who enjoy silliness. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
Wally is the mail carrier for Faraway Forest. He and his rabbit friend Bo deliver mail all over the woods. There are tiny envelopes and big heavy packages to deliver. The last house on the route is Mr. Sternbill’s and he’s quite grumpy. But Wally knows that you never know what is weighing on someone’s mind. In four chapters, readers get a tour of Wally’s route, see how a day can become surprisingly long by helping neighbors, see how a big storm impacts Wally’s job, and finally end the book with Wally getting sick and seeing how appreciated he is by his friends, including Mr. Sternbill.
This friendly and cozy graphic novel for elementary age is like a hug. Wally and Bo’s helpfulness shows the impact that someone can have on others in their community. The stories are fast paced and still make time for Wally and Bo to enjoy tea and lunch along the way. The illustrations are large, colorful, and friendly, making the reading more accessible and friendly for newer readers. The book begins with a seek and find for each chapter and ends with tips on how to draw Wally and Bo.
A welcome cozy delivery for young graphic novel enthusiasts. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss & Chronicle Books.
Waking Brain Cells 