2025 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books

November 10, 2025November 10, 2025 | Tasha

The 10 winners of the 2025 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books have been announced. Nearly 800 books were judged purely on the basis of artistic merit. Here are the 10 winners:

Broken by X. Fang

Dragon Flower by Chen Jiang Hong; translated by Alyson Waters

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Cátia Chien

The Lighthouse Keeper by Eugenio Fernández Vázquez, illustrated by Mariana Villanueva Segovia; translated by Kit Maude

Little Rebels by Yuyi Morales

Making Art by Diana Ejaita

Pencil by Hye-Eun Kim

Sunday by Marcelo Tolentino; translated by Rahul Bery

The Three-Year Tumble by Dayeon Auh; translated by Tim Mohr

Wind Watchers by Micha Archer

2025 An Post Irish Book Awards Shortlist

November 6, 2025 | Tasha

The shortlist for the 2025 An Post Irish Book Awards has been announced. The awards celebrate the best of Irish writing across a variety of genres and categories. Below are the shortlisted titles for the juvenile categories:

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR – JUNIOR

An Fia sa Choill by Sadhbh Devlin, Anastasia Melynkova (not available in US)

Badger Books by Paddy Donnelly

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat

Ellora McGee Trainee Banshee by Sinéad O’Hart

Letters to a Monster by Patricia Forde, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Once I Was a Tree by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Guilherme Karsten (coming to US in March 2026)

Penguin TV by Niamh Sharkey, illustrated by Owen Churcher

Run Home, Little Fox by Tom McCaughren & Erika McGann, Illustrated by Shannon Bergin (not available in US)

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR – SENIOR

Animalopedia by John and Kathi Burke

Conn of the Dead by Dave Rudden and Ali Al Amine (not available in US)

The Doomsday Club by Kevin Moran

Granny National by Rachael Blackmore with Rachel Pierce

Milly McCarthy and the Haunted House HullaBOOloo by Leona Forde, illustrated by Karen Harte

Nina Peanut: Epic World Tour Era by Sarah Bowie

TEEN/YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR

Any Way You Slice It by Méabh McDonnell

Matched Up by Jenny Ireland

My Name Is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah

The Rebel and the Rose by Catherine Doyle (releasing in US on December 2)

Solo by Gráinne O’Brien

Shipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue

2025 CCBC Awards

October 29, 2025 | Tasha

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre has announced their 2025 winners in a variety of categories. Here are the English-language winners:

Richard Allen Chase Memorial Award

Hummingbird / Aamo-binashee by Jennifer Leason

Arlene Barlin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Headmasters by Mark Morton

Jean Little First-Novel Award

Alterations by Ray Xu

Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

Age 16 by Rosena Fung

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People

Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams by Shari Green

Sharon Fitzhenry Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction

Meet Jim Egan by Elizabeth MacLeod, illustrated by Mike Deas

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

SOS Water by Yayo

Good Housekeeping Kids Books Awards 2025

October 28, 2025 | Tasha

Good Housekeeping has selected their best books of 2025 for kids of all ages. This is their fourth year offering this award. As a librarian, I appreciate seeing lists of books from non-library sources and making sure I have these in my collection too.

BOARD BOOKS

Gracie’s Corner: What Sound Does That Letter Make? by the Gracie’s Corner Team

I Love You, Little Moose! by Sandra Magsmen

Little Head, Little Nose by Yuli Yav, illustrated by Antonia Woodward

Look, Baby, Look! At Home by Louise Lockhart

My Calm Down Book by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Amanda Morrow

Off They Run! by Katie Cotton, illustrated by Rob Hodgson

The Pigeon Won’t Count to 10! by Mo Willems

Runaway Blanket by Nancy Deas, illustrated by Mike Deas

Say Cheese! by Sophie Aggett, illustrated by Pauline Gregory

Slide and Peek Santa by Hector Dexet

What’s That Noise? Meow! by Pui Lee

Your Forest by Jon Klassen

PICTURE BOOKS

The ABC of You by Julia Gray, illustrated by Sarah Ugolotti (Wonderbly personalized book)

Anything by Rebecca Stead, illustrated by Gracey Zhang

Evelyn Witch Gets a Pet by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Charles Santoso

Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan

The Gift of the Great Buffalo by Carole Londstrom, illustrated by Aly McKnight

Hope in a Jar by Deborah Marcero

Little Blue Truck and Racer Red by Alice Schertle, illustrated by John Joseph

The Littlest Drop by Sascha Alper, illustrated by Jerry and Brian Pinkney

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin

Piece Out by Alex Willan

Pocket Potters: Harry Potter by JK Rowling, illustrated by Natalie Smillie

Snuggle Season by Jaimie MacGibbon

GRAPHIC NOVELS

The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby: Color Edition by Dav Pilkey

The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

Creaky Acres by Calista Brill, illustrated by Nilah Magruder

Dream On by Shannon Hale, illustrated by Marcela Cespedes

Ducky the Spy by Sean E Avery

Mallory and the Trouble with Twins by Ann M. Martin, illustrated by Arley Nopra

One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams, illustrated by Sharee Miller

Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy

NONFICTION

Discover Dinosaurs by John A. Long

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat

The Fossil Keeper’s Treasure by Amy Atwater, illustrated by Natalia Cardozo

The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of: The Things We Make with Plants by Jonathan Drori, illustrated by Jiatong Liu

EARLY READERS/CHAPTER BOOKS

Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

Brin Got a Cast by Lovevery

Cat & Cat Adventures series by Susie Yi

Kat & Mouse: I Like Cheese by Salina Yoon

Little Mouse Saves the Day! by Jeff Smith

Pencil & Eraser: Lost and Frown! by Jenny Alvarado

Waiter, Waiter by Lovevery

Wally Mammoth: The Sled Race by Corey R. Tabor, illustrated by Dalton Webb

ACTIVITY BOOKS

A Is for Apple: My First Wipe-Clean Book by Tiger Tales, illustrated by Georgie Birkett and Summer Macon

Fold-Out + Play: House by Ingela P. Arrhenius

Ivy and Bearlock Holmes: The Case of the Missing Flower by Kristyna Litten

Let’s Find Yaya & Boo On the Go! by Andrew Knapp

The Wizard’s Guide to Magical Experiments by A.J. Wood, illustrated by Jo Rioux

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS

Dragonborn by Struan Murray

Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita

The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna

AUDIOBOOKS

Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina, narrated by Elena Ray

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, narrated by Sutton Foster

The Weirdies by Michael Buckley, narrated by Helena Bonham Carter

2025 Governor General’s Literary Awards

October 21, 2025 | Tasha

The Canada Council for the Arts has announced the finalists for the 2025 Governor General’s Literary Awards which celebrate the books by Canadian creators. The winners will be announced on November 6th. Here are the finalists in the youth categories:

Young People’s Literature – Text

Beast by Richard Van Camp

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

A Drop in the Ocean by Léa Taranto

The Outsmarters by Deborah Ellis

Tig by Heather Smith

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp

It Bears Repeating by Tanya Tagaq, illustrated by Cee Pootoogook

Oasis by Guojing

The Rock and the Butterfly by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

This Land Is a Lullaby by Tonya Simpson, illustrated by Delreé Dumont

2025 Ignyte Award Winners

October 15, 2025October 14, 2025 | Tasha

The winners of the 2025 Ignyte Awards have been announced. The awards are given to speculative fiction, including horror, fantasy, science fiction and magical realism. There are several categories. Here are the ones that focus on material for youth:

OUTSTANDING NOVEL: YOUNG ADULT

WINNER

Heir by Sabaa Tahir

FINALISTS

Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger

Spells to Forget Us by Aislinn Brophy

OUTSTANDING MIDDLE GRADE

WINNER

The Last Rhee Witch by Jenna Lee-Yun

FINALISTS

Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B. B. Alston

Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed by Jose Pable Iriarte

The Creepening of Dogwood House by Eden Royce

Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani Larocca

2025 Harvey Award Winners

October 13, 2025October 13, 2025 | Tasha

The winners of the 2025 Harvey Awards have been announced at New York Comic Con. The awards are given for the best of comic books and graphic novels. You can find the complete list of winners at The Daily Cartoonist. Here are the winners and nominees for the youth categories:

BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK

WINNER

The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud

NOMINEES

Chickenpox by Remy Lai

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia and Brittney Williams

Song for You and I by Kay O’Neil

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr., Jess Wibowo, & Cin Wibowo

BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK

WINNER

Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn

NOMINEES

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger

Navigating with You by Jeremy Whitley, Cassio Ribeiro & Nikki Foxrobot

Strange Bedfellows by Ariel Slamet Ries

2025 Lammy Award Winners

October 9, 2025October 8, 2025 | Tasha

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:

LGBTQ+ CHILDREN’S BOOKS

WINNER

Glenn Burke, Game Changer: The Man Who Invented the High Five by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien

FINALISTS

Harper Becomes a Big Sister by Seamus Kirst

Jacob’s Missing Book by Sarah and Ian Hoffman

Just Us by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan

Love of the Half-Eaten Peach by Lee Wind, illustrated by Jieting Chen

LGBTQ+ MIDDLE GRADE

WINNER

Mallory in Full Color by Elisa Stone Leahy

FINALISTS

Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy

Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horn

Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp

Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

LGBTQ+ YOUNG ADULT

WINNER

Icarus by K. Ancrum

FINALISTS

The Feast Makers by H. A. Clarke

Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield

National Book Award Finalists

October 8, 2025 | Tasha

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: