ABOUT THE AWARD
The American Indian Youth Literature Awards are given biannually to outstanding Native American and Indigenous authors and illustrators from North America who demonstrate in their work the fullness of humanity in the lives of North American Indigenous peoples. The Awards are conducted by the American Indian Library Association.
Categories include Best Picture Book, Best Middle Grade Book, and Best Young Adult Book.
Awards given 2006-Present.
AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH LITERATURE AWARD YEAR AND CATEGORY
Select the book title to check for availability (opens up in a pop-up window).
2020 Best Picture Book Award
Bowwow Powwow: Bagosenjige-niimi'idim by Brenda J. Child E CHI
2020 Best Middle Grade Book Award
Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis FIC MCM
2020 Best Young Adult Book Award
Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith FIC SMI
2018 Best Picture Book Award
Shanyaak'utlaax: Salmon Boy by Johnny Marks, Hans Chester, David Katzeek, et al. E SHA
2018 Best Middle Grade Book Award
Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers, Volume One by Arigon Starr with Theo Tso, Jonathan Nelson, et al. PN 6727 .T358 2016
2018 Best Young Adult Book Award
#Not Your Princess: Voices of Native American Women by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale E98 .W8 N68 2017
2016 Best Picture Book Award
Little You by Richard Van Camp E VAN
2016 Best Middle Grade Book Award
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III FIC MAR
2016 Best Young Adult Book Award
House of Purple Cedar by Tim Tingle FIC TIN
2014 Best Picture Book Award
Caribou Song: Atihko Oonagamoon by Tomson Highway FIC HIG
2014 Best Middle Grade Book Award
How I Became a Ghost: A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story by Tim Tingle FIC TIN
2014 Best Young Adult Book Award
Killer of Enemies by Joseph Bruchac FIC BRU
2012 Best Picture Book Award
The Christmas Coat: Memories of my Sioux Childhood by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve E SNE
2012 Best Middle Grade Book Award
Free Throw by Jacqueline Guest FIC GUE
2012 Best Young Adult Book Award
Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School by Adam Fortune Eagle E97.6.P65 E23 2010
2010 Best Picture Book Award
A Coyote Solstice Tale by Thomas King FIC KIN
2010 Best Middle Grade Book Award
Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma by Genevieve Simermeyer E99.O8 C677 2008
2010 Best Young Adult Book Award
Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me: A Novel by Lurline Wailana FIC MCG
2008 Best Picture Book Award
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle FIC TIN
2008 General Award
Counting Coup: Becoming a Crow Chief On the Reservation and Beyond by Joseph Medicine Crow E99 .C92 M42 2006
2006 Best Picture Book Award
Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana E99 .S2 B43 2005
2006 Best Middle Grade Book Award
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich FIC ERD
2006 Best Young Adult Book Award
Hidden Roots by Joseph Bruchac FIC BRU