Award year

2021 ALA Notable Books Winners

Browse the 2021 ALA Notable Books winners and nominees by category. Each category starts with the winner, followed by nominees and other recognized titles.

ALA Notable Books Awarded by American Library Association 2 categories shown

Children

Winner and nominees for the 2021 ALA Notable Books Children category.

View category archive

All Because You Matter

Charles, Tami

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Bear in My Family

Tatsukawa, Maya

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Becoming Muhammad Ali

Patterson, James; Alexander, Kwame

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Before the Ever After

Woodson, Jacqueline

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Black Is a Rainbow Color

Joy, Angela

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Blackbird Girls

Blankman, Anne

Standalone · Historical

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Black Brother, Black Brother

Rhodes, Jewell Parker

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Brother's Keeper

Lee, Julie

Standalone · General Fiction

Jul-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Camping Trip

Mann, Jennifer K.

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Cat Dog Dog

Buchet, Nelly

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Cat Man of Aleppo

Latham, Irene; Shamsi-Basha, Karim

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Catherine's War

Billet, Julia

Standalone · Historical

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Dragon Hoops

Yang, Gene Luen

Standalone · Graphic Novel

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Echo Mountain

Wolk, Lauren

Standalone · Historical

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Efren Divided

Cisneros, Ernesto

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Elatsoe

Badger, Darcie Little

Standalone · Fantasy

Aug-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away

Medina, Meg

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Fighting Words

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

Marks, Janae

Standalone · Mystery

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Go With the Flow

Schneemann, Karen

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Home Base

Tate, Nikki

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

I Am Every Good Thing

Barnes, Derrick

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

I Talk Like a River

Scott, Jordan

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Julian at the Wedding

Love, Jessica

Julian Series · Book 2 · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures

Springstubb, Tricia

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

King and the Dragonflies

Callender, Kacen

Islands of Blood and Storm Series · Book 1 · General Fiction

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Land of the Cranes

Salazar, Aida

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Letters from Cuba

Behar, Ruth

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Lift

Le, Minh

Standalone · Fantasy

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Lupe Wong Won't Dance

Higuera, Donna Barba

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Magic Fish

Nguyen, Trung Le

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Mananaland

Ryan, Pam Munoz

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Me & Mama

Cabrera, Cozbi A.

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Most Beautiful Thing

Yang, Kao Kalia

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Nana Akua Goes to School

Walker, Patricia Elam

Standalone · General Fiction

Jun-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Ohana Means Family

Loomis, Ilima

Standalone · General Fiction

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

One Little Bag

Cole, Henry

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Only Black Girls in Town

Colbert, Brandy

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us

Castillo, Lauren

Our Friend Hedgehog Series · Book 1 · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Outside In

Underwood, Deborah

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Overground Railroad

Cline-Ransome, Lesa

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

A Place Inside of Me

Elliott, Zetta

Standalone · General Fiction

Jul-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

A Polar Bear in the Snow

Barnett, Mac

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Prairie Lotus

Park, Linda Sue

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Prairie Days

MacLachlan, Patricia

Standalone · General Fiction

Jun-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Raybearer

Ifueko, Jordan

Raybearer Series · Book 1 · Fantasy

Aug-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Salma the Syrian Chef

Ramadan, Danny

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Santiago's Road Home

Diaz, Alexandra

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

See the Cat

LaRochelle, David

See the Cat Series · Book 1 · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Show Me a Sign

LeZotte, Ann Clare

Show Me a Sign Series · Book 1 · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Snail Crossing

Tabor, Corey R.

Standalone · General Fiction

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Snapdragon

Leyh, Kat

Standalone · Fantasy

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Southwest Sunrise

Grimes, Nikki

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Sugar in Milk

Umrigar, Thrity

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Superman Smashes the Klan

Yang, Gene Luen

Famous Characters: Superman Series · Historical

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Superman Smashes the Klan

Yang, Gene Luen

DC Comics: Superman Series · Historical

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Swashby and the Sea

Ferry, Beth

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Telephone Tales

Rodari, Gianni

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

This Light Between Us

Fukuda, Andrew

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Three Billy Goats Buenos

Elya, Susan Middleton

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Three Keys

Yang, Kelly

A Front Desk Novel Series · Book 2 · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez

Cuevas, Adrianna

Standalone · General Fiction

Jul-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Vamos! Let's Go Eat

Raul the Third

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

A Way with Wild Things

Theule, Larissa

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

We Are Water Protectors

Lindstrom, Carole

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

We Dream of Space

Kelly, Erin Entrada

Standalone · Fantasy

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

What About Worms!?

Higgins, Ryan T.

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

What Stars Are Made Of

Allen, Sarah

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

When Stars Are Scattered

Jamieson, Victoria; Mohamed, Omar

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

When You Trap a Tiger

Keller, Tae

Standalone · General Fiction

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Where's Baby?

Hunter, Anne

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Wink

Harrell, Rob

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

A Wish in the Dark

Soontornvat, Christina

Standalone · Fantasy

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Zip, Zoom!

Lyons, Kelly Starling

My First I Can Read Series · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Zip, Zoom!

Lyons, Kelly Starling

Ty's Travels Series · Book 2 · General Fiction

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Fiction

Winner and nominees for the 2021 ALA Notable Books Fiction category.

View category archive

Breasts and Eggs

Kawakami, Mieko

Standalone · Literary

Apr-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Deacon King Kong

McBride, James

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Hamnet

O'Farrell, Maggie

Standalone · Literary

Jul-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Leave the World Behind

Alam, Rumaan

Standalone · Literary

Oct-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Little Eyes

Schweblin, Samanta

Standalone · Thriller

May-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Office of Historical Corrections

Evans, Danielle

Standalone · General Fiction

Nov-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Piranesi

Clarke, Susanna

Standalone · Fantasy

Sep-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Run Me to Earth

Yoon, Paul

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Shuggie Bain

Stuart, Douglas

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

Temporary

Leichter, Hilary

Standalone · Literary

Mar-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

The Vanishing Half

Bennett, Brit

Standalone · Women's Fiction

Jun-2020 2021 ALA Notable Books *

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Fiction Archive Children Archive

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