Next Monday is a big day in children’s literature. The winners of the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards will be announced. So today seems like a good time to look back at some of the highly-regarded titles published last year.
There’s no doubt about it. 2023 was a phenomenal year for nonfiction, and it seems like more people were paying attention than ever before.
Here’s a roundup of the lists I’m aware of that highlight nonfiction titles. Please let me know if there are others I should add.
Mock Sibert Lists
Sibert Smackdown! (picture books)
Betsy Bird at SLJ’s A Fuse #8 Production
Nonfiction Books for Older Readers
Blogger Lists
Cybils Award: Elementary, Middle Grade, and High School Nonfiction Finalists
Imagination Soup: 35 Best Nonfiction Books for Kids
Nerdy Book Club: Nonfiction Picture Books
Nerdy Book Club: Long-form Nonfiction
Nonfiction Detectives Best Books for Kids & Teens
Organization Lists
AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books Finalists
(scroll down)
California Reading Association Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Awards
NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award
Library Lists
Chicago Public Library Best Informational Books for Younger Readers
Chicago Public Library Best Informational Books for Older Readers
Evanston Public Library’s Top Nonfiction Picture Books
Evanston Public Library’s Top Nonfiction for Older Readers
New York Public Library Best Nonfiction Books for Kids
New York Public Library Best Nonfiction Books for Teens
Review Journals
Horn Book Fanfare 2022
(Scroll to bottom for nonfiction.)
Booklist Editor’s Choice
(Nonfiction is at the top.)
Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book Biographies
Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Picture Books
Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Nonfiction
SLJ Best Elementary Nonfiction
Now it’s time to look ahead to 2024. So far, it seems like we’re going to have another great year of nonfiction. Time to start reading!
