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The American Indian Library Association (AILA) awards are presented every two years to recognize the most outstanding contributions to children's literature by and about American Indians. The awards were established as a way to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. Books selected to receive the award will present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.[1]
The first American Indian Library Association American Indian Youth Literature Awards were presented during the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color in 2006.
- Authors (for illustrated books, both author AND illustrator) must be recognized by the Native community of which they claim to be a part and be connected to the people of that community.
- For anthologies, at least ⅔ of the authors must be recognized members of the community to which they claim affiliation.
- Books must have been published after October of the year before the last awards were given (i.e., the odd-numbered year preceding the previous award cycle; after October 2017 for the 2020 awards, etc.).
- Indigenous-language text and audio materials are encouraged, and every effort will be made to provide accurate translation for the committee when possible, but the committee’s common language is English.
- Books may be nominated for consideration by the AIYLA Jury, publishers, librarians, authors, illustrators, and others.
- The Awards go beyond merely naming the best creator of a particular art form in a certain year to representing the ideals of our multiple communities. Native authors and illustrators are role models for young people. For that reason, AILA does not endorse authors who appropriate other cultures or who behave in ways that dishonor others. [2]
Up to 5 honor books may be selected in each category.
| Year | Category | Recipient | Title | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Best Picture Book | Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (author) with Johnny Arlee (contributor) and Sam Sandoval (illustrator) | Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story | Winner |
| Best Middle School Book | Louise Erdrich | The Birchbark House | Winner | |
| Best Young Adult Book | Joseph Bruchac | Hidden Roots | Winner | |
| 2008 | Best Picture Book | Tim Tingle (author) with Jeanne Rorex Bridges (illustrator) | Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom | Winner |
| Best Middle School Book | Joseph Medicine Crow | Counting Coup: Becoming a Crow Chief on the Reservation and Beyond | Winner | |
| Best Young Adult Book | (Rescinded 2018) [4] | |||
| 2010 | Best Picture Book | Thomas King (author) with Gary Clement (illustrator) | A Coyote Solstice Tale | Winner |
| Best Middle School Book | Genevieve Simermeyer | Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma | Winner | |
| Best Young Adult Book | Lurline Wailana McGregor | Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me | Winner | |
| 2012 | Best Picture Book | Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (author) with Ellen Beier (illustrator) | The Christmas Coat | Winner |
| Tim Tingle (author) with Karen Clarkson (illustrator) | Saltypie: a Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light | Honor | ||
| Kekauleleanae'ole Kawai'ae'a (author) with Aaron Kawai'ae'a (illustrator) | Kohala Kuamo'o: Nae'ole's Race to Save a King | |||
| Robert Lono Ikuwa (author) with Matthew Kawika Ortiz (illustrator) | Mohala Mai 'o Hau
How Hau Became Hau'ula (English) | |||
| Margaret Manuel | I See Me | |||
| Best Middle School Book | Jacqueline Guest | Free Throw & Triple Threat | Winner | |
| Melanie Florence | Jordin Tootoo: the Highs and Lows in the Journey to the First Inuit to Play in the NHL | Honor | ||
| Anton Treuer et al. | Awesiinyensag: Dibaajimowinan ji-Gikinoo'amaageng | |||
| Victor Schilling | Native Defenders of the Environment and other titles in the "Native Trailblazers series. | |||
| Best Young Adult Book | Adam Fortunate Eagle | Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School | Winner | |
| 2014 | Best Picture Book | Tomson Highway (author) with John Rombough (illustrator) | Caribou Song, Atihko Oonagamoon | Winner |
| Best Middle School Book | Tim Tingle | How I Became a Ghost: A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story | Winner | |
| Tim Tingle | Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner | Honor | ||
| Best Young Adult Book | Joseph Bruchac | Killer of Enemies | Winner | |
| Eric Gansworth | If I Ever Get Out of Here | Honor | ||
| 2016 | Best Picture Book | Richard Van Camp (author) with Julie Flett (illustrator) | Little You | Winner |
| S. D. Nelson | Sitting Bull: Lokata Warrior and Defender of His People | Honor | ||
| Best Middle School Book | Joseph Marshall III (author) with James Mark Yellowhawk (illustrator) | In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse | Winner | |
| Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (editors) | Dreaming in Indian Contemporary Native Voices | Honor | ||
| Best Young Adult Book | Tim Tingle | House of Purple Cedar | Winner | |
| Evangeline Parsons Yazzie | Her Land, Her Love | Honor | ||
| 2018 | Best Picture Book | Johnny Marks, Hans Chester, David Katzeek, Nora Dauenhauer, and Richard Dauenhauer (editors) with Michaela Goade (illustrator), | Shanyaak'utlaax: Salmon Boy | Winner |
| Best Middle School Book | Arigon Starr (editor) with Theo Tso, Jonathan Nelson, Kristina Bad Hand, Roy Boney Jr., Lee Francis IV, Johnnie Diacon, Weshoyot Alvitre, Renee Nejo, and Michael Sheyahshe (contributors) | Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers, Volume 1 | Winner | |
| Best Young Adult Book | Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (editors) | # Not Your Princess: Voices of Native American Women | Winner | |
| 2020 | Best Picture Book | Brenda J. Child (author) with Gordon Jourdain (translator) and Jonathan Thunder (illustrator) | Bowwow Powwow: Bagosenjige-niimi’idim | Winner |
| Kevin Noble Maillard (author) with Juana Martinez-Neal (illustrator) | Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story | Honor | ||
| Julie Flett (author and illustrator) | Birdsong | |||
| Traci Sorell (author) with Weshoyot Alvitre (illustrator) | At the Mountain's Base | |||
| Traci Sorell (author) with Frané Lessac (illustrator) | We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga | |||
| Janine Gibbons (adaptor and illustrator) | Raven Makes the Aleutians | |||
| Best Middle Grade Book | Charlene Willing McManis (author) with Traci Sorell | Indian No More | Winner | |
| Christine Day | I Can Make This Promise | Honor | ||
| Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (author) with Natasha Donovan (illustrator) | The Grizzly Mother | |||
| Best Young Adult Book | Cynthia Leitich Smith (author) | Hearts Unbroken | Winner | |
| Tasha Spillett (author) with Natasha Donovan (llustrator) | Surviving the City | Honor | ||
| Angela Hovak Johnston (author) with Cora De Vos (photography) | Reawakening Our Ancestors’ Lines: Revitalizing Inuit Traditional Tattooing | |||
| Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza (authors), adapted from Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States | An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People | |||
| Dawn Quigley | Apple in the Middle | |||
| 2022[5] | Best Picture Book | Daniel W. Vandever (author) with Corey Begay (illus.) | Herizon | Winner |
| Morgan Asoyuf | Learning My Rights with Mousewoman | Honor | ||
| Traci Sorell (author) with Natasha Donovan (illustrator) | Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer | |||
| Jolyana Begay-Kroupa (author) with Corey Begay (designer) | Diné Bich’eekę Yishłeeh (Diné Bizaad) /
Becoming Miss Navajo (English) | |||
| Tasha Spillett-Sumner (author) with Michaela Goade (illustrator) | I Sang You Down From the Stars | |||
| Traci Sorell (author) with Frané Lessac (illustrator) | We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know | |||
| Best Middle School | Brian Young | Healer of the Water Monster | Winner | |
| Katrina M. Phillips (author) with Tashia Hart (illustrator) | Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Honor | ||
| Diane Wilson (author) with Tashia Hart (lllustrator) | Ella Cara Deloria: Dakota Language Protector | |||
| Jessica Engelking (author) with Tashia Hart (lllustrator) | Peggy Flanagan: Ogimaa Kwe, Lieutenant Governor | |||
| Christine Day | The Sea in Winter | |||
| Dawn Quigley (author) with Tara Audibert (illustrator) | Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend | |||
| Best Young Adult | Eric Gansworth | Apple (Skin to the Core) | Winner | |
| Chag Lowry (author) with Rahsan Ekedal (illustrator) | Soldiers Unknown | Honor | ||
| Adrienne Keene (author) with Ciara Sana (illustrator) | Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present | |||
| Cherie Dimaline | Hunting by Stars | |||
| Darcie Little Badger | Elatsoe | |||
| Angeline Boulley | Firekeeper’s Daughter | |||
| 2024[6] | Best Picture Book | Laurel Goodluck (author) with Jonathan Nelson (illustrator) | Forever Cousins | Winner |
| Kim Rogers (author) with Jonathan Nelson (illustrator) | A Letter for Bob | |||
| Lily Hope (author) with Kelsey Mata Foote (illustrator) | Celebration | Honor | ||
| Traci Sorell (author) with Arigon Starr (illustrator) | Contenders | |||
| Michaela Goade | Berry Song | |||
| Joy Harjo (author) with Michaela Goade (illustrator) | Remember | |||
| Laurel Goodluck (author) with Madelyn Goodnight (illustrator) | Rock Your Mocs | |||
| Best Middle School | Christine Day | We Still Belong | Winner | |
| Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson | Eagle Drums | Honor | ||
| Traci Sorell and Charles Waters | Mascot | |||
| Dawn Quigley (author) with Tara Audibert (illustrator) | Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants | |||
| Jo Jo Makoons: Snow Day | ||||
| Christine Day (author) with Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint (illustrators) | She Persisted: Maria Tallchief | |||
| Traci Sorell (author) with Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint (illustrators) | She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller | |||
| Laurel Goodluck (author) with Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint (illustrators) | She Persisted: Deb Haaland | |||
| Best Young Adult | Byron Graves | Rez Ball | Winner | |
| Angeline Boulley | Warrior Girl Unearthed | Honor | ||
| Cherie Dimaline | Funeral Songs for Dying Girls | |||
| Andrea L. Rogers (author) and Jeff Edwards | Man Made Monsters | |||
| Lorinda Martinez | Running with Changing Woman | |||
| Brian Young | Heroes of the Water Monster |
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