It’s time, it’s time! On Monday the 2025 Youth Media Awards were announced by the American Library Association. This is a day that children’s librarians all over the world eagerly await. Diverse librarians came together last weekend to discuss and deliberate for hours and hours and determined that these books rose to the top as the most distinguished titles by American authors and illustrators published for children in 2024. If you’re looking for a great read, check out these award-winners and see what you think for yourself!

2025 Newbery Medal Winner
Awarded to the most distinguished text by an American author of a book published for children in 2024.

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly.

It’s August 1999. For twelve-year-old Michael Rosario, life at Fox Run Apartments in Red Knot, Delaware, is as ordinary as ever–except for the looming Y2K crisis and his overwhelming crush on his sixteen-year-old babysitter, Gibby. But when a disoriented teenage boy named Ridge appears out of nowhere, Michael discovers there is more to life than stockpiling supplies and pining over Gibby.

It turns out that Ridge is carefree, confident, and bold, things Michael wishes he could be. Unlike Michael, however, Ridge isn’t where he belongs. When Ridge reveals that he’s the world’s first time traveler, Michael and Gibby are stunned but curious. As Ridge immerses himself in 1999–fascinated by microwaves, basketballs, and malls–Michael discovers that his new friend has a book that outlines the events of the next twenty years, and his curiosity morphs into something else: focused determination. Michael wants–no, needs–to get his hands on that book. How else can he prepare for the future? But how far is he willing to go to get it?

2025 Newbery Honor Winners

2025 Caledecott Medal Winner
Awarded for the most distinguished illustrations by an American illustrator in a book published for children in 2024.

Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz

Sissy’s younger brother, Chooch, isn’t a baby anymore. They just celebrated his second birthday, after all. But no matter what Chooch does — even if he’s messing something up! Which is basically all the time! — their parents say he’s just “helping.” Sissy feels that Chooch can get away with anything! When Elisi paints a mural, Chooch helps. When Edutsi makes grape dumplings, Chooch helps. When Oginalii gigs for crawdads, Chooch helps. When Sissy tries to make a clay pot, Chooch helps . . . “Hesdi!” Sissy yells. Quit it! And Chooch bursts into tears. What follows is a tender family moment that will resonate with anyone who has welcomed a new little one to the fold.

2025 Caldecott Honor Books

2025 Printz Medal Winner
Awarded for the best title published for young adults in 2024.

Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia

Almudena has always wondered about the dad she never met. Now, with her white mother headed on a once-in-a-lifetime trip without her, she’s left alone with her Guatemalan father for an entire summer. Xavier seems happy to see her, but he expects her to live in (and help fix up) his old, broken-down brownstone. And all along, she must navigate the language barrier of his rapid-fire Spanish–which she doesn’t speak.

As Almudena tries to adjust to this new reality, she gets to know the residents of Xavier’s Latin American neighborhood. Each member of the community has their own joys and heartbreaks as well as their own strong opinions on how this young Latina should talk, dress, and behave. Some can’t understand why she doesn’t know where she comes from. Others think she’s “not brown enough” to fit in. But time is running out for Almudena and Xavier to get to know each other, and the key to their connection may ultimately lie in bringing all these different elements together. Fixing a broken building is one thing, but turning these stubborn individuals into a found family might take more than this one summer.

2025 Printz Honor Books

There are so, so many more awards that were announced on Monday, from nonfiction to books about disability experience to LGBTQIA+ books and more. Check out the complete list of all winners and honor books at the American Library Association’s news and press center.