The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults at its Midwinter Meeting in Denver in February.

This is the Youth Media Awards logo.The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature was awarded to “Hello, Universe,” written by Erin Entrada Kelly. The book is published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Three Newbery Honor Books also were named:

  • “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut,” written by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book;
  • “Long Way Down,” written by Jason Reynolds and published by Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book; and
  • “Piecing Me Together,” written by Renée Watson and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children was won by “Wolf in the Snow,” illustrated and written by Matthew Cordell. The book was published by Feiwel and Friends, an Imprint of Macmillan.

Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named:

  • “Big Cat, little cat,” illustrated and written by Elisha Cooper and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership;
  • “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut,” illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes, and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book;
  • “A Different Pond,” illustrated by Thi Bui, written by Bao Phi and published by Capstone Young Readers, a Capstone imprint; and
  • “Grand Canyon,” illustrated and written by Jason Chin, a Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership.

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards, which recognize African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults, also were awarded. “Piecing Me Together,” written by Renée Watson, won the King Author Award. The book is published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Three King Author Honor Books also were named:

  • “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut,” written by Derrick Barnes, published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book; 
  • “Long Way Down,” written by Jason Reynolds, published by Atheneum, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book; and
  • “The Hate U Give,” written by Angie Thomas, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

“Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets,” illustrated by Ekua Holmes, is the King Illustrator Award winner. The book is written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderly and Marjory Wentworth and published by Candlewick Press.

Two King Illustrator Honor Books also were named:

  • “Crown: An Ode to a Fresh Cut,” illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book; and
  • “Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman,” illustrated by James E. Ransome, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and published by Holiday House.

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Awards affirm new talent. “The Stars Beneath Our Feet,” written by David Barclay Moore, is the Steptoe Author Award winner. The book is published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

“Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song,” illustrated by Charly Palmer, is the Steptoe Illustrator Award winner. The book is written by Kathryn Erskine and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Eloise Greenfield is the winner of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Greenfield was born in Parmele, N.C., and currently resides in Washington, D.C. Early in life, she discovered a love of reading and writing and realized there were few books that showed the fullness of African American life. She published her first book in 1972 and went on to write and publish more than 40 books. From “Honey, I Love” to “The Great Migration,” this multiple award-winning author has captivated audiences through the years.

The Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults was awarded to “We Are Okay,” written by Nina LaCour. The book is published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers

Four Printz Honor Books also were named:

  • “The Hate U Give,” written by Angie Thomas and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers;
  • “Long Way Down,” written by Jason Reynolds and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing;
  • “Strange the Dreamer,” written by Laini Taylor and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group; and
  • “Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers,” written by Deborah Heiligman and published by Godwin Books/Henry Holt, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

A list of all the 2018 award winners, as well as an archive of the awards ceremony, is available on the ALA website.