Meet Our Previous Winners
2023 Medalist, Author Lisa Yee
Honor Book: The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
Honor Book: Tumble by Celia C. Perez
Honor Book: Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp
2022 Medalist, Author Veera Hiranandani
Fast Facts about Veera: Veera Hiranandani is the award-winning author of several books for young people. Her most recent middle-grade novel, Amil and The After, is a follow-up to her previous Newbery Honor-winning,The Night Diary. A former book editor at Simon & Schuster, she's now a faculty member with the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at The Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Honor Book: Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs
Honor Book: Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
Honor Book: Starfish by Lisa Fipps
2021 Medalist, Author Daniel Nayeri
Fast Facts about Daniel: Daniel Nayeri was born in Iran and spent some years as a refugee before immigrating to Oklahoma at age eight with his family. He is the author of several books for young readers, including Everything Sad is Untrue (A True Story) and Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow: Four Novellas. He lives with his family in New Jersey.
Honor Book: When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Honor Book: A Wish in the Dark, by Christina Soontornvat
Honor Book: Sara and the Search for Normal, by Welsey King
2020 Medalist, Author Jason Reynolds
Fast Facts about Jason: Lives in Washington; writes an average of three books a year; graduated from the University of Maryland; didn’t read his first book until age 17; can crochet a sweater; won the Newbery Honor, the Kirkus Prize, An NAACP Image Award, a Prinz Honor, an Edgar Award and a National Book Award Finalist; Upon being named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2020-21: “This isn’t an award; this is a role, it’s a responsibility. And I’m going to make sure I do my very best to uphold it and make something of it.”
Honor Book: A Place to Belong, by Cynthia Kadohata
Fast Facts About Cynthia: Born in Chicago; attended USC; won the Newbery medal for her YA novel Kira-Kira; first story sold: The New Yorker; first rejection letter: The Atlantic; Favorite children’s book: Diamond in the Window; loves chocolate, books, dogs and traveling the US; hates carnival rides; if she didn’t trust her editor this much, she might behave better. Or not.
Honor Book: The Line Tender, by Kate Allen
Fast Facts about Kate: Grew up in Massachusetts; Once convinced a grocery store clerk she had a baby brother named Bimbo; Won the Writing Contest in senior year; Likes to cook; Always keeps a journal in her bag; When she was a child, a magician told her someday she would be an interior decorator but she was sure she would be a doctor...turns out they were both wrong.
Honor Book: Stargazing, by Jen Wang
Fast Facts about Jen: Co-founder and organizer for Comic Arts LA; Born in Bay Area; Winner of the 2019 Eisner Award; Works on one book at a time; An avid library-goer as a child; Angeleno; Loves Manga
Hear from Our Authors
We welcome you to enjoy the Annual Judy Lopez Memorial Awards from 2022
Veera Hiranandani: 2019 Honor
Alan Gratz: 2018 Medal
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge Book Trailer: 2019 Medal Winner
Cece Bell: 2015 Medal
Mira Bartok: 2020 Medal
Winners of the Judy Lopez Memorial Awards Since 1986
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2022: How to Find What Your Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani
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2021: Everything Sad is Untrue by
Daniel Nayeri -
2020: Look Both Ways: a Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds (Atheneum/Caitlin Dlouhy Bks)
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2019: The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin (Candlewick Press)
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2018: Refugee by Alan Gratz
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2017: PAX by Sara Penny Packer
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2016: The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
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2015: El Deafo by Cece Bell
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2014: The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt
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2013: Wonder by R. J. Palacio
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2012: Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby
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2011: Grounded by Kate Klise
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2010: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
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2009: We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
