Américas Award
Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
History of the Award
CLASP (Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs) founded the Américas Award in 1993 to encourage and commend authors, illustrators and publishers who produce quality children’s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States, and to provide teachers with recommendations for classroom use. CLASP offersup to two annual book awards, together with a commended list of titles. By linking the Americas, the intent is to reach beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural-international boundaries, focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere.
The Américas Award is now co-coordinated by Vanderbilt University Center for Latin American Studies (Claire Gonzalez) and Tulane Stone Center for Latin American Studies (Denise Woltering).
Criteria
Books will be judged by the Américas Award Review Committee for: 1) distinctive literary quality; 2) cultural contextualization; 3) exceptional integration of text, illustration and design; and 4) potential for classroom use.
Process
To nominate a 2012 copyright title, publishers are invited to submit review copies to the committee members by January 18, 2013. There is no entry fee. Americas Award 2013 Annoucement.
2012 Award Winners
Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck by Margarita Engle. Henry Holt and Company.
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown; Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Henry Holt and Company.
2012 Honorable Mention
Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Lee and Low Books, Inc.
The Queen of Water by Laura Resau and María Virginia Farinango. Delacorte Press.
2012 Commended Titles
Sylvia and Aki by Winifred Conkling. Tricycle Press.
Read the Press Release
Engage with Américas Award Books
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