The​ ​We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books​ ​Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee​ ​has​ ​selected​ ​the​ ​Winners​ ​and Honorees​ ​for​ ​the​ seventh​ ​annual​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​for​ ​Outstanding​ ​Children’s​ ​Literature.

The ​Awards​ ​comprise two​ ​categories:​ ​Teen​ ​(​ages​ ​13-18​)​ ​and​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​(​ages 9-13​).​ ​One Winner​ and two Honor Books ​in​ each ​category​ ​have​ ​been​ ​named.

2022​ ​Walter​ ​Award,​ ​Teen​ ​Category

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Henry Holt and Co.)

2022 ​Walter​ ​Honors,​ ​Teen​ ​Category

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (Dutton Books for Young Readers)

Revolution in Our Time by Kekla Magoon (Candlewick)

2022 ​Walter​ ​Award,​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Category

Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (Quill Tree Books)

2022 ​Walter​ ​Honors,​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Category

Borders by Thomas King and illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Root Magic by Eden Royce (Walden Pond Press)

The​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Award,​ ​also​ ​known​ ​as​ ​“The​ ​Walter,”​ ​is​ ​named​ ​for​ ​prolific​ ​children’s​ ​and young​ ​adult​ ​author​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​(1937-2014).​ ​Myers​ ​was​ ​the​ ​third​ ​National​ ​Ambassador for​ ​Young​ ​People’s​ ​Literature,​ ​appointed​ ​in​ ​2012​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Library​ ​of​ ​Congress.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​a​ ​champion of​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​books.​ ​The​ ​Walter​ ​Awards​ commemorate ​Myers’​ ​memory​ ​and​ ​his​ literary legacy,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​celebrate​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature.

The​ ​seventh annual Walter Awards ​will​ ​be​ ​held on ​Friday,​ ​March​ ​11,​ ​2022. The two-part event will include a symposium on children’s literature followed by the awards ceremony. The event will be livestreamed and tentatively held in person at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. The final decision will consider the COVID-19 situation and align with recommended CDC guidelines for indoor gatherings. 

The​ ​2022 ​Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee:​ Alicia K. Long (Committee Chair, Access Services Supervisor/Librarian, State College of Florida; Bradenton, Florida), Lindsay Hall (Library Media Specialist, Alexandria City High School; Alexandria, Virginia), Gregory Lum (Library Director, Jesuit High School; Portland, Oregon), Jennifer Bonilla (Librarian, Billy Mills Middle School; Lawrence, Kansas), J. Tyler Chadwell-English (Teen Services Librarian, Urbana Regional Library, Frederick County Public Libraries; Urbana, Maryland), Ariana Hussain (Lower School Teacher Librarian, The Blake School; Wayzata, Minnesota), Rachel L. Rickard Rebellino (Instructor, Department of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University; Columbus, Ohio).