MLA 2021 Youth Literary Awards Top Titles 

February 26, 2021

We are excited to announce the top titles of the 2021 Mitten, YouPer and Thumbs Up! Awards! Top Ten Title flyers, awards seals and award banners are available and free to use! Please use these resources at your library to help us promote MLA Youth Literary Awards and the amazing job our work groups do in selecting the very best books for youth! Read on for details. 

MLA Youth Literary Award work groups worked throughout the past year, spending thousands of hours reading, reviewing and discussing hundreds of books to determine the top titles for youth published in 2020.

It is our pleasure to share the Top Ten Titles of the 2021 MItten, Youper and Thumbs Up! Awards! The winners and honor books will be announced at Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021 during Friday's Literary Awards Lunch Break. Can't make it to Spring Institute this year? Watch for the announcement from MLA on our social media and website after Spring Institute!

2021 Mitten Award Top Ten Titles

The Barnabus Project by Eric Fan, Terry Fan, Devin Fan

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Crossings by Katy Duffield

Hike by Pete Oswald

If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall

Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron

Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal

Download the Mitten Top Ten Titles flyer (pdf). Award seals and web banners are also available at milibraries.org/mitten-award. 

YouPer Award Top Ten Titles

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert

Santiago's Road Home by Alexandra Diaz

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Snapdragon by Kat Leyh

Twilight Hauntings (Enchanter's Child #1) by Angie Sage

What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed

Download the YouPer Top Ten Titles flyer(pdf). More resources to help promote the award are available at milibraries.org/youper-award.  

Thumbs Up! Award Top Ten Titles

Burn by Patrick Ness

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep by Allan Wolf

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi

What I Carry by Jennifer Longo

Download the Thumbs Up! Top Ten Titles Teen Vote flyer(pdf) and share it with your teen patrons! Plus, download web banners and award seals at milibraries.org/thumbs-up-award.

Thumbs Up! Teen Vote is Live!

Through March 10, teens aged 13 to 18 can vote online for their favorite book from the top titles. Distribute Thumbs Up! Top Ten Titles Teen Vote flyer(pdf) with the link to the online survey or share the link below on your library's website! Voting can be done online through March 10.

The winner, honor books, and Teen Choice will be announced at Spring Institute 2021 on Friday, March 12, at 12:15 pm during the Literary Awards Lunch Break.

Please share this link with your teen patrons and encourage them to vote!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/thumbsupteenchoice2021