MLA 2022 Youth Literary Awards Top Ten Titles Lists Announced

We are excited to announce the top titles of the 2022 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 workgroups do in selecting the very best books for youth! Read on for details.

MLA Youth Literary Award workgroups 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 2021.

View the Top Ten Titles of the 2022 MItten, Youper and Thumbs Up! Awards below! The winners and honor books will be announced at the new MLA Youth Literary Awards event: Save the date for Friday, May 27 at 10:00 AM and plan to join us live on Zoom or watch for the announcement from MLA on our social media and website!

2022 Mitten Award Top Ten Titles

Listed in random order:

Areli is a Dreamer
By Areli Morales, Illustrated by Luisa Uribe 

The Midnight Fair 
By Gideon Sterer, Illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio 

Best Day Ever! 
By Marilyn Singer, Illustrated by Leah Nixon 

Dad Bakes 
By Katie Yamasaki, Illustrated by Katie Yamasaki 

Out of Nowhere 
By Chris Naylor- Ballesteros, Illustrated by Chris Naylor- Ballesteros 

Dumplings for Lili 
By Melissa Iwai, Illustrated by Melissa Iwai 

Time for Bed, Old House
By Janet Costa Bates, Illustrated by A.G. Ford 

Looking for a Jumbie 
By Tracey Baptiste, Illustrated by Amber Ren 

We All Play 
By Julie Flett, Illustrated by Julie Flett 

Milo Imagines the World
By Matt de la Peña, Illustrated by Christian Robinson 

2022 YouPer Award Top Ten Titles

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids
Edited By Cynthia Leitich Smith

Ophie’s Ghosts 
By Justina Ireland 

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna  
By Alda P. Dobbs 

Playing the Cards You’re Dealt
By Varian Johnson 

Cece Rios and the Desert of Lost Souls
By Kaela Rivera 

Starfish 
By Lisa Fipps 

The Comeback 
By E. L. Shen 

Maya and the Robot
By Eve L. Ewing 

The Swag is in the Socks
By Kelly J. Baptist 

World in Between 
By Kenan Trebincevic and Susan Shapiro  

2022 Thumbs Up Award Top Ten Titles

All of Us Villains
By Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

Concrete Rose
By Angie Thomas

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry 
By Joya Goffney

Firekeeper’s Daughter
By Angeline Boulley

The Girls I’ve Been 
By Tess Sharpe

Instructions for Dancing 
By Nicola Yoon

In the Wild Light
By Jeff Zenter

Last Night at the Telegraph Club
By Malinda Lo 

Muted
By Tami Charles

You’d Be Home Now
By Kathleen Glasgow