Kao Kalia Yang, a teacher and author from Minnesota, won the American Library Association’s Asian/Pacific America Award in the picture book category for “From the Tops of the Trees.”

She was among winners of ALA Youth Media awards announced Monday in Baltimore. Yang, who writes out of her Hmong immigrant experience, tells the story of a little girl whose dad takes her above the trees in their refugee camp to show her the wider world. Illustrated by Rachel Wada, the book is published by Minneapolis-based Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group.

(Courtesy photos)

Minnesotan Shannon Gibney was recognized with a Michael L. Printz Honor award for “The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be” (Dutton Books for Young Readers),  a speculative memoir of transracial adoption. The award is given for excellence in young adult literature.

The ALA Newbery award, the highest honor in children’s publishing, went to “The Eyes and the Impossible” by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris, and the Caldecott award for best picture book was given to “Big” by Vashti Harrison, the first Black woman to receive this award.

Other Lerner Publishing Group books earning notable status are “Shoham’s Bangle,”  “Raquela’s Seder,” and “The Prince of Steel Pier.”

For a complete list of winners go to ala.org.

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