Children's book award · 2013–2026

Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature Books

The Stonewall Book Awards are named for the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York, and they are the first and longest-running American awards for books relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience, given since 1971 by what is now the American Library Association's Rainbow Round Table. The children's and young adult category was added in 2010, and in 2012 it was named for Mike Morgan and Larry Romans, a couple of more than forty years whose gift endowed it; Romans, a longtime round table member, said families still had trouble finding good books of this kind.

The standard is exceptional literary merit relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience, which means the committee is weighing the writing and not simply the presence of a queer character — a distinction that shows in a winners list running from picture books to young adult novels, fiction and nonfiction both. Honor books are named alongside each winner. For a parent or teacher assembling a shelf where LGBTQIA+ kids and families appear as a matter of course, it is the deepest single backlist available, and it stretches back further than any comparable list.

Information from the American Library Association.

Graphic Nov.

Series

Graphic Nov.

The most recent cycle

The 2026 Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature

2026 Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature Winner

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$2089

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2025

Halfway to Somewhere

By Jose Pimienta

New country, new school, and a fractured family. Can a middle schooler find their place amidst change and challenge?

Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature (2026)

256 pages

3.8/5 Goodreads · 476 ratings

$21.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Ave faces a daunting move from Mexico to Kansas, leaving behind half their family due to a divorce. As they grapple with a new language and school, Ave must redefine what family means and discover where they truly belong. Will they find friendship and identity in this unfamiliar world, or will the challenges prove too great? This graphic novel explores the heart of home and the resilience of a young spirit.

2026 Honor Books

Sale price

$1697

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2025

The Ink Witch

By Steph Cherrywell

A girl must unlock her magic to save her mother from a sinister spell.

Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature Honor (2026)

288 pages

4.0/5 Goodreads · 136 ratings

$17.99Save 6%

Hardcover

Summary: Becca's summer takes a wild turn when her estranged aunt, a powerful witch, casts a spell that leaves Becca's mother mindless. With only a talking tarantula and a friendly troll for help, Becca must discover her own magical abilities. Can she find the rare ingredients needed to break the spell, including mermaid eggs and troll teeth? As she navigates this enchanting yet perilous quest, Becca learns that her family's secrets run deeper than she ever imagined. Will she succeed in restoring her mother and uncovering her true heritage?

Sale price

$2089

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2025

Call Me Gray

By Andrew Larsen, Bells Larsen, Tallulah Fontaine (Illustrator)

A child reveals their true identity to their dad, seeking acceptance and understanding.

Ezra Jack Keats Honor (2026)Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature Honor (2026)

32 pages· 610 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud

4.2/5 Goodreads · 165 ratings

$21.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: In a wintery setting, a child bravely shares their true identity with their dad, asking, "Do you ever feel different than the way you look?" As they navigate this heartfelt conversation, the child, who feels like Gray, seeks acceptance and understanding. Will their dad embrace this change, affirming their identity and ensuring home remains a safe haven? This touching story explores the complexities of identity and the warmth of unconditional love, inviting families to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Every year

Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature Winners by Year

The honorees

Books Recognized by the Stonewall Book Award – Children's & Young Adult Literature

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$2199

Halfway to Somewhere

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2025

New country, new school, and a fractured family. Can a middle schooler find their place amidst change and challenge?

Sale price

$2199

Call Me Gray

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2025

A child reveals their true identity to their dad, seeking acceptance and understanding.

Sale price

$1799

The Ink Witch

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2025

A girl must unlock her magic to save her mother from a sinister spell.

Series

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$1799

Cross My Heart and Never Lie

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2020

Tuva's first crush complicates friendships and self-discovery in seventh grade.

Sale price

$1799

The Otherwoods

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2023

A spirit world calls, and River must face monsters to save a friend.

Sale price

$1899

Not He or She, I'm Me

Picture Book · Ages 3–6 · 2023

A non-binary child embraces their identity through a joyful day.

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$1299

The Real Riley Mayes

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022

Riley navigates fifth grade, friendship, and self-discovery through humor and art.

Sale price

$1999

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet

Chapter Book · Ages 13–+ · 2022

A Métis girl faces family secrets and threats to her ice-cream shack.

Sale price

$1799

Kapaemahu

Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2022

Forgotten stones hold ancient healing powers on Waikiki Beach.

Sale price

$1699

Too Bright to See

Chapter Book · Ages 10–12 · 2021

A ghostly mystery leads Bug to a life-changing discovery about identity.

Series

Sale price

$1399

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Chapter Book · Ages 14–+ · 2021

In 1950s Chinatown, two girls risk everything for forbidden love amid Red-Scare paranoia.

Sale price

$1799

Almost Flying

Chapter Book · Ages 10–14

Sale price

$1799

Grandad's Camper

Picture Book · Ages 3–6 · 2021

A girl devises a plan to rekindle her grandad's adventurous spirit after loss.

Series

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$1299

Beetle & the Hollowbones

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2020

A young goblin named Beetle befriends a ghost trapped in a mall and together they try to find a way to free the ghost before the mall is demolished, while also navigating Beetle's complicated relationships with her gran and her friend Kat, who is now an apprentice to a powerful sorceress.