2023 Award Winners

Children’s Literature

Set in Vietnam

My Grandfather’s Song

Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên
(Make Me a World)
Set in Malaysia and China

Masked Hero: How Wu Lien-Teh Invented the Mask That Ended an Epidemic

Shan Woo Liu and Kaili Liu Gormley; illustrated by Lisa Wee
(MIT Kids Press)
Set in Philippines

Maria Orosa Freedom Fighter: Scientist and Inventor from the Philippines

Norma Olizon-Chikiamco; illustrated by Mark Salvatu
(Tuttle Publishing)
Set in Malaysia

Boys Don’t Fry

Kimberly Lee; illustrated by Charlene Chua
(Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)
Set in Japan

Kozo the Sparrow

Allen Say
(Clarion Books)
Set in Japan

Mai and the Missing Melon

Sonoko Sakai; illustrated by Keiko Brodeur
(Bala Kids)
Set in Japan

Yukie’s Island: My Family’s World War II Story

Yukie Kimura, Kōdo Kimura and Steve Sheinkin; illustrated by Kōdo Kimura
(Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)

Young Adult / Middle School Literature

Set in Vietnam and the Philippines

The Cricket War

Thọ Phạm and Sandra McTavish
(Kids Can Press)
Set in China

Chinese Menu: The History, Myths and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods

Grace Lin
(Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers)
Set in Vietnam

Mèo and Bé

Doan Phuong Nguyen; illustrated by Jesse White
(Tu Books)
Set in Korea

In the Tunnel

Julie Lee
(Holiday House)

Young Adult / High School Literature

Set in Hong Kong

An Echo in the City

K. X. Song
(Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers)
Set in Japan

Catfish Rolling

Clara Kumagai
(Amulet Books)
Set in Vietnam and America

My Father, the Panda Killer

Jamie Jo Hoang
(Crown Books for Young Readers)
Set in Myanmar

A Little Boy on Ramree Island: A True Story about Growing up on an Island in the Bay of Bengal

Aung Z. Mong and Jill Brock Mong
(Self-published)

Young Adult / Middle & High School Graphic Novels

Set in Taiwan

The Boy from Clearwater: Book 1

Yu Pei-Yun; illustrated by Zhou Jian-Xin; translated by Lin King
(Levine Querido)
Set in Taiwan

Lost in Taiwan

Mark Crilley
(LBInk/Little, Brown and Company)
Set in Vietnam

Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant

Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung; iIllustrated by Jeet Zdung
(Dial Books)
Set in Japan

Okinawa

Susumu Higa; edited by Andrew Woodrow-Butcher and Christopher Woodrow-Butcher; translated by Jocelyne Allen
(Fantagraphics Books)

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Children’s Young Adult / Middle Young Adult / High Graphic Novels

Are You a Teacher?

NCTA has developed Culture Notes and Curriculum Connections to help you bring these books into your classroom. Visit individual book pages to view. NCTA also has a list of additional titles about East and Southeast Asia. Explore Recommended Books
About the awards

Honoring East And Southeast Asian Titles for Children and Young Adults

National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA), the Committee on Teaching about Asia (CTA) of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), and Asia for Educators (AFE) at Columbia University sponsor the annual Freeman Book Awards for new young adult and children’s literature. The awards recognize quality books for children and young adults that contribute meaningfully to an understanding of East and Southeast Asia. Awards are given in two categories: Children’s and Young Adult on the several countries of East and Southeast Asia.

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