Awards

Freeman Book Awards

Young Adult / Middle Category Winners

2016

Somewhere Among

Somewhere Among

By Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
The Night Parade

The Night Parade

By Kathryn Tanquary (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)
Falling into the Dragon’s Mouth

Falling into the Dragon’s Mouth

By Holly Thompson (Henry Holt BYR/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)

2017

Bronze and Sunflower

Bronze and Sunflower

By Cao Wenxuan, illustrated by Meilo So, translated by Helen Wang (Candlewick Press)
Hotaka: Through My Eyes – Natural Disaster Zones

Hotaka: Through My Eyes – Natural Disaster Zones

By John Heffernan, edited by Lyn White (Allen & Unwin)
Ten: A Soccer Story

Ten: A Soccer Story

By Shamini Flint (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Emperor’s Riddle

The Emperor’s Riddle

By Kat Zhang (Simon & Schuster; Aladdin)

2018

Grenade

Grenade

By Alan Gratz (Scholastic Press)
Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter

Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter

By Atelier Sento, Cecile Brun, Olivier Pichard, Translated by Marie Velde (Tuttle Publishing)
Shadow of the Fox

Shadow of the Fox

By Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen)
Too Young to Escape: A Vietnamese Girl Waits to Be Reunited with Her Family

Too Young to Escape: A Vietnamese Girl Waits to Be Reunited with Her Family

By Van Ho and Marsha Skrypuch (Pajama Press)

2019

All the Ways Home

All the Ways Home

By Elsie Chapman (Macmillan, Feiwel and Friends)
A Place to Belong

A Place to Belong

By Cynthia Kadohata, Illustrated by Julia Kuo (Simon & Schuster)
Girl of the Southern Sea

Girl of the Southern Sea

By Michelle Kadarusman (Pajama Press)
House Without Walls

House Without Walls

By Ching Yeung Russell (Simon & Schuster)
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan

By Sherry Thomas (Lee & Low)

2020

Brother’s Keeper

Brother’s Keeper

By Julie Lee (Holiday House)
Beyond Me

Beyond Me

By Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu (Simon & Schuster)
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team

By Christina Soontornvat (Candlewick Press)

2021

Finding Junie Kim

Finding Junie Kim

By Ellen Oh (Harper Collins)
Temple Alley Summer

Temple Alley Summer

By Sachiko Kashiwaba, Translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, Illustrated by Miho Satake (Yonder)
While I Was Away

While I Was Away

By Waka T. Brown (Quill Tree Books)
How Do You Live?

How Do You Live?

By Genzaburō Yoshino, Translated by Bruno Navasky (Algonquin)
Soul Lanterns

Soul Lanterns

By Shaw Kuzki, Translated by Emily Balistrieri (Delacorte Press)

2022

Berani

Michelle Kadarusman (Pajama Press)

Morning Sun in Wuhan

Ying Chang Compestine (Clarion Books)

The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei

Christina Matula (Inkyard Press)

Dragonfly Eyes

Cao Wenxuan, Translated by Helen Wang (Candlewick Press)

2023

The Cricket War

Thọ Phạm and Sandra McTavish
(Kids Can Press)

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

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

Mèo and Bé

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

In the Tunnel

Julie Lee
(Holiday House)

2024

A Two-Placed Heart

Doan Phuong Nguyen
(Tu Books)

The Crossbow of Destiny

Brandon Hoang
(Scholastic Press)

The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree

Lucille Abendanon
(Jolly Fish Press)

A Brush with Magic

Flora Ahn
(Quirk Books)

Explore Award Winners by Year

Explore Award Winners by Age Group

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

Learn More Submission Guidelines