The Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature 2025

Every year, the Walter Dean Myers Awards celebrates and honors diverse books by diverse creators. Our judging committee, comprised of esteemed librarians and educators, consider hundreds of books each year before selecting winners in two categories: Younger Readers and Young Adult. We also commit to purchasing our Walter Award winners and donating them to classrooms nationally.

Affectionately called “The Walter,” this program is named for award-winning children’s and young adult author Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​(1937-2014).​