We considered intermediate grade books published in 2019 that include a diversity of characters, families, and life experiences, and that received recognition from the American Library Association. This recognition may have included the Newbery Medal/Honor, the Belpré Award/Honor, the King Award/Honor/New Talent, the Schneider Family Award, the Batchelder Award/Honor, the Stonewall Award/Honor, the Sibert Award/Honor, Asian/Pacific American Library Association Award/Honor, and/or being named an ALSC Notable. Picture books and YA books were eliminated.
From this short list, each of us read as many books as possible and shared our comments. Those who had read all or most of the books met to review the submitted comments and discuss the relative merits of each book. In this way, we identified our top 8 choices for our award for 2020-21.
Ivy Aberdeen's Letters to the World, by Ashley Herring Blake
They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems, by David Bowles
Aru Shah and the End of Time, by Roshani Chokshi
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, by Leslie Connor
The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani
Merci Suárez Changes Gears, by Meg Medina
The House That Lou Built, by Mae Respecio
Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes