2019 Freeman Book Award Winners

Children’s Literature

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden

By Heather Smith, Illustrated byRachel Wada (Orca Book Publisher)

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

By Andrea Wang, Illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz (Little Bee Books)

The Moose of Ewenki

By Gerelchimeg Blackcrane, Illustrated by Jiu Er (Greystone Books)

Young Adult / Middle School Literature

All the Ways Home

By Elsie Chapman (Macmillan, Feiwel and Friends)

A Place to Belong

By Cynthia Kadohata, Illustrated by Julia Kuo (Simon & Schuster)

House Without Walls

By Ching Yeung Russell (Simon & Schuster)

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan

By Sherry Thomas (Lee & Low)

Young Adult / High School Literature

The Weight of Our Sky

By Hanna Alkaf (Simon & Schuster, Salaam Reads)

Patron Saints of Nothing

By Randy Ribay (Penguin Young Readers, Kokila)

Explore Award Winners by Year

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Explore Award Winners by Age Group

Children’s Young Adult / Middle Young Adult / High YA 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.

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