The awards were established to celebrate the exemplary children’s books that represent the experience of refugee, ayslee, and immigrant families and the generations that follow them. In sync with the I’m Your Neighbor Books mission, each of the awarded books excel in:
Starting conversations on modern immigration
Refuting false narratives about communities of color
Creating emotional connections to a vast diversity of voices
Sharing the joy and strength of immigrant kids and families
Building the cultural competency of all readers
Laying the groundwork for cross-cultural communication
2024 Book Awards
In 2024, I’m Your Neighbor Books had the unexpected opportunity to work with the Maine Department of Education on a national professional development video series. The Pine Project: Professional Development which integrates past book award creator interviews, clocks in at 250 minutes of engagement with Immigrant and New Generation children’s literature. The work on that project precluded us from producing the 2024 Book Awards. We look forward to announcing our 2025 awards this fall.
This award honors a children’s picture book or novel that honors the challenges of obtaining a new language and the power of holding and speaking multiple languages.
This is a new award in 2023.
2023-24 Social Action Book Award
Congratulations to author Dina Nayeri, photographer Anna Bosch Miralpeix, and publisher Candlewick Press for winning the Social Action Book Award for The Waiting Place. This award honors a children’s picture book or novel that inspires readers to not only read, feel, and empathize, but to envision making changes within themselves and their communities.
Congratulations to creators Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein and Scholastic, Inc. for winning the Community Book Award for Invisible. This award honors a children’s picture book or novel that celebrates both the unique qualities of a particular community, but also the beautiful diversity of its members.
This video was created using previous content produced by Yuyi Morales and her publisher.
Congratulations to Yuyi Morales and Holiday House Books for Young Readers for winning the Readers Choice Book Award for Bright Star / Lucero. This award honors a children’s picture book or novel that our community of readers feels exemplifies the I’m Your Neighbor Books’ mission to create a stronger culture of welcoming and belonging.
The I’m Your Neighbor Book Awards celebrate exemplary children’s books that represent the experience of refugee, ayslee, and immigrant families and the generations that follow them.
Eligibility & Submission
The selection committee will consider any children’s book published or distributed in the United States that features an Immigrant or New Generation character or theme.
We review books in June from the previous calendar year. For example, in June 2025, the committee will consider books published in 2024. The awards are announced in December of each year. The only exception to this rule is the Reader’s Choice Award. This award may be awarded to an older book title if educators, librarians, and immigrant service groups find it deeply valuable to their work.
Review copies (final, ARC, or F&G) can be mailed to I’m Your Neighbor Books | 80 Bell Street #7 | Portland, ME 04103. Questions can be directed to kcappy@imyourneighborbooks.org.
Our Thanks
We extend our utmost gratitude to:
Susan & Hugh F. Martin for their sponsorship of these awards
