Applications are open for the Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature 2023. The Awards recognize diverse authors whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.

Myers​ ​was​ ​the​ ​third​ ​National​ ​Ambassador for​ ​Young​ ​People’s​ ​Literature,​ ​appointed​ ​in​ ​2012​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Library​ ​of​ ​Congress.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​a​ ​champion of​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​books.​ ​The​ ​Walter​ ​Awards​ commemorate ​Myers’​ ​memory​ ​and​ ​his​ literary legacy,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​celebrate​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature.

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Categories of Walter Dean Myers Awards

• The 2023 Walter Awards will be given in two categories: Teen and Younger Readers.

Eligibility for Walter Dean Myers Awards

• A submission must be written by a diverse author and the submission must be a diverse work. If a work has co-authors, at least one of the authors must be diverse.
• A diverse work constitutes a work written by a diverse author featuring a diverse main character. For works without a main character, the work must address diversity in a substantial capacity.
• Work must be an original work published in English for the first time in 2022 and must be readily available in the United States either from a U.S. publisher or U.S. distributor.
• Work may have been originally in another language and translated, but the first English publication date must be in 2022. Multilingual editions are also eligible as long as the primary language is English.
• For Teen consideration, work must be determined to be for an audience of ages 13-18.
• For Younger Readers consideration, work must be determined to be for an audience of ages 9-13. This category includes picture books in which the format and content are determined to be appropriate for this age bracket.

Application of Walter Dean Myers Awards

The submissions deadline for The 2023 Walter Dean Myers Awards consideration is November 15, 2022. All shipments must be postmarked no later than November 15, 2022. Shipments postmarked after this date will NOT be eligible for consideration.

Publishers are invited to submit eligible titles for consideration to the Walter Awards Judging Committee. One physical book must be provided to each of the committee members. Contact [email protected] to receive Committee members’ shipping addresses.

When publishers submit books, they must supply information regarding which book[s] they are sending. Requested information includes:

• A tally of the books included in the shipment, with the publication dates for each book.
• The diversity with which the author identifies.
• The diversity of the main character or the overall diversity of the work.

Publishers must submit physical copies. Physical copies may be a finished book or an ARC. All ARCs must be followed up with a final printed copy by December 31, 2022.

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Lastly, It is important to visit the official website link found below to access the application form.

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