Awards and Honors
Recognition
Boston Public Library Literary Lights Award
The Empire State Author Award
Hans Christian Andersen Author Award, 2022 U.S. candidate (announcement)
The Knickerbocker Award, New York Library Association
NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature 2021 Shortlist
Rochester (NY) Arts Council 2002 Literary Artist of the Year award
2002 Newbery Medal Book
2002 ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2002 ALA Notable Book for Children
2003 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Author Honor
2001 Booklist Editor’s Choice
2001 Capitol Choices Selection
2001 CCBC Choices
2003-2004 Charlie May Simon Book Award Nominee (AR)
2003 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Nominee (VT)
2003-2004 Lamplighter Award Nominee
2003-2004 Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Nominee
2002 NCTE Adventuring with Books, Booklist for Pre-K – Grade 6
NCTE Kaleidoscope: A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8
2005 Nene Award Nominee (HI)
2001 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2002 Notable Books for a Global Society (ILA)
2003 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee
2006 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List (IL)
2001 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2004 Sequoyah Book Award (OK)
2004 William Allen White Children’s Book Award Nominee (KS)
2004 Young Reader’s Choice Award—Intermediate/Grades 7-9 Winner
2012 Black-Eyed Susan Award Nominee (MA)
2010 Book Links Lasting Connections
2012 Flicker Tale Children’s Book Award (ND)
2013 Golden Sower Award Nominee (NE)
2012 Great Lakes Book Award Nominee (MI)
2013 Iowa Children’s Choice Award Nominee
IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
2011 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award (NY)
Junior Library Guild Selection
2012 Kentucky Blue Grass Award Nominee
2012-2013 Lamplighter Award Nominee
2012 Maine Student Book Award Nominee
2012-2013 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee (MN)
2011 NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2013 Nene Award Nominee (HI)
2013 North Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominee
2013 Nutmeg Award Nominee (CT)
2016 Oregon Battle of the Books Nominee
2013 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee
2015 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List (IL)
2013 Sasquatch Award Nominee (WA)
Shalom Readers Book Club List
2013 South Carolina Association of School Librarians Award Nominee
2013 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Master List (FL)
2013-2014 Virginia Readers’ Choice Award Nominee
2012 Volunteer State Book Award Runner-Up (TN)
2013 Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Nominee
2013 Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee (IN)
2020 ALSC Notable Children’s Books
2020 CCBC Choices
Junior Library Guild selection
2020 NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2008 Black-Eyed Susan Award Nominee
2008 Kentucky Blue Grass Award Nominee
2009 Children’s Choice Award Nominee (IA)
2009 Mark Twain Readers Award Nominee (MO, MASL)
2009 Sasquatch Award Nominee (WA)
2009 South Carolina Association of School Librarians Award Nominee
2009 William Allen White Children’s Book Award Nominee (KS)
2010 Nutmeg Award Nominee (CT)
2010 Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee (IN)
2005 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2006 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2019 Selected to the Amelia Bloomer Book List (an American Library Association list of
well-written books with significant feminist content, intended for young readers)
2018 The New York Public Library Best Books for Teens: Top 10
2004 AISLE Read-Aloud Books Too Good to Miss
2006 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
2005 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2004 Bank Street College of Education Irma Simonton and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature Honor Book
2005 CCBC Choices
2007 Georgia’s Children’s Book Award Nominee
2005 IRA Teachers’ Choice Reading List
Junior Library Guild Selection
2005 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2006 Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee
2008 Monarch Award Nominee (IL)
2004 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2004 Parents’ Choice Recommended Winner
2007 Volunteer State (TN) Book Award Master Reading List
2006 Young Hoosier Book Award (IN) Nominee
2010 Charlie May Simon Book Award nominee (AR)
Junior Library Guild Selection
2010 Nene Award Nominee (HI)
2010 Oregon Battle of the Books
2010 Prairie Pasque Award nominee (SD)
2005 Arizona Young Readers’ Master List
2000 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2002 California Young Readers Medal finalist
2001 CCBC Choices
2001-2002 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Nominee (VT)
2001 IRA Teachers’ Choices Reading List
Junior Library Guild Selection
2001 Notable Books for a Global Society (ILA)
2002-2003 South Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominee
2004 Texas Bluebonnet Master List
2002-2003 Young Hoosier Book Aware Nominee (IN)
ALA Notable Children’s Book 2022
Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year 2022
Kirkus Best Books
Horn Book Fanfare
Massachusetts Children’s Book Award nominee
NPR Books We Love
Nerdy Award for Poetry & Verse
Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2022
Illustrations by Robert Sae-Heng chosen for Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Exhibit
Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee 2022-2023
Amazon.com Best Children’s Books of 2020: Ages 9-12
ALSC Notables Books 2021
Asian/Pacific American Award 2021, Children’s literature honor book
Capitol Choices 2021
CCBC Choices 2021
Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Older Readers 2020
Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Historical Fiction of 2020
New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids 2020
NPR’s Best Books of 2020
Parents Magazine Best Children’s Books of 2020
Shelf Awareness Best Children’s & Teen Books of 2020
Washington Post Best Children’s Books of 2020
2005 AISLE Read-Aloud Books Too Good to Miss
2006 Asian Pacific American Award for Literature, Honorable Mention
2006 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2007 Blue Hen Book Award (DE)
2006 CCBC Choices
Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award Nominee (AR)
2005 Chicago Tribune Young Adult Fiction Prize
2005 Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books
2008 Connecticut Nutmeg Award Nominee
2008 Golden Sower Award Nominee (NE)
2008 Iowa Children’s Choice Award Nominee
Junior Library Guild Selection
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2007 Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee
2006 Keystone to Reading Master List (PA)
2007-2008 Lamplighter Award Nominee
2008 Mark Twain Award Master List (MO)
2008 Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Nominee
2005 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2005 Notable Books for a Global Society
2008 Prairie Pasque Children’s Book Award Nominee (SD)
2009 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Nominee (IL)
Shalom Readers’ Book List
2008 Sunshine State Young Readers’ Award Nominee (FL)
2006 Texas Bluebonnet Master List
2008 Virginia Young Readers Award Nominee
2008 William Allen White Children’s Book Award Nominee (KS)
2000 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
1999 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
1999 Riverbank Review Book of Distinction
2002 Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
2007 ABC Children’s Booksellers Choice Award
2008 ALA Notable Book for Children
2007 Book Sense Award Finalist
2008 CCBC Choices
2007 Horn Book Fanfare Selection
2008 The Lion and the Unicorn Prize for Excellence in North American Poetry
2008 NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts
2010 Prairie Bud Children’s Book Award Nominee (SD)
2010 Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Nominee
2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
2012 ALA Notable Book for Children
2012 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2012 Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
2012 CCBC Choices
2012 NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2011 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award
2015 We Are Kid Lit Collective Summer Reading Lists
2006 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2003 ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2003 ALA Notable Book for Children
2003 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2002 Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children and Teens (DC)
2003 CCBC Choices
Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award Nominee (AR)
2003-2004 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Nominee (VT)
2005 Garden State (NJ) Teen Book Award Nominee
2003 IRA Teachers’ Choices Reading List
2003 Jane Addams Book Award Honor Book
2004-2005 Lamplighter Award Nominee
2004 Maine Student Book Award Master List
2005 Mark Twain Award Master List (MO)
2002 Michigan Library Association’s Mitten Award Winner
2002 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2003 Notable Books for a Global Society
2003 Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
2003 NYPL Books for the Teen Age List
2002 Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
2005 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List (IL)
2002 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2005 Sequoyah Book Award (OK) Nominee
2004 Skipping Stones Honor Award
2006 Sunshine State Young Readers’ Master List (FL)
2004 Utah Beehive Book Award Nominee
Wing & Claw: Forest of Wonders
2020 CCBC Choices
Junior Library Guild selection
Kirkus Reviews Best Middle-Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction of 2016
Brightly, 16 Great Middle Grade Books to Read in 2016
Wing & Claw: Cavern of Secrets
Junior Library Guild selection
2014 ALA Notable Book
2014 Bank Street CBC Best Children’s Book of the Year
2014 CCBC Choices
2014-2015 Georgia Children’s Picture Storybook Award Nominee
2016 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee
2014 IRA Teachers’ Choices Reading List
Junior Library Guild Selection
2014 Michigan Library Association’s Mitten Award Honor LIst
2015 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee
2013 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2015 Utah Beehive Award Nominee
2015 Wyoming Buckaroo Book Award Nominee
2016 Amazon Best Children’s Books of the Year
2017 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2017 CCBC Choices
2018 Land of Enchantment Book Award Nominee (NM)
2017 Maine Regional Library System Cream of the Crop List
2017 NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts
2016 Shelf Awareness Best Children’s & Teen Books of the Year
2006 ALA Notable Book for Children
2006 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
2006 CCBC Choices
2006 Connecticut Book Award Finalist
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2006 NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts