Asian-Pacific American Award for Literature

I.  Background to the Award.

The Asian-Pacific American Award for Literature is presented by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA).  On the left is the symbol of the association (from the association's website).  The award is given to literature that "promotes Asian/Pacific Americans' culture and their heritage, based on literary merit" (APALA, Award 2007).  The first awards were presented in 2003, for books published between 2001 and 2003.  The second awards cycle (2004-2005) presented awards for books published over a two year time span.  Currently the award is presented annually.  Awards are given and honor books are named in three categories: adult fiction, children's book illustration, and children's and young adult writing.  In order to be eligible for one of these awards, books must be about Asian/Pacific heritage, but do not need to be written by an Asian/Pacific American, and the books must have been published in the year preceding the award.  The award-winning books are selected by the APALA's Literary Award Committee, and the winners for each category are announced at the APALA Executive Board Meeting.  Winners receive a plaque at the American Library Association annual conference.  Below is a list, by year, of the award winners and books that were named honor books.

II.  Award Winners and Honor Recipients.

   2006

• Adult Fiction Award:

  • Brothers: A Novel, written by Da Chen (Shayre Areheart Books, 2006).

• Adult Fiction Honor:

  • Color of the Sea, written by John Hamamura (Thomas Dunne Books, 2006).

• Children's Illustrator Award:

  • The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea, written and illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien (Charlesbridge Publishing, 2006).

• Children's Illustrator Honor:

  • Brothers, written by Yin and illustrated by Chris Soentpiet (Philomel, 2006).

• Children and Young Adult Author Award:

  • Nothing but the Truth, written by Justina Chen Headley (Little Brown Young Readers, 2006).

• Children and Young Adult Author Honor:

  • Year of the Dog, written by Grace Lin (Little Brown Young Readers, 2006).

   2004-2005

• Adult Fiction Award:

  • Aloft, written by Change-Rae Lee (Riverhead Books, 2004).

• Adult Fiction Honors:

  • Saving Fish from Drowning, written by Amy Tan (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005).

  • Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, written by Lisa See (Random House, 2005).

• Children's Illustrator Award:

  • The Firekeeper's Son, written by Linda Sue Park and illustrated by Julie Downing (Clarion Books, 2004).

• Children's Illustrator Honors:

  • Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story, written by Paula Yoo and illustrated by Dom Lee (Lee & Low Books, 2005).

  • Bread Song, written by Frederick Lipp and illustrated by Jason Gaillard (Mondo Publishing, 2004).

• Children and Young Adult Author Award:

  • Kira-Kira, written by Cynthia Kadohata (Atheneum, 2004).

• Children and Young Adult Author Honors:

  • Shanghai Messenger, written by Andrea Cheng and illustrated by Ed Young (Lee & Low Books, 2005).

  • Project Mulberry: A Novel, written by Linda Sue Park (Clarion Books, 2005).

   2001-2003

• Adult Fiction Award:
  • Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel (Harcourt, 2002).

• Children's Illustrator Award:
  • Apple Pie 4th of July, written by Janet S. Wong and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002).

• Children's Illustrator Honors:
  • Tanuki's Gift, written by Tim Myer and illustrated by Robert Roth (Marshall Cavendish, 2003).
  • Coolies, written by Yin and illustrated by Chris Soentpiet (Philomel Books, 2001).

• Children and Young Adult Author Award:
  • A Step from Heaven, written by An Na (Front Street, 2001).

• Children and Young Adult Author Honors:
  • Born Confused, written by Tanuja Desai Hidier (Scholastic Press, 2002).
  • Beacon Hill Boys, written by Ken Mochizuki (Scholastic Press, 2002).
  • A Single Shard, written by Linda Sue Park (Clarion Books, 2001). 

(List adapted from APALA, Award 2007).

III.  Resources.

Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.  (2007).  Asian Pacific American Award for Literature (APAAL) 2007.  Retrieved on March 12, 2008 from:

http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards.htm

Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.  (2007).  Asian Pacific American Award for Literature (APAAL) 2004-2005.  Retrieved on March 12, 2008 from:

http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards0405.htm

Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.  (2007).  Asian Pacific American Award for Literature (APAAL) 2001-2003.  Retrieved on March 12, 2008 from:

http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards0203.htm

Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.  (2007).  Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (APAAL) Guidelines.  Retrieved on March 12, 2008 from:

http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/APALA-AwardGuidelines.doc