Featuring a guest post by Karen Hildebrand, 2012 Chair of the NBGS Award
Not only is it important to find stories that portray a myriad of identities to which children can relate and to cultivate these stories to execute the most authentic voice that will ring true, it is also important to send these tales out into the marketplace with their best foot forward, supported by the sales and marketing teams at houses and reviewed by critics in the industry to gain maximum exposure. One way to gain exposure for these books is with awards.
Below you'll find three awards highlighted, but there are many more awards that celebrate and "recognize
children's and young adult literature titles that portray an authentic
image of a racial, ethnic or religious group; or promote social justice
and peace", according to the National-Louis University Library who have curated a list of just such awards. Cynthia Leitich Smith also provides a wonderful list of children's literature awards, many of which are specifically for books that focus on diversity in its many forms.