​We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books​ ​announced the sixth​ ​annual​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​for​ ​Outstanding​ ​Children’s​ ​Literature. The​ ​awards​ are named​ ​for​ ​​ ​children’s​ ​and young​ ​adult​ ​author​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​(1937-2014) and commemorate ​his ​memory​ ​and​ ​​ literary legacy,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​celebrate​ ​diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature.

The Walter ​Awards​ are giving in two categories: teen (age 13-18) and younter reader (age 9-13). On winner and two Honor Books were selected for each category.

2021​ ​Walter​ ​Awards

​Teen​ ​Winner

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, illustrated by Omar T. Pasha

Teen Honors

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Winner

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, with color by Iman Geddy

​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Honors

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

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We Need Diverse Books also announced its sixth annual Symposium​ ​on​ diversity​ ​in​ ​children’s​ ​literature,​ ​co-hosted by​ ​the​ ​Library​ ​of​ ​Congress (LOC), on Friday March 12.​ ​The​ ​Symposium,​ ​titled​ “Listening, Learning, Creating Communities,”​ ​will be​ ​moderated​ ​by​ ​Deborah D. Taylor, Coretta Scott King Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement award-winning librarian and educator, and will include Walter Award-winning panelists Traci Chee, Robin Ha, Daniel Nayeri, and Kacen Callender.

The​ ​virtual Symposium ​will be followed by the Walter Awards ceremony. Author Laurie Halse Anderson will serve as ceremony emcee. The event will stream on LOC's Library’s Facebook page and its YouTube site.