The longlist for the National Book Award for young people’s literature has been revealed, with 10 books in contention for the annual prize.
Dan Santat made the longlist for his graphic memoir A First Time for Everything, which he wrote and illustrated. Two other works of nonfiction were nominated: Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day, written and illustrated by Dan Nott, and More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, written by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long.
The picture book Big, written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison, made the longlist, along with the graphic novels Huda F Cares?, written and illustrated by Huda Fahmy, and Parachute Kids, written and illustrated by Betty C. Tang.
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow was nominated alongside three other non-graphic works of fiction: Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow, Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick, and The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh.
The judges for this year’s young people’s literature prize are Sarah Park Dahlen, Kyle Lukoff, Claudette S. McLinn, justin a. reynolds, and Sabaa Tahir. The shortlist for the award will be revealed on Oct. 3, with the winner announced at the National Book Awards ceremony on Nov. 15.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
