Black History Month is not just about history, but a living celebration of continuing Black excellence. This excellence in writing for children and teens is celebrated with awards like the Coretta Scott King Award and the John Steptoe Award.
Before authors win awards, they are beginning writers hoping their books will find an audience and positive attention. The John Steptoe New Talent Award gives them acknowledgment by celebrating outstanding new African-American authors and illustrators.
Previous winners include writers who’ve gone on to win the prestigious Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in young adult literature (Jason Reynolds and Tiffany D. Jackson) or had their works adapted into successful movies (Nicola Yoon).
If you want to check out an author who might be the next big thing or see where a famous one got their start, DKPL has plenty of books by previous Steptoe Award winners to choose from.
Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper (1996 Steptoe Award Winner) This book was the first ever Steptoe Award winner. After a night of partying, Andy crashes his car resulting in the death of his basketball teammate and friend, Rob. Andy struggles with his guilt and tries to make sense of his life after the accident.
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds (2015 Steptoe Award Winner) Ali’s Brooklyn neighborhood is rough, but he focused on school and boxing while trying to stay away from the hardest parts of the streets. Trouble finds him when he and his friends, Noodles and Needles, end up at a party in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Jason Reynolds was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in young adult literature in 2024.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (2017 Steptoe Award Winner) Daniel, a Korean-American teen bound for an Ivy League school, and Natasha, a Jamaican-American teen whose family is facing possible deportation, have a chance meet-cute in New York City that could change both their lives. This book and another one of Nicola Yoon’s books, Everything, Everything, were adapted into movies.
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson (2019 Steptoe Award Winner) Claudia is the only one who seems to notice or worry that her best friend Monday is missing. Her memory is scattered, but it seems like everyone else’s is as well. Including Monday’s family. Claudia’s grades slip, vicious rumors about her circle and finding the truth about Monday starts to become more difficult and dangerous. Tiffany D. Jackson was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in young adult literature in 2024.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (2021 Steptoe Award Winner) After her mother’s death, 16-year-old Bree decides to live on campus at the University of North Carolina in a program for gifted high schools. After she witnesses a magical attack, Bree meets members of a magical society who claim to be the descendants of King Arthur. Legendborn is the first book in a New York Times’ Best-selling trilogy.
There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia (2024 Steptoe Award Winner) Rhea, Zeke and Malachi have lived in their South Los Angeles neighborhood their whole lives. When a greedy landlord tries to price them out, the three use social media to create a fake gang to scare away developers. Things get complicated when the fake gang is suspected as being part of a real murder, however.
You can find these and other award-winning books in the Teen Fiction section in the Teen Lounge and the Graphic Novels section just outside the Teen Room. Some of the other Steptoe Award Winners can also be found upstairs in the Youth Services section. You can use your free DKPL library card to check out physical copies of these and other books at DKPL. Many books can also be downloaded to your phone, tablet, or computer as e-books or audiobooks. Stop by the Teen Room with any questions or contact the Teen Services Staff at (815) 756-9568 ext. 2450 or by email at [email protected].