Aether 2025 Award Winner List
2025 Award Winners
Board & Cloth Book
GOLD
Your Island by Jon Klassen
(Candlewick)
Silver
You and Your Body by Dr. Punam Krishan
(DK Children)
Bronze
When Sun Rises by Aida Salazar
(Rise x Penguin Workshop)
Early Learning – Alphabet, Numbers & Concepts
GOLD
Dark Nights and Light Hearts by Hena Khan
(Chronicle Books)
Silver
Photo Ark 1-2-3 by Debbie Levy
(National Geographic Kids)
Bronze
M Is for Mango by Atinuke
(Candlewick Press)
Activity & Educational Book
GOLD
Here We Are Activity Book by Oliver Jeffers
(Philomel Books)
Silver
Moon A Peek-Through Activity Book by Britta Teckentrup
(Doubleday Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
RSPB My First Birds and Wildlife Activity Book by RSPB
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books / Bloomsbury Publishing)
Picture Book – Preschool
GOLD
Fireworks by Matthew Burgess
(Clarion Books)
Silver
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
Recess by Lane Smith
(Abrams Books for Young Readers)
Picture Book – Ages 4–8
GOLD
Fireworks by Matthew Burgess
(HarperCollins)
Silver
Our Lake by Angie Kang
(Kokila)
Bronze
Broken by X. Fang
(Tundra Books)
Picture Book – All Ages
GOLD
Sundust by Zeke Peña
(Kokila)
Silver
Stalactite & Stalagmite by Drew Beckmeyer
(Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo
(Brown Books for Young Readers)
Early Reader & First Chapter Book
GOLD
Casey’s Cases by Kay Healy
(Neal Porter Books)
Silver
Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day by Lana Button
(Orca Book Publishers)
Bilingual & Multilingual Book
GOLD
¡Mistaco! by Eliza Kinkz
(Vintage Español)
Silver
Cascarones An Easter Surprise by Alicia Salazar
(Piñata Books)
Bronze
Tío Ricky Doesn’t Speak English by Maritere R. Bellas
(Lil’ Libros)
Middle Grade Fiction – General
GOLD
The Teacher of Nomad Land A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri
(Levine Querido)
Silver
All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Bronze
Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate
(Feiwel & Friends)
Middle Grade – Fantasy & Science Fiction
GOLD
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman
(Brown Books for Young Readers)
Silver
A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff (Dial Books)
Bronze
The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon
by Grace Lin
(Brown Books for Young Readers)
Middle Grade – Mystery & Suspense
GOLD
Beasts by Ingvild Bjerkeland and translated by Rosie Hedger
(Levine Querido)
Silver
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell
(Dial Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle
(Walker Books US)
Middle Grade – Historical Fiction
GOLD
The Teacher of Nomad Land A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri
(Levine Querido)
Silver
The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glaser
(Allida)
Bronze
A Sea of Lemon Trees
by María Dolores Águila
(Roaring Brook Press)
Middle Grade – Adventure & Action
GOLD
Spy School Blackout by Stuart Gibbs
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Silver
Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina
(Candlewick Press)
Bronze
The Island of Forgotten Gods
by Victor Piñeiro
(Sourcebooks Young Readers)
Middle Grade – Contemporary & Social Themes
GOLD
A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff
(Dial Books)
Silver
Sea Legs by Jules Bakes
(Graphix)
Bronze
The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
(Scholastic Press)
Young Adult Fiction – General
GOLD
Legendary Frybread Drive-In
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
(Heartdrum)
Silver
The House No One Sees
by Adina King
(Feiwel & Friends)
Bronze
Cope Field by T. L. Simpson
(Flux)
Young Adult Fiction – Fantasy & Science Fiction
GOLD
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
(Scholastic Press)
Silver
The Singular Life of Aria Patel
by Samira Ahmed
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
Thorn Season by Kiera Azar
(Storytide)
Young Adult Mystery, Thriller & Horror
GOLD
Sisters in the Wind
by Angeline Boulley
(Henry Holt and Co. (BYR))
Silver
Hyo the Hellmaker by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh
(Scholastic Press)
Bronze
The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer
(Feiwel & Friends)
Young Adult Historical Fiction
GOLD
Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout
(First Second)
Silver
One Step Forward by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
(Versify)
Bronze
Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray
(Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Young Adult Contemporary & Coming-of-Age
GOLD
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Silver
Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr
(Amulet Books)
Bronze
Love Craves Cardamom
by Aashna Avachat
(Joy Revolution)
Young Adult Nonfiction
GOLD
Death in the Jungle by Candace Fleming
(Anne Schwartz Books)
Silver
Ban This! by Christina Ellis
(Zest Books)
Bronze
White Lies How the South Lost the Civil War by Ann Bausum
(Roaring Brook Press)
Animals & Pets
GOLD
I Am We by Leslie Barnard Booth
(Chronicle Books)
Silver
To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell
(Random House Studio)
Bronze
The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle by Sy Montgomery
(Clarion Books)
Faith & Spirituality
GOLD
My Perfect Family by Khadijah VanBrakle
(Holiday House)
Silver
Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World God by Helen Lee
(IVP Kids)
Bronze
When I Talk to God, I Talk About Feelings by Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins
(Flamingo Books)
Holiday & Seasonal Stories
GOLD
The Book of Candles
by Laurel Snyder
(Clarion Books )
Silver
The Christmas Sweater by Jan Brett
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
Once Upon a Kwanzaa
by Nyasha Williams
(Running Press Kids)
Environment, Nature & Sustainability
GOLD
The Black Mambas by Kelly Crull
(Millbrook Press)
Silver
Earthrise by Leonard S. Marcus
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
3 Weeks in the Rainforest by Jennifer Swanson
(Charlesbridge)
Health, Wellness & Self-Esteem
GOLD
S’more Is Enough by Brenda S. Miles
( American Psychological Association)
Silver
The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Bronze
The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi
(HarperCollins)
Cultural Heritage & Identity
GOLD
Legendary Frybread Drive-In by Cynthia Leitich Smith
(Heartdrum / HarperCollins)
Silver
Tíos and Primos by Jacqueline Alcántara
(Nancy Paulsen Books)
Bronze
How to Say Goodbye in Cuban
by Daniel Miyares
(Anne Schwartz Books)
Social Impact & Advocacy
GOLD
A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff
(Dial Books)
Silver
Ban This! by Christina Ellis
(Zest Books)
Bronze
How the Word Is Passed
by Clint Smith
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Friendship, Family & Relationships
GOLD
Tíos and Primos by Jacqueline Alcántara
(Nancy Paulsen Books)
Silver
Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
My Perfect Family by Khadijah VanBrakle
(Holiday House)
Biography & True Stories
GOLD
The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice
by Amy Alznauer
(Candlewick Press)
Silver
The Boy Who Became a Parrot
by Wolverton Hill
(Enchanted Lion Books)
Bronze
Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa by Sara Andrea Fajardo
(Roaring Brook Press)
Science, Technology & STEM
GOLD
CLIMATE by Darcy Pattison
(Mims House)
Silver
Detective Dogs by Alison Pearce Stevens
(Holiday House)
Bronze
Design Thinking by Fred Estes
(Twenty-First Century Books)
Children’s Nonfiction
GOLD
Seeds of Discovery
by Lori Alexander
(HarperCollins)
Silver
Omnibird by Giselle Clarkson
(Gecko Press)
Bronze
Earthrise
by Leonard S. Marcus
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Children’s Poetry
GOLD
It’s All or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango
(Random House Books for Young Readers)
Silver
Nightmare Jones Poems by Shannon Bramer
(Groundwood Books)
Bronze
Words with Wings and Magic Things by Matthew Burgess
(Tundra Books)
Comics & Graphic Novels
GOLD
Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout
(First Second )
Silver
Huda F Wants to Know? by Huda Fahmy
(Dial Books)
Bronze
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Excellence in Illustration
GOLD
Fireworks by Matthew Burgess
(Clarion Books)
Silver
Our Lake by Angie Kang
(Kokila)
Bronze
Make a Pretty Sound A Story of Ella Jenkins by Traci N. Todd
(Chronicle Books)
Best Author-Illustrator
GOLD
Our Lake by Angie Kang
(Kokila)
Silver
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Bronze
Broken by X. Fang
(Tundra Books)
Best Book Cover Design
GOLD
Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels
(Waxwing Books)
Silver
A Home for Steamboat
by Casey Rislov
(Mountain Stars Press)
Bronze
Undrowned by G. M. DiDesidero
(Leaning Pole Press)
Innovative & Interactive Storytelling
GOLD
Village by Julie Safirstein
(Éditions du livre)
Silver
You and Your Body by Dr. Punam Krishan
(DK Children)
Bronze
Recess by Lane Smith
(Abrams Books for Young Readers)
Debut Author Award
GOLD
Our Lake by Angie Kang
(Kokila)
Silver
Thorn Season by Kiera Azar
(HarperCollins)
Bronze
Casey’s Cases The Mysterious New Girl by Kay Healy
(Neal Porter Books)
Best Book Series
GOLD
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
(Scholastic Press)
Silver
Dog Man Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey
(Scholastic)
Bronze
Spy School Blackoutby Stuart Gibbs
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Young Author Award – Under 18
GOLD
The Purple Stop Signs
by Geetanjali Angara
( KDP)
Silver
Vegan the Wolf by Officially Halee
(Officially Published)