Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature

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The Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature (APAAL) are a set of literary awards presented annually by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA). The APALA was formed in 1980 "to create an organization that would address the needs of Asian/Pacific American librarians and those who serve Asian/Pacific American communities." [1] The Association was the successor to the Asian American Librarians Caucus (AALC), a discussion group within the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Library Outreach Services that focused on providing library service to minority communities and on supporting minority librarians. The APALA incorporated in 1981 (in Illinois) and became part of the ALA in 1982. [1]

The awards honor books about Asian/Pacific Americans, their history and culture. Categories have included fiction and non-fiction for adults, picture/illustrated books, and children's/young-adult literature. Writers and artists do not need to be of Asian or Pacific Islander ancestry, but they must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, the books must be about Asian/Pacific American heritage, and must have been written in English and published for general release within the States. [2]

Winners

Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
YearsCategoryAuthorTitleResultRef.
2001Adult Fiction T. C. Huo Land of SmilesWinner [3]
Adult Nonfiction Loung Ung First They Killed My FatherWinner
Children and Young Adult Literature Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Bo Jia The Trip Back HomeWinner
2001-2003Adult Fiction Yann Martel Life of Pi Winner [4]
Picture Book Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine Apple Pie 4 JulyWinner
Tim Myer, illustrated by Robert Roth Tanuki's GiftHonor
Yin, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet CooliesHonor
Children and Young Adult Literature An Na A Step from Heaven Winner
Tanuja Desai Hidier Born Confused Honor
Ken Mochizuki Beacon Hill BoysHonor
Linda Sue Park A Single Shard Honor
2005–2006Adult Fiction Chang-Rae Lee AloftWinner [5]
Amy Tan Saving Fish from Drowning Honor
Lisa See Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Honor
Picture Book Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Julie Downing The Firekeeper's SonWinner
Paula Yoo, illustrated by Dom Lee Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee StoryHonor
Frederick Lipp, illustrated by Jason Gaillard Bread SongHonor
Youth Literature Cynthia Kadohata Kira-Kira Winner
Andrea Cheng Shanghai MessengerHonor
Linda Sue Park Project MulberryHonor
2006–2007Adult Fiction Da Chen BrothersWinner [6]
John Hamamura Color of the SeaHonor
Picture Book Anne Sibley O'Brien The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of KoreaWinner
Yin, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet BrothersHonor
Youth Literature Justina Chen Headley Nothing But the TruthWinner
Grace Lin Year of the DogHonor
2007–2008Adult Nonfiction Jean Pfaelzer Driven Out: The Forgotten War Against Chinese AmericansWinner [7]
Linda Furiya Bento Box in The Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread AmericaHonor
Picture Book Ellie Crowe, illustrated by Richard Waldrep Surfer of the CenturyWinner
Lynne Barasch Hiromi's HandsHonor
Youth Literature Kelly Easton Hiroshima DreamsWinner
Kashmira Sheth Keeping CornerHonor
2008–2009Adult Fiction Jhumpa Lahiri Unaccustomed Earth Winner [8]
Fae Myenne Ng Steer Toward RockHonor
Adult Nonfiction Jennifer 8. Lee The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food Winner
Andrew X. Pham Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three WarsHonor
Kao Kalia Yang The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family MemoirHonor
Picture Book Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young Wabi SabiWinner
Kashmira Sheth, illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi Monsoon AfternoonHonor
Youth Literature Many Ly Roots and WingsWinner
Naomi Hirahara 1001 CranesHonor
Paula Yoo Good EnoughHonor
2009–2010Adult Fiction Jamie Ford Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Winner [9]
Lisa See Shanghai Girls Honor
Adult Nonfiction Bonnie Tsui American Chinatown: A People's History of Five NeighborhoodsWinner
Lane Ryo Hirabayashi Japanese American Resettlement: Through the LensHonor
Picture Book Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant Cora Cooks PancitWinner
Malathi Michelle Iyengar, illustrated by Jamel Akib Tan to TamarindHonor
Youth Literature Sung Woo Everything AsianWinner
Ching Yeung Russell Tofu QuiltHonor
2010-2011Adult Fiction Karen Tei Yamashita I HotelWinner [10]
Monique Truong Bitter in the Mouth Honor
Adult Nonfiction Erika Lee and Judy Yung Angel Island: Immigration Gateway to AmericaWinner
Yunte Huang Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American HistoryHonor
Neela Vaswani You Have Given Me a CountryHonor
Children's Literature Margi Preus Heart of a Samurai Winner
Mitali Perkins Bamboo PeopleHonor
Picture Book Ann Malaspina, illustrated by Doug Chayka Yasmin's HammerWinner
Roseanne Thong, illustrated by Eujin Kim Neilan Fly FreeHonor
Young Adult Literature N. H. Senzai Shooting KabulWinner
Barbara Bazaldua A Boy of Heart MountainHonor
2011-2012Adult Fiction Amy Waldman The SubmissionWinner [11]
R. Zamora Linmark LecheHonor
Adult Nonfiction Ying-Ying Chang The Woman Who Could Not Forget: Iris Chang Before and Beyond The Rape of NankingWinner
Shafiqur Rahman The Bangladeshi Diaspora in the United States after 9/11: From Obscurity to High VisibilityHonor
Children's Literature Wendy Wan-Long Shang The Great Wall of Lucy Wu Winner
Sheela Chari VanishedHonor
Picture Book Ed Young The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in ChinaWinner
F. Zia, illustrated by Ken Min Hot Hot Roti for Kaka-jiHonor
Young Adult Literature Holly Thompson OrchardsWinner
Gene Luen Yang Level Up Honor
2012-2013Adult Fiction Don Lee The CollectiveWinner [12]
Krys Lee Drifting HouseHonor
Adult Nonfiction Rick Baldoz Third Asiatic Invasion: Empire and Migration in Filipino America, 1898-1946Winner
Martin B. Gold Forbidden CitizensHonor
Children's Literature Hildi Kang Chengli and the Silk Road CaravanWinner
R. Kikuo Johnson Shark KingHonor
Picture Book Joan Schoettler, illustrated by Jessica Lanan Good Fortune in a Wrapping ClothWinner
Anne O'Brien Sibley A Path of StarsHonor
Young Adult Literature Keshni Kashyap Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic DiaryWinner
Ryan Inzana IchiroHonor
2013-2014Adult Fiction Ruth Ozeki A Tale for the Time Being Winner [13]
Jennifer Cody Epstein The Gods of Heavenly PunishmentHonor
Adult Nonfiction Cindy I-Fen Cheng Citizens of Asian America: Democracy and Race during the Cold WarWinner
Cecilia M. Tsu Garden of the World: Asian Immigrants and the Making of Agriculture in California's Santa Clara ValleyHonor
Children's Literature Cynthia Kadohata, illustrated by Julia Kuo The Thing About LuckWinner
Josanne La Valley The Vine BasketHonor
Picture Book Ji-li Jiang Red Kite, Blue Kite Winner
Marissa Moss, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu Barbed Wire BaseballHonor
Young Adult Literature Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani Jet Black and the Ninja WindWinner
Suzanne Kamata Gadget Girl: The Art of Being InvisibleHonor
2014-2015Adult Fiction Celeste Ng Everything I Never Told You Winner [14]
Mira Jacob The Sleepwalker’s Guide to DancingHonor
Adult Nonfiction Robert Ji-Song Ku Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USAWinner
Alex Tizon Big Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self writtenHonor
Children's Literature Matt Faulkner Gaijin: American Prisoner of WarWinner
Kristie Hammond Ting TingHonor
Picture Book Chieri Uegaki and Qin Leng Hana Hashimoto, Sixth ViolinWinner
Rich Lo Father’s Chinese OperaHonor
Young Adult Literature May-lee Chai Tiger GirlWinner
Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Sonny Liew Shadow HeroHonor
2015-2016Adult Fiction Viet Thanh Nguyen The Sympathizer Winner [15]
Sandip RoyDon’t Let Him KnowHonor
Adult Nonfiction Erika Lee The Making of Asian America: a HistoryWinner
Haiming Liu From Canton Restaurant to Panda Express: A History of Chinese Food in the United StatesHonor
Madeline Y. Hsu The Good Immigrant: How the Yellow Peril Became the Model MinorityHonor
Children's Literature Marilyn Hilton Full Cicada MoonWinner
Erin Entrada Kelly Blackbird FlyHonor
Picture Book Jane Bahk Juna's Jar Winner
Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed MusicHonor
Young Adult Literature Jenny Han P.S. I Still Love You Winner
Valynne E. Maetani Ink and AshesHonor
2016-2017Adult Fiction Vanessa Hua Deceit and Other PossibilitiesWinner [16]
Peter Ho Davies The FortunesHonor
Adult Nonfiction Barbara Kawakami Picture Bride: StoriesWinner
Mas Masumoto and Nikiko Masumoto Changing Season: A Father, A Daughter, A Family FarmHonor
Children's Literature Erin Entrada Kelly The Land of Forgotten GirlsWinner
Margaret Dilloway Momotaro Xander and the Lost Island of MonstersHonor
Picture Book Hyewon Yum PuddleWinner
Young Adult Literature Stacey Lee Outrun the MoonWinner
Marina Budhos WatchedHonor
2017-2018Adult Fiction Lisa Ko The LeaversWinner [17]
Viet Thanh Nguyen The Refugees Honor
Adult Nonfiction Eleanor Ty Asianfail: Narratives of Disenchantment and the Model MinorityWinner
Karen M. Inouye The Long Afterlife of Nikkei Wartime IncarcerationHonor
Children's Literature Uma Krishnaswami Step Up to the Plate, Maria SinghWinner
Susan Tan, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author ExtraordinaireHonor
Picture Book Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui A Different Pond Winner
Andrea Wang, illustrated by Alina Chau The Nian MonsterHonor
Young Adult Literature Misa Sugiura It’s Not Like It’s A SecretWinner
S.K. Ali Saints & MisfitsHonor
2018-2019Adult Fiction Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint The End of Peril, The End of Enmity, The End of Strife, A HavenWinner [18]
YZ Chin Though I Get HomeHonor
Adult Nonfiction Sharmila Sen Not Quite Not White: Losing and Finding Race in AmericaWinner
Mary-Kim Arnold Litany for the Long MomentHonor
Children's Literature Kelly Yang Front Desk Winner
Mae Respicio The House that Lou BuiltHonor
Picture Book Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat Drawn TogetherWinner
Betty Quan, illustrated by Carmen Mok Grandmother’s VisitHonor
Young Adult Literature Adib Khorram Darius the Great is Not OkayWinner
Emily X.R. Pan The Astonishing Color of After Honor
2019-2020Children's Literature Jen Wang StargazingWinner [19]
Patti Kim I'm OkHonor
Picture Book Teresa Robeson illustrated by Rebecca Huang Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the AtomWinner
Aisha Saeed illustrated by Anoosha Syed Bilal Cooks DaalHonor
Young Adult Literature George Takei, Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott They Called Us EnemyWinner
David Yoon Frankly in LoveHonor
2020-2021Adult Fiction C Pam Zhang How Much of These Hills is Gold: A Novel Winner [20]
Souvankham Thammavongsa How To Pronounce Knife Honor
Adult Nonfiction Erika Lee America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United StatesWinner
Arthur Dong Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature FilmsHonor
Youth Literature Andrew Fukuda The Light Between UsWinner
Kiku Hughes DisplacementHonor
Children's Literature Tae Keller When You Trap a Tiger Winner
Linda Sue Park Prairie LotusHonor
Picture Book Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and ArtistWinner
Anna KimDanbi Leads the School ParadeHonor
2021-2022Adult Fiction Hiromi Goto, illustrated by Ann Xu Shadow LifeWinner [21]
Anthony Veasna So AfterpartiesHonor
Adult Nonfiction Grace M. Cho Tastes Like War: A MemoirWinner
Judy Y. KawamotoForced Out: A Nikkei Woman's Search for a Home in AmericaHonor
Youth Literature Malinda Lo Last Night at the Telegraph Club Winner
Traci Chee We are Not Free Honor
Children's Literature Hena Khan Amina's SongWinner
Ellen Oh Finding Junie KimHonor
Picture BookAndrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin Watercress Winner
James Yang A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu NoguchiHonor
2022-2023Adult Fiction Dur E Aziz Amna American FeverWinner [22]
Joseph HanNuclear FamilyHonor
Adult Nonfiction Jay Caspian Kang The Loneliest AmericansWinner
Qian Julie Wang Beautiful CountryHonor
Young Adult Literature Harmony Becker Himawari HouseWinner
Joanna Ho The Silence that Binds UsHonor
Children's Literature Lisa Yee Maizy Chen’s Last ChanceWinner
John Cho TroublemakerHonor
Picture Book Kao Kalia Yang From the Tops of the TreesWinner
Liza Ferneyhough Nana, Nenek & NinaHonor
2023-2024Adult Fiction Janika Oza A History of BurningWinner [23]
Gina Chung Sea ChangeHonor
Adult Nonfiction Alice Wong Year of the Tiger: An Activist's LifeWinner
Thenmozhi Soundrararajan The Trauma of Caste: A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and AbolitionHonor
Young Adult LiteratureShannon C. F. RogersI’d Rather Burn Than BloomWinner
Deb JJ LeeIn LimboHonor
Children's LiteratureChristina LiRuby Lost and FoundWinner
Betty C. TangParachute Kids: A Graphic NovelHonor
Picture BookJulie LeungThe Truth About DragonsWinner
Angela Pham KransFinding PapaHonor

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References

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  13. "2013-2014 AWARDS WINNERS". APALA. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  14. "2014-2015 Awards Winners". APALA. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  15. "2015-2016 Awards Winners". APALA. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  16. "2016-2017 Awards Winners". APALA. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  17. "2017-2018 AWARDS WINNERS". APALA. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  18. "2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Winners Selected". APALA. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  19. "2020 Youth Media Award Winners". American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  20. "2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Winners Selected – APALA". 25 January 2021. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  21. "2022 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Winners – APALA". 24 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  22. "Literature Awards – APALA". APALA. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  23. "2024 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Winners – APALA". 2024-01-22. Retrieved 2024-02-16.