2013 Children's Africana Book Awards

Africa Access, an organization founded in 1989 to help schools, public libraries, and parents improve the quality of their collections on Africa, paired with the Outreach Council of the African Studies Association to establish the Children's Africana Book Awards, presented since 1992. 

In two categories, Best Books for Older Readers and Best Books for Young Children, seven titles were selected, and impressively two of the seven titles are youngCanLit.

Congratulations to these two youngCanLit titles for their selection 

as winners of the Children's Africana Book Awards 

in the category of Best Books for Young Children

The Matatu
by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eva Campbell
Orca Book Publishers
32 pp.
Ages 5-8
2012

When I Get Older: The Story Behind "Wavin' Flag"
by K'NAAN and Sol Guy
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
Tundra Books
32 Pages
Ages 6-9
2012

2013 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers

The Quick Picks, presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting, lists both fiction and non-fiction titles that young adults, between the ages of 12 and 18, would enjoy reading for pleasure even though they do not normally like to read. 

The 2013 list features 65 titles and 3 series; the committee also selected a top ten list, indicated here by an asterisk.

Here are the youngCanLit titles on the list of

 
FICTION

Guilty
by Norah McClintock
Ocra Book Publishers
2012
The more Finn uncovers, the more questions he has.

Dawn Patrol 
by Jeff Ross
Orca Book Publishers
2012
Will Luca and Esme find Kevin in the waves of Panama?

Way to Go
by Tom Ryan
Orca Book Publishers
2012
Wild child, Lisa, helps Danny come to terms with his love of men and cooking.

*This is Not a Test 
by Courtney Summers
Macmillan/St. Martin’s Griffin
2012
Six teens are trapped inside a school during the zombie apocalypse.

Shallow Grave
by Alex Van Tol
Orca Book Publishers
2012
What happens when you accidentally unleash a dark force?

NON-FICTION

Seeing Red: The True Story of Blood 

by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Illustrated by Steve Rolston

Annick Press

2012,

Everything there is to know about blood.

2013 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults

Each year, YALSA presents the Best Fiction for Young Adults list after American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting. This year’s list of 102 books was drawn from 200 official nominations. The books, recommended for ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, including contemporary realistic fiction, fantasy, horror, science fiction and novels in verse.

The following titles (with descriptions provided on the YALSA site) are youngCanLit included in the list for

Seraphina

by Rachel Hartman

Random House

2012

Part human, part dragon, Seraphina must hide her heritage as the peace her country has with dragons is threatened.

My Book of Life by Angel

by Martine Leavitt

Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers

2012

Angel must escape her life of drugs and prostitution before she is forced to do the same for another.

The Traitor in the Tunnel

The Agency Book 3

by Y. S. Lee 

Candlewick Press

2012

Mary Lang is once again thrown into the thick of a murder mystery, this time it involves both the British Royal Family and her own long-lost father.

Such Wicked Intent

The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Book 2

by Kenneth Oppel

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

2012

Victor continues to be tempted by his love for his dead brother's fiancée and the use of Dark Sciences to control life and death.

The Encyclopedia of Me

by Karen Rivers

Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine

2012

Pick a letter and let Tink take you on a journey.

This is Not a Test

by Courtney Summers

St. Martin’s Griffith

2012

Meet the girl who doesn't want to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Full list is available at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/bfya/2013list