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." 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.
The awards honor literary works about and created by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pasifika (Pacific) experiences and cultures. 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.
Winners + Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature YearsCategory Author Title Result Ref.2001Adult FictionLand of SmilesWinnerAdult NonfictionFirst They Killed My FatherWinnerChildren and Young Adult LiteratureWinner2001–2003Adult FictionLife of PiWinnerPicture BookApple Pie 4 JulyWinnerTanuki's GiftHonorCooliesHonorChildren and Young Adult LiteratureWinnerBorn ConfusedHonorBeacon Hill Boys HonorA Single ShardHonor2005–2006Adult FictionAloftWinnerSaving Fish from DrowningHonorSnow Flower and the Secret Fan HonorPicture BookWinnerSixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story HonorBread SongHonorYouth LiteratureKira-KiraWinnerShanghai MessengerHonorProject Mulberry Honor2006–2007Adult FictionBrothersWinnerColor of the Sea HonorPicture BookWinnerBrothers HonorYouth LiteratureNothing But the TruthWinnerYear of the Dog Honor2007–2008Adult NonfictionDriven Out: The Forgotten War Against Chinese AmericansWinnerBento Box in The Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America HonorPicture BookSurfer of the CenturyWinnerHiromi's Hands HonorYouth LiteratureHiroshima Dreams WinnerKeeping Corner Honor2008–2009Adult FictionUnaccustomed Earth WinnerSteer Toward Rock HonorAdult NonfictionThe Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese FoodWinnerEaves of Heaven: A Life in Three WarsHonor HonorPicture BookWabi SabiWinnerMonsoon Afternoon HonorYouth LiteratureRoots and WingsWinner1001 CranesHonorGood Enough Honor2009–2010Adult FictionHotel on the Corner of Bitter and SweetWinnerShanghai Girls HonorAdult NonfictionAmerican Chinatown: A People's History of Five Neighborhoods WinnerJapanese American Resettlement: Through the Lens HonorPicture BookCora Cooks PancitWinnerTan to Tamarind HonorYouth LiteratureEverything Asian WinnerTofu Quilt Honor2010–2011Adult FictionI HotelWinnerBitter in the Mouth HonorAdult NonfictionAngel Island: Immigration Gateway to AmericaWinnerCharlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History HonorYou Have Given Me a CountryHonorChildren's LiteratureHeart of a SamuraiWinnerBamboo PeopleHonorPicture BookYasmin's HammerWinnerFly FreeHonorYoung Adult LiteratureShooting Kabul WinnerHonor2011–2012Adult FictionWinnerLecheHonorAdult NonfictionWinnerHonorChildren's LiteratureWinnerVanishedHonorPicture BookWinnerHot Hot Roti for Kaka-jiHonorYoung Adult LiteratureOrchardsWinnerLevel UpHonor2012–2013Adult FictionWinnerDrifting HouseHonorAdult NonfictionThird Asiatic Invasion: Empire and Migration in Filipino America, 1898-1946WinnerForbidden CitizensHonorChildren's LiteratureChengli and the Silk Road CaravanWinnerShark KingHonorPicture BookGood Fortune in a Wrapping ClothWinnerHonorYoung Adult LiteratureTina's Mouth: An Existential Comic DiaryWinnerIchiroHonor2013–2014Adult FictionWinnerHonorAdult NonfictionCitizens of Asian America: Democracy and Race during the Cold WarWinnerGarden of the World: Asian Immigrants and the Making of Agriculture in California's Santa Clara ValleyHonorChildren's LiteratureWinnerHonorPicture BookRed Kite, Blue KiteWinnerBarbed Wire BaseballHonorYoung Adult LiteratureJet Black and the Ninja WindWinnerGadget Girl: The Art of Being InvisibleHonor2014–2015Adult FictionEverything I Never Told YouWinnerHonorAdult NonfictionDubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USAWinnerBig Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self writtenHonorChildren's LiteratureGaijin: American Prisoner of WarWinnerTing TingHonorPicture BookHana Hashimoto, Sixth ViolinWinnerFather's Chinese OperaHonorYoung Adult Literature Tiger GirlWinnerShadow HeroHonor2015–2016Adult FictionWinnerDon't Let Him KnowHonorAdult NonfictionWinnerFrom Canton Restaurant to Panda Express: A History of Chinese Food in the United StatesHonorHonorChildren's LiteratureFull Cicada MoonWinnerBlackbird FlyHonorPicture BookJuna's JarWinnerDrum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed MusicHonorYoung Adult LiteratureP.S. I Still Love YouWinnerInk and AshesHonor2016–2017Adult FictionDeceit and Other PossibilitiesWinnerHonorAdult NonfictionPicture Bride: StoriesWinnerChanging Season: A Father, A Daughter, A Family FarmHonorChildren's LiteratureWinnerMomotaro Xander and the Lost Island of MonstersHonorPicture BookPuddleWinnerYoung Adult LiteratureOutrun the MoonWinnerWatchedHonor2017–2018Adult FictionThe LeaversWinnerHonorAdult NonfictionAsianfail: Narratives of Disenchantment and the Model MinorityWinnerHonorChildren's LiteratureStep Up to the Plate, Maria SinghWinnerCilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author ExtraordinaireHonorPicture BookWinnerHonorYoung Adult LiteratureIt's Not Like It's A SecretWinnerHonor2018–2019Adult FictionWinnerThough I Get HomeHonorAdult NonfictionNot Quite Not White: Losing and Finding Race in AmericaWinnerLitany for the Long MomentHonorChildren's LiteratureFront DeskWinnerHonorPicture BookDrawn TogetherWinnerGrandmother's VisitHonorYoung Adult LiteratureDarius the Great is Not OkayWinnerThe Astonishing Color of AfterHonor 2019–2020 Adult FictionDevi LaskarThe Atlas of Reds and BluesWinnerOcean VuongOn Earth We're Briefly GorgeousHonor Adult Non-FictionGordon H. ChangGhosts of Gold Mountain: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Built the Transcontinental RailroadWinner Ann Hui Chop Suey Nation Honor Children's LiteratureJen WangStargazingWinnerPatti KimI'm OkHonor Picture Book illustrated by Rebecca HuangQueen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the AtomWinner illustrated by Anoosha SyedBilal Cooks DaalHonorYoung Adult LiteratureThey Called Us EnemyWinner David YoonFrankly in LoveHonor2020–2021Adult FictionC Pam ZhangHow Much of These Hills is Gold: A NovelWinnerSouvankham ThammavongsaHow To Pronounce KnifeHonorAdult NonfictionErika LeeAmerica for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United StatesWinnerArthur DongHollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature FilmsHonorYouth LiteratureAndrew FukudaThe Light Between UsWinnerKiku HughesDisplacementHonorChildren's LiteratureTae KellerWhen You Trap a TigerWinnerLinda Sue ParkPrairie LotusHonorPicture BookJulie Leung, illustrated by Chris SasakiPaper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and ArtistWinnerAnna KimDanbi Leads the School ParadeHonor2021–2022Adult FictionHiromi Goto, illustrated by Ann XuShadow LifeWinnerAnthony Veasna SoAfterpartiesHonorAdult NonfictionGrace M. ChoTastes Like War: A MemoirWinnerJudy Y. KawamotoForced Out: A Nikkei Woman's Search for a Home in AmericaHonorYouth LiteratureMalinda LoLast Night at the Telegraph ClubWinnerTraci CheeWe are Not FreeHonorChildren's LiteratureHena KhanAmina's SongWinnerEllen OhFinding Junie KimHonorPicture BookAndrea Wang, illustrated by Jason ChinWatercressWinnerJames YangA Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu NoguchiHonor2022–2023Adult FictionDur E Aziz AmnaAmerican Fever WinnerJoseph HanNuclear FamilyHonor Adult NonfictionJay Caspian KangThe Loneliest AmericansWinnerQian Julie WangBeautiful CountryHonor Young Adult LiteratureHarmony BeckerHimawari HouseWinner Joanna HoThe Silence that Binds UsHonorChildren's LiteratureLisa YeeMaizy Chen's Last Chance WinnerJohn Cho and Sarah SukTroublemakerHonor Picture BookKao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Rachel WadaFrom the Tops of the TreesWinnerLiza FerneyhoughNana, Nenek & NinaHonor2023–2024Adult FictionJanika OzaA History of BurningWinner Gina ChungSea ChangeHonorAdult NonfictionAlice Wong Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life WinnerThenmozhi Soundrararajan The Trauma of Caste: A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and AbolitionHonorYoung Adult LiteratureShannon C. F. RogersI'd Rather Burn Than BloomWinnerDeb JJ LeeIn LimboHonorChildren's LiteratureChristina LiRuby Lost and FoundWinnerBetty C. TangParachute Kids: A Graphic NovelHonorPicture BookJulie Leung, illustrated by Hanna ChaThe Truth About DragonsWinnerAngela Pham Krans, illustrated by Thi BuiFinding PapaHonor2024-2025Adult FictionEd ParkSame Bed Different DreamsWinnerGina ChungGreen Frog: StoriesHonorAdult NonfictionDrew AfualoLoud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You DeserveWinnerAlfred Perado FloresTip of the Spear: Land, Labor, and US Settler Militarism in Guåhan, 1944–1962HonorEddie AhnAdvocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental JusticeHonorYoung Adult LiteratureRandy RibayEverything We Never HadWinnerGene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen PhamLunar New Year Love StoryHonorMakiia LucierDragonfruitHonorChildren's LiteratureKathy MacLeodContinental DrifterWinnerZachary SterlingMabuhay!HonorKristiana KahakauwilaClairboyanceHonorPicture BookKaylin Melia George, illustrated by Mae WaiteAloha EverythingWinnerKao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei LinThe Rock in My ThroatHonor
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