HONG KONG BOOK AWARDS for International-minded Young People
The only children's choice book award in Hong Kong is now in its 6th year. Set up by the Association of Librarians in English Speaking Schools (ALESS), the Awards are an opportunity for students of all ages in Hong Kong to vote on their favourite books. The books are nominated by schools across Hong Kong and the short list is selected by a panel of librarians from both primary and secondary schools. Books are chosen for their broad appeal, subject matter, design and international representation.
2021-2022 SHORTLISTS
Early Readers (3-7 years old)
Saturday by Oge Mora
Little Rat and the Golden Seed: A Story Told in English and Chinese (Stories of the Chinese Zodiac) by Jian Li
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
Hike by Peter Oswald
Debbie Alvarez Picture Book (Open)
The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field by Scott Riley
Watch the video in Thai for more background information
The Extraordinary Amazing Incredible Unbelievable Walled City of Kowloon by Fiona Hawthorne
How The Stars Came To Be by Poonam Mistry
Once Upon a Hong Kong by Don Mak
Younger Readers ( 8-11 years old)
The Marvellous Adventures of Maggie and Methuselah: A Mystery in Hong Kong by Sarah Brennan
The Shark Caller by Zillah Bethall
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte
2020-2021 SHORTLISTS
Early Readers (3-7 years old)
The Wall in the middle of the book (2019) b Jon Agee (UK) WINNER!
A tour of Hong Kong (2019) by Joyce Sun (Taiwan)
Amy Wu and the perfect bao (2019) by Kat Zhang (USA)
The wonderful wisdom of ants (2020) by Philip Bunting (Australia)
Younger Readers ( 8-11 years old)
Roll with it (2019) by Jamie Sumner (US) WINNER!
Wolf Girl : Book 1 : Into the wild (2019) by Anh Do (Australia)
Lori and Max : Book 1 (2019) by Catherine O'Flynn (UK)
Class Act (2020) by Jerry Craft (US) , Book 2 of New Kid
Debbie Alvarez Picture Book (Open)
Because (2019) by Mo Willems ( US ) WINNER!
The Undefeated (2019) by Kwame Alexander (US)
Mary and Frankenstein (2018) by Linda Bailey ( UK )
The moose of Ewenki (2019) by Gerelchimeg Blackcrane (US Author), Jiu Er (Chinese Illustrator)
2019-2020 SHORTLISTS
Early Childhood Shortlist (3 - 7 yrs)
(click on the underline words below to see video)Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson
Legend of rock, paper, scissors by Drew Daywalt; Adam Rex (Winner)
Word collector by Peter H. Reynolds
The rabbit listened by Cori Doerrfeld
The Bad Seed by Jory John; Pete Oswald (Honor)
Younger Reader Shortlist (8-11 yrs)
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
How to bee by Bren MacDibble
The great treehouse war by Lisa Graff (Winner)
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrade Kelly
The first of everything by Nury Vittachi (Honor)
Younger Reader Shortlist (8-11 yrs)
2019-20 Debbie Alvarez Picture Book Shortlist (All ages)
(click on the underline words below to see video)Debbie Alvarez was a Teacher Librarian at Bradbury School who tragically lost her battle with cancer in 2015. Debbie was a true advocate of children's literature: she dedicated her life to inspiring young readers and fellow librarians with her love of the written word. The Debbie Alvarez Memorial Award was set up in her honour to remind us that Picture Books can speak to all of us, and teach us valuable lessons.
All the ways to be smart by Davina Bell
The day you begin by Jacqueline Woodson