Literature on Intercultural Issues


Below is a list of websites with lists of award winning novels and collections of poetry and short stories that have been used in various learning environments as starting points for discussions on issues of cultural diversity, intercultural understanding, and communication.

Fiction for Adults

Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Book Awards

The goal of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) Literary Awards

These annual awards recognize outstanding works of Fiction and Nonfiction by African American authors for adult audiences.

Before Columbus Foundation American Book Awards

The American Book Awards Program respects and honors excellence in American literature without restriction or bias with regard to race, sex, creed, cultural origin, size of press or ad budget, or even genre. 

The Caine Prize for African Writing

The Caine Prize is awarded to a work (a short story) by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere. 

Commonwealth Book Prize

Encompassing a span of 54 countries, entries are judged within the five regions of Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific, each of which will produce a regional winner for the two prizes, the Commonwealth Book Prize is awarded for the best first novel, and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for the best piece of unpublished short fiction.

ForeWard Book of the Year Awards for 2013 and 2012

Foreword’s Book of the Year Awards were established to bring increased attention from librarians and booksellers to the literary achievements of independent publishers and their authors. 
*Look the multicultural finalists and winners.*

GoodReads

Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. It is a great place to get a wide range of popular current fiction titles that have intercultural themes. The website provides a short synopsis of each book and reviews given by readers. The site has other groupings of fiction and non-fiction books that are related to cultural studies and intercultural communication.

Independent Publisher Book Awards

The Independent Publisher Book Awards (the “IPPYs”) are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published titles published each year. 
*Look for the Children and Adult multicultural fiction and non-fiction winners.*

Indie Book awards

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest Not-for-Profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers.
*Look for the multicultural fiction and non-fiction winners.*

Intercultural Communication Fiction

A guide to novels about cultural rifts, connections, and divisions.

International Latino Book Awards

Latino Literacy Now has been dedicated to advancing the cause of reading and promoting literacy in the Latino community since 1997. The International Latino Book Awards honor authors and publishers from around the globe.

Man Booker International Prize

The Man Booker International Prize recognizes one writer for his or her achievement in fiction. The prize is awarded every two years to a living author who has published fiction either originally in English or whose work is generally available in translation in the English language. In seeking out literary excellence, the judges consider a writer's body of work rather than a single novel.

National Jewish Book Award

The National Jewish Book Awards program began in 1950 when the Jewish Book Council presented awards to authors of Jewish books at its annual meeting. Awards are presented in over 18 categories.

 

Fiction for Children

Amelia Bloomer Project 

The Amelia Bloomer Project creates an annual booklist of the best feminist books for young readers, ages birth through 18.

American Indian Youth Literature Award

The American Indian Youth Literature Awards are presented every two years. The awards were established as a way to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. 

Américas Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States.

Children's Africana Book Awards

The Children’s Africana Book Awards are designed to encourage the publication of accurate, balanced children’s materials on Africa, to recognize literary excellence and to acknowledge the research achievements of outstanding authors and illustrators. Collectively CABA winners show that Africa is a varied and multifaceted continent. CABA titles expand and enrich perspectives of Africa beyond the stereotypical, a historical and exotic images that are emphasized in the West.

¡Colorín Colorado!

The Colorín Colorado is a free web-based service that provides information, activities and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners (ELLs). The website features an extensive list of books for children (ages 0-12) and young adults (ages 12-8) that are grouped in a variety of themes.

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. 

Horace Mann Upstanders Book Award

An ‘upstander’ is a person who recognizes injustice and acts in a way to right the wrong. The award honors new children’s literature that best exemplifies the ideals of social action and in turn encourages young readers to become agents of change themselves.

Jane Addams Children's Book Awards 

The Jane Addams Children's Book Awards are given annually to the children's books published the preceding year that effectively promote the cause of peace, social justice,world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence. 

Mildred L. Batchelder Award 

The Batchelder Award is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States.

Notable Books for a Global Society

The Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS) list was developed to help students, teachers, and families identify books that promote understanding of and appreciation for the world's full range of diverse cultures and ethnic and racial groups.

Pura Belpré Award

The award is named after Pura Belpre, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura BelprŽ Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Skipping Stones Honor Award

Skipping Stones is an award-winning, international, non-profit magazine. They celebrate ecological and cultural diversity, facilitates a meaningful exchange of ideas and experiences. Young readers of Skipping Stones, ages 8 to 16, hail from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Sydney Taylor Book Award

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. 

Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award

Texas State University College of Education developed the Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award to honor authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts the Mexican American experience.

 

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