Amy Lilien-Harper, head of children’s services at Wilton Library, is currently serving on the awards committee for the Stonewall Book Awards, which recognize exceptional children’s and young adult books relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience. The awards are sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and the ALA’s Rainbow Round Table.
Lilien-Harper is mow midway through her two-year term, covering books published in 2024 and 2025. She told GOOD Morning Wilton she feels honored to be on the committee at such an important time in the genre’s evolution.
“I felt very lucky to be on the committee. It was a big honor,” she said. “These books are so important right now.”
The Stonewall Book Awards were first given in 1971. The children’s and young adult subcategories were added in 2010, and were officially named the Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Awards in 2012. Since then, the number of books with LGBTQIA+ themes has been on an upward trajectory.
“I’ve been a librarian since 1995. The diversity and the volume of publishing has expanded exponentially,” Lilien-Harper said. “When I first started, you had to look really hard to find more than one or two LGBTQ books published in a year, and now we have [hundreds].”
Lilien-Harper believes these stories can be meaningful to young readers in two important ways.
“It’s just so incredibly important for kids to see themselves and their families represented. And it’s really important for kids who aren’t coming from those backgrounds or cultures or experiences to see other people reflected that way, because it gives them empathy and understanding.
In addition to the Stonewall awards, Lilien-Harper noted that other prestigious children’s literature awards — for example, the Coretta Scott King Book Award (for Black authors and illustrators) and the Schneider Family Book Award (for portrayal of disabilities), among others — have also enhanced the visibility of diverse groups and a sense of inclusivity for readers.
In her first year on the awards committee, Lilien-Harper, who was selected from a nationwide pool of ALA members, participated in the review process for the books published in 2024.
“We read a lot of books. And then we discuss them,” Lilien-Harper said, enthusiastically describing the committee’s process. “[In 2024] we met roughly once a month via Zoom… as we get to the end of the process, we create[d] a list of our top-10 children’s [books] and our top-10 young adults [books], and that happens in December. And then we re-read all of those books that made the finalist round.”
Ultimately, award-winners are determined by the committee’s final vote. The latest award-winners — which have been publicly announced but will be officially awarded at the 2025 awards ceremony later this month — include Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo, and Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa.
Lilien-Harper noted that the two award-winning books are examples of another trend she sees, with “cross-sections” of diverse groups.
“We’re not just seeing more books with LGBTQ characters — we’re also seeing LGBTQ characters that cross into other diverse populations that are under-represented,” she said, citing examples such as people of color, neurodivergent people, and other often-marginalized groups.
Lunar Boy, for example, involves a transgender character from the Indonesian culture, while Canto Contigo features a Mexican-American gay boy.
For Lilien-Harper, the benefit of such books is giving readers a broader point of view and a familiarity with people who may be different — and ultimately creating more empathy.
“I think it’s important for people to know that that diversity is out there,” she said. “I think it’s important for people to read as diversely as possible and see things from different points of view.”
“There’s a lot of false information and myths and lack of knowledge about people that are different,” she continued. “It’s much easier to understand them if you see their point of view.”
Lilien-Harper said notifying the award-winners was particularly poignant.
“As part of the committee responsibilities, we get to call the authors and illustrators to tell them they won. It is an incredibly amazing and emotional experience,” she recounted. “Some of the authors cry. Many of them sound overwhelmed. It is really a special moment as part of the committee work.”
In a statement emailed to GMW, Wilton Library Executive Director Caroline Mandler emphasized the Library’s pride in Lilien-Harper’s appointment to the Stonewall Awards committee. Mandler also noted Lilien-Harper is the first Wilton librarian to serve on the select committee.
“We are both proud and honored that Amy was chosen to serve on the committee, representing Wilton Library at the national level,” Mandler wrote. “Amy’s dedication is a great example of the Library’s commitment to creating an environment where everyone is made to feel safe and welcome, both here in the Wilton community and beyond.”
In addition to the two award-winning books, recent Stonewall “honors” recipients in the children’s and young adult category include:
- Marley’s Pride by Joëlle Retener, illustrated by DeAnn Wiley
- Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy
- The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon
- What I Must Tell the World: How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice by Jay Leslie, illustrated by Loveis Wise
- Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
- Navigating with You written by Jeremy Whitley, with art by Cassio Ribeiro
- Road Home by Rex Ogle
- Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield
More information about the Stonewall Book Awards, including all categories and previous years’ winners and honorable mentions, can be found on the ALA website.
