November 2024

November is a special time to explore and celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of Native American communities. This month, dive into our collection of books, resources, and displays that honor Native American voices and stories. Discover inspiring biographies, powerful novels, traditional legends, and informative non-fiction that bring to life the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures across North America.

On Our Shelves:
Titles that celebrate Native Voices.
Each title is linked to a Goodreads review. 

Oh Hey!

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Hi there! I'm Mrs. Mordica, the NKMS librarian. If you have a question, suggestion, or just want to say "hey," email me :)
Literary Awards and Booklists
If you are interested in reading books selected by experts in the fields of children’s and young adult literature for their high literary quality, you might want to look at the archives for major national literary awards.
  • The Newbery Medal has, since 1922, been given annually to “the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.” Generally, two to four Honor books are also named.
  • The Printz Award is a newer award that is essentially the Newbery for YA literature. It is given annually to “the best book for teens, based entirely on its literary merit.” Honor books are also named.
  • The Morris Award honors and celebrates debut authors in YA literature. Up to five finalists are named annually, with one winner announced in January. The award goes to the book that “illuminate[s] the teen experience and enrich[es] the lives of its readers through its excellence.”
  • The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award is given to books in three categories for “high quality and creative excellence.” Up to two Honor books in each category can be named as well. The winners go on to headline a day-long symposium for editors, writers, and scholars of children’s and young adult literature.
  • The National Book Award for Young People’s Literature is selected by a committee of five, comprising authors, librarians, critics, and booksellers. A ten-book longlist is selected, and a five-book shortlist and single winner are announced later.
  • The Alex Award is given yearly by the Young Adult Library Services Association. It selects ten books written and published for adults that are of particular interest or appeal to teens.
Many of the organizations that sponsor these awards also sponsor others, including special ones for non-fiction, audiobooks, graphic novels, and books by or about minority groups or social justice issues. Clicking on the links will also allow you to search their websites for other prestigious awards.

Our Mission

The NKMS library engages with the New Kent community training confident researchers, critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, and ethical participants in the contemporary information landscape; we provide quality resources for both academic and personal endeavors while collaborating with faculty members and the New Kent community to enhance instruction.