The winners of Barnes & Noble's annual Children's & YA Book Awards are:
Overall and Young Reader: The School for Thieves by Peter Burns (Aladdin). B&N described the book this way: "A young orphan pickpocket is recruited to join an elite international school that trains children to become thieves, spies, and assassins. This gripping series starter set in an alternate version of 1920s Europe blends historical intrigue with non-stop action as Tom and his classmates use their skills to thwart dangerous villains."
Picture Book: Broken by X. Fang (Tundra Books). "Broken brings readers on a hilarious emotional rollercoaster with Mei Mei after she breaks her grandmother’s cup and blames it on the cat. Will the guilt cause Mei Mei to confess to Ama, or will she let innocent Mimi take the blame?"
Young Adult: The Secret Astronomers by Jessica Walker (Viking Books for Young Readers). "This truly unique debut written in heartfelt letters and hand-drawn mixed media art tells the story of two senior girls in rural West Virginia as they communicate through an ancient astrophysics textbook in their school library."
B&N senior director of books Shannon DeVito said in part, "With so many wonderful new children's books published each year, narrowing down this list always ignites passionate debate and discussion among our booksellers."