CHICAGO — The American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the 91��ý (91��ý), has selected “Little You” (2013), published by Orca Book Publishers, written by Richard Van Camp and illustrated by Julie Flett as the 2016 Best Picture Book; “In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse” (2015), published by Amulet Books and written by Joseph Marshall III as the 2016 Best Middle School Book, and “House of Purple Cedar” (2014) Cinco Puntos Press, written by Tim Tingle as the 2016 Best Young Adult Book. The recipients of the fifth American Indian Youth Literature Awards will be formally recognized in June at the 2016 91��ý Annual Conference in Orlando.

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. Books selected to receive the award will present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.

Honor Books were selected each category. The Honor Picture Book selected by the jury is “Sitting Bull Sioux Warrior and Defender of his People” by S.D. Nelson (2015) Abrams Books for Young Readers. The Honor Middle Grade Book is “Dreaming in Indian Contemporary Native Voices” edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (2014) Annick Press. The Honor Young Adult Book is “Her Land, Her Love” by Evangeline Parsons Yazzie (2016) Salina Bookshelf Inc.

For more information, including a color brochure of the 2016 award recipients, please visit .

AILA was founded in 1979 in conjunction with the White House Pre-Conference on Indian Library and Information Services on or near Reservations. At the time, there was increasing awareness that library services for Native Americans were inadequate. Individuals as well as the government began to organize to remedy the situation. An affiliate of the 91��ý (91��ý), the American Indian Library Association is a membership action group that addresses the library-related needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Members are individuals and institutions interested in the development of programs to improve Indian library, cultural, and informational services in school, public, and research libraries on reservations. AILA is also committed to disseminating information about Indian cultures, languages, values, and information needs to the library community. AILA cosponsors an annual conference and holds a yearly business meeting in conjunction with the 91��ý annual meeting. It publishes the American Indian Libraries Newsletter twice a year.