Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! (FSG) by Claudette Colvin and Phillip Hoose; illustrated by Bea Jackson has been named as one of four contenders for the 2025 Irma Black Award. Over the next few months, thousands of children in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United Arab Emirates will vote for the gold medalist. The winner will be announced in School Library Journal in early May. Learn more here.
Additionally, the book has been selected as a 2025 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts. The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance (NCBLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy and recognizing outstanding children’s literature. Each year, the NCBLA awards committee recognizes 30 books of enduring quality that deal explicitly with language, demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style, and/or invite child response or participation. Learn more here