Freeman Awards
The Freeman Book Awards are annual awards for new young adult and children's literature, that contribute meaningfully to an understanding of East and Southeast Asia.
Establishment
In 2016 the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, the Committee on Teaching about Asia of the Association for Asian Studies, and Asia for Educators at Columbia University announced the establishment of the annual Freeman Book Awards for new young adult and children’s literature. The awards recognize quality books for children and young adults that contribute meaningfully to an understanding of East and Southeast Asia. Awards are given in two categories: Children’s and Young Adult on the several countries of East and Southeast Asia. The awards were inaugurated in 2016. They are named for the Freeman Foundation.The Freeman Foundation was established in 1994 through the bequest and in memory of the businessman and benefactor Mansfield Freeman, a co-founder of the international insurance and financial conglomerate American International Group, Inc., better known as AIG. It is dedicated to "augmenting international understanding between the United States and the nations of East Asia.
Winner and honorable mentions, 2021
Source:Children’s LiteratureWinner: The Floating Field, by Scott Riley, Illustrated by Nguyen Quang and Kim Lien - no-fiction, set in ThailandHonorable Mention: Saving Sorya Chang and the Sun Bear, by Trang Nguyen, Illustrated by Jeet Zdung - fiction, set in VietnamHonorable Mention: The Star Festival, by Moni Ritchie Hadley, Illustrated by Mizuho Fujisawa - fiction, set in Japan
Young Adult/Middle School LiteratureWinner: Finding Junie Kim, by Ellen Oh - fiction, set in Korea and AmericaHonorable mention: Temple Alley Summer, By Sachiko Kashiwaba, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, Illustrated by Miho Satake - fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: While I Was Away, by Waka T. Brown - fiction, set in Japan and AmericaOf Note: How Do You Live?, by Genzaburō Yoshino, translated by Bruno Navasky - fiction, set in JapanOf Note: Soul Lanterns, by Shaw Kuzki, translated by Emily Balistrieri - fiction, set in Japan
Young Adult/High School LiteratureWinner: Tsunami Girl, by Julian Sedgwick, illustrated by Chie Kutsuwada - fiction, set in Japan and AmericaWinner: The Waiting, by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, illustrated by Chie Kutsuwada - fiction, set in KoreaHonorable Mention: Colorful, by Eto Mori, translated by Jocelyne Allen - fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Freedom Swimmer, by Wai Chim -, fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: The Minamata Story, by Sean Michael Wilson, illustrated by Akiko Shimojima - non-fiction, set in JapanOf Note: The Forest of Stolen Girls, by June Hur - fiction, set in Korea
Winner and honorable mentions, 2020
Source:Children's LiteratureWinner: No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon’s Battle for Women’s Rights in Japan by Jeff Gottesfeld, illus. Shiella Witanto - Non-fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: A Bowl of Peace: A True Story by Caren Stelson, illus. Akira Kusaka - Non-fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Rice by Hongcheng Yu - Non-fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story, by Tina Cho, illus. by Jess X. Snow - Fiction, set in Korea
Young Adult/Middle School LiteratureWinner: Brother’s Keeper, by Julie Lee - fiction, set in KoreaHonorable Mention: Beyond Me, by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu - fiction, set in JapanOf Note: All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team, by Christina Soontornvat - non-fiction, set in Thailand
Young Adult/High School LiteratureWinner: Crossing the Farak River, by Michelle Aung Thin - fiction, set in MyanmarWinner: Year of the Rabbit, by Tian Veasna, Translated by Helge Dascher - non-fiction, set in CambodiaHonorable Mention: The Silence of Bones, by June Hur - fiction, set in KoreaHonorable Mention: Tiananmen 1989: Our Shattered Hopes, by Lun Zhang and Adrien Gombeaud, Illustrated by Ameziane - non-fiction, set in ChinaOf Note: Almond, by Won-pyung Sohn, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee - fiction, set in KoreaOf Note: Like Spilled Water, by Jennie Liu -fiction, set in ChinaOf Note: Banned Book Club, by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada, Illustrated by Hyung-Ju Ko - non-fiction, set in Korea
Winners and honorable mentions, 2019
Source:Children’s LiteratureWinner: The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden by Heather Smith, illus. Rachel Wada - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, illus. Kana Urbanowicz - Non-fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: The Moose of Ewenki by Gerelchimeg Blackcrane, illus. by Jiu Er - Fiction, set in Inner Mongolia, ChinaHonorable Mention: When Spring Comes to the DMZ by Uk-Bae Lee - Fiction, set in Korea
Young Adult/Middle School LiteratureWinner: All The Ways Home by Elsie Chapman - Fiction, set in JapanWinner: A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata, Illustrated by Julia Kuo - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman - Fiction, set in IndonesiaOf Note: House Without Walls by Ching Yeung Russell - Fiction, set in VietnamOf Note: The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan Sherry Thomas - Fiction, set in China
Young Adult/High School LiteratureWinner: The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf - Fiction, set in MalaysiaWinner: Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay - Fiction, set in the PhilippinesHonorable Mention: Indigo Girl by Suzanne Kamata - Fiction, set in America and Japan
Winners and honorable mentions, 2018
Source:Children’s LiteratureWinner: Moth and Wasp, Soil and Ocean: Remembering Chinese Scientist Pu Zhelong’s Work for Sustainable Farming by Sigrid Schmalzer, illus. by Melanie Linden Chan - Non fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: The Turtle Ship by Helena Ku Rhee, illus. by Colleen Kong-Savage - Fiction, set in KoreaHonorable Mention: Confucius: Great Teacher of China by Demi, - Non fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story by Marc Tyler Nobleman, illus. by Melissa Iwai - Non fiction, set in the U.S.Of Note: My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun, trans. by Edward Gauvin - Fiction, set in China
Young Adult/Middle School LiteratureWinner: Grenade by Alan Gratz - Historical fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter by Atelier Sento, Cecile Brun, Olivier Pichard, trans. by Marie Velde - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Too Young to Escape: A Vietnamese Girl Waits to be Reunited with Her Family by Van Ho and Marsha Skrypuch - Non fiction, set in Vietnam
Young Adult/High School LiteratureWinner: Go: A Coming of Age Novel by Kazuki Kaneshiro, Translated by Takami Nieda - Fiction, set in JapanWinner: The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan - Fiction, set in TaiwanHonorable Mention: Girls on the Line by Jennie Lie - Fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman - Fiction, set in East and South AsiaOf Note: The Analects: An Illustrated Edition by Confucius, Adapted and Illustrated by C.C. Tsai, trans. by Brian Bruya, With a foreword by Michael Puett - Non fiction, set ChinaOf Note: The Dragon Ridge Tombs by Tianxia Bachang, trans. by Jeremy Tiang - Fiction, set China
Winners and honorable mentions, 2017
Source:Children's LiteratureWinner: The Crane Girl by Curtis Manley, illustr. by Lin Wang - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: An’s Seed by Zaozao Wang, illustr. by Li Huang, tr. Helen Wang - Fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet by Sanae Ishida - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: My First Book of Vietnamese Words by Tran Thi Minh Phuoc - Fiction, set in Vietnam
Young Adult/Middle School LiteratureWinner: Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan, illustr. by Meilo So, tr. Helen Wang - Fiction, set in ChinaHonorable Mention: Hotaka: Through My Eyes – Natural Disaster Zones by John Heffernan, edited by Lyn White - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Ten: A Soccer Story by Shamini Flint - Fiction, set in MalaysiaHonorable Mention: The Emperor’s Riddle by Kat Zhang - Fiction, set in China
Young Adult/High School LiteratureWinner: The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball by Doris Jones Yang - Fiction, set in Japan and the U.S. Honorable Mention: Want by Cindy Pon - Fiction, set in TaiwanHonorable Mention: Tanabata Wish by Sara Fujimura - Fiction, set in Japan
Winners and honorable mentions, 2016
Source:Children's LiteratureWinner: My Night in the Planetarium by Innosanto Nagara - Non-Fiction, set in IndonesiaHonorable Mention: Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko by Misuzu Kaneko - Non-Fiction, set in Japan
Young Adult/Middle School LiteratureWinner: Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu - Fiction, set in JapanWinner: The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary - Fiction, set in JapanHonorable Mention: Falling into the Dragon’s Mouth by Holly Thompson - Fiction, set in Japan
Young Adult/High School LiteratureWinner: Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea by Sungju Lee and Susan Elizabeth McClelland - Non-Fiction, set in North KoreaHonorable Mention: Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelson - Non-Fiction, set in Japan