They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems (Cinco Puntos Press) by David Bowles was named as an honor book for the Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature in the Young Readers category. A Mexican-American author from deep South Texas, Bowles is an assistant professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. In further Texas ties, They Call Me Güero was published by a Texas publisher, Cinco Puntos Press in El Paso.  

The Walter Awards Ceremony will be held Friday, March 29, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., with Newbery Medalist and author Linda Sue Park serving as emcee and guest speaker. Christopher Myers, son of the late Walter Dean Myers, will also speak. Before the ceremony will be a symposium called "On Writing, Voice, and Courage: A Conversation with Walter Honorees" moderated by Pura Belpré Award-winning author Meg Medina.

A complete list of the winners and honorees for the fourth annual Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature, sponsored by We Need Diverse Books, may be found here.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators announced the 2019 Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Awards on January 15, and two Texas authors are on the list.

The Remember Balloons (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), “a tender, sensitive picture book that gently explains the memory loss associated with aging and diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” by Jessie Oliveros won in the Picture Book Text category. After a career as a registered nurse, Oliveros writes stories in the Texas Hill Country.

Stella Díaz Has Something to Say (Roaring Brook Press), “a heartwarming story based on the author’s experiences growing up Mexican-American,” by Angela Dominguez won the Sid Fleischman Award which honors exemplary writing for children in the genre of humor. Dominguez was born in Mexico City, grew up in Texas, and now resides and teaches on the East Coast.

The Golden Kites are the first children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. The awards recognize excellence in children’s literature in six categories: Young Reader and Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction for Younger Readers, Non-Fiction for Older Readers, Picture Book Illustration, and Picture Book Text.

The Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Awards will be presented at a gala during the New York Winter Conference on Friday, February 8 at 7pm at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Guest speaker U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will deliver remarks at the event.

A complete list of the winners of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators 2019 Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Awards may be found here.