The American Indian Youth Literature Awards named House of Purple Cedar by Tim Tingle its young adult winner for 2016.
In House of Purple Cedar, Rose Good survived the arson fire that killed twenty of her Choctaw sisters. Shortly after the fire, the community of Skullyville – once belonging to the Choctaw and now destroyed by land-grabbers in pre-statehood Oklahoma – turns their hatred to her grandfather. But instead of being angry, her grandfather chooses a path of forgiveness.
Presented every two years, the American Indian Library Association’s American Indian Youth Literature awards honor the best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. In addition to the top award, one honor book for each category was chosen, with Evangeline Parsons Yazzie’s Her Land, Her Love being named the YA honor book for 2016.
The winners will be recognized at the American Libraries Association’s Orlando conference this summer.
