Americas Book Award

These 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles celebrate the deep connections between people, land, and the natural and mythological worlds that surround them.

Of the Sun, written by @xfactor.live and illustrated by @emilykewageshig, is a lyrical picture book poem that affirms the belonging, resilience, and cultural strength of Indigenous children throughout the Americas, celebrating their enduring connection to the land and their responsibilities to future generations. Xolo, written by Donna Barba Higuera and illustrated by @marianaruizjohnson, reimagines Aztec mythology through the eyes of Xolotl, Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known dog-headed twin, in a fast-paced story about outcasts, empathy, and the courage it takes to find your place in the world. And Sundust/Polvo solar, written and illustrated by @zpvisual and translated by Rubí Orozco Santos, follows two siblings into the vast landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert, where curiosity, imagination, and the natural world blur into something magical.

Thank you for following along as we celebrated all of our 2026 Américas Award recognized titles. Visit the link in our bio to explore the full annotated bibliography!

The award is administered by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (@claspprograms) and coordinated by both Tulane University's Stone Center for Latin American Studies (@tusclas) and the University of Arizona's Center for Latin American Studies (@uaz_clas). Generous support is provided by @fiulacc, @msuclacs, @clacsberkeley, @lacsconsortium, @ucla_lai, @unmlaii, @uofu.ias, @uf_latam, @uwmclacs, @vanderbilt_clacx, @llilasbenson, @clacsillinois, Stanford University's CLAS, and the University of Michigan's LACS.