Media Contact: Chris Burley, Pop Culture Classroom
mailto:cburley@popcultureclassroom.org or 202-427-1175
(Denver — June 28) — Today, the Colorado education nonprofit Pop Culture Classroom (PCC) announced its 2021 finalists and winners for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards Book of the Year and Mosaic Award:
- Displacement by Kiku Hughs is the 2021 EGL Award’s Book of the Year
- The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen is the 2021 EGL Award’s MOSAIC winner – chosen for elevating inclusive representation in graphic literature
These are the final nominees and winners for this year’s awards, which PCC began announcing last week. The titles were selected by juries and an advisory board of diverse professionals in education, library management, and publishing and represent the best in graphic literature across both fiction and non-fiction titles.
The 2021 Book of the Year
Displacement a First Second publication by Kiku Hughs, is a historical graphic novel that weaves an intergenerational tale of sacrifice and resilience in the face of discrimination.
“Displacement captivates readers from the first page and transports them to another time and place,” described Tajshen Campbell, Ph.D., the Programming and Partnership Manager at Pop Culture Classroom. “It challenges readers and tells a moving tale of trauma and strength through the lens of legacy and history.”
PCC also today announced the 2021 nominees and winners for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards’ Mosaic Award. The Mosaic Award honors those titles that showcase diverse voices and spotlight stories about and from different ethnicities, nationalities, belief systems, genders, and sexual orientations.
The 2021 Mosaic Awards winner
The Magic Fish, a Random House Graphic publication by Trung Le Nguyen.
“The Magic Fish is one of those stories that sticks with you long after you’ve turned the final page,” continued Campbell. “The deeply personal nature of Tien’s story and the incredible beauty of the art creates a beautiful, poignant tale about the power of stories and how we grow, connect, and learn to accept ourselves.”
2021 Book of the Year Finalists
- Aspara Engine by Bishakh Som (Feminist Press)
- Bear by Ben Queen; art by Joe Todd-Stanton (BOOM! Studios)
- Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey (Scholastics/Graphix)
- Displacement by Kiku Hughes (Macmillan Publishers)
- Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio by Derf Backderf (Abrams ComicArts)
- The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (RH Graphic – Random House Children’s Books Imprint)
- Snapdragon by Kat Ley (Macmillan Publishers)
- Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang; art by Gurihiru (DC)
2021 Mosaic Award Finalists
- Aspara Engine by Bishakh Som (Feminist Press)
- Bear by Ben Queen; art by Joe Todd-Stanton (BOOM! Studios)
- Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith (TOON Books)
- Fights: One Boy’s Triumph by Joel Christian Gill (Oni Press)
- Go with the Flow by Karen Schneemann & Lily WIlliams (Macmillan Publishers)
- Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera; art by Celia Moscote (BOOM! Studios)
- The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (RH Graphic – Random House Children’s Books Imprint)
- Noisemakers: 25 Women Who Raised Their Voices & Changed the World Edited by Erin Bried (Knopf – Random House Children’s Books)
The Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards, established in 2017, seeks to help educators, librarians, and readers of all ages identify the best graphic novels to bring into their homes, classrooms, and libraries, as well as highlight and celebrate the authors, artists, and publishers creating today’s most inspiring, inclusive, and captivating titles.
For more information about the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards, please visit http://www.popcultureclassroom.org/eglawards.