Ten contenders for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature have been announced by the National Book Foundation. Finalists will be revealed on October 10 and the winners will be announced  November 14 at the National Book Awards ceremony in New York City. 

Among the longlisted authors are M.T. Anderson—who won the National Book Award in this category in 2006—for The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge (Candlewick), illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, and debut novelist Joy McCullough for Blood Water Paint (Penguin Random House).

Two middle grade titles made this year’s longlist: The Journey of Little Charlie (Scholastic) by Newbery Medal winner Christopher Paul Curtis and Leslie Connor’s The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle (HarperCollins).

Following is the 2018 Longlist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.("SLJ's Reviews of the 2018 National Book Award Longlisters"):

  Elizabeth Acevedo, The Poet X
  HarperTeen / HarperCollins Publishers

  M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin, The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge
  Candlewick Press

  Bryan Bliss, We’ll Fly Away
  Greenwillow Books / HarperCollins Publishers 

  Leslie Connor, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
  Katherine Tegen Books / HarperCollins Publishers

  Christopher Paul Curtis, The Journey of Little Charlie
  Scholastic Press / Scholastic, Inc.

  Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Hey, Kiddo
  Graphix / Scholastic, Inc.

  Tahereh Mafi, A Very Large Expanse of Sea
  HarperTeen / HarperCollins Publishers

  Joy McCullough, Blood Water Paint
  Dutton Children’s Books / Penguin Random House

  Elizabeth Partridge, Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam
  Viking Children’s Books / Penguin Random House

  Vesper Stamper, What the Night Sings
  Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House