| 2024 | Remember Us | Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Fiction and Poetry | |
| 2023 | Remember Us | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Kids | |
| 2023 | Remember Us | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books for Youth: Fiction, Middle Readers | |
| 2023 | Remember Us | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2023 | Remember Us | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2023 | Remember Us | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2022 | The Year We Learned to Fly | Kirkus Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Young Readers' Literature | |
| 2022 | El año en que aprendimos a volar | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The World Belonged to Us | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The Year We Learned to Fly | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The Year We Learned to Fly | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2022 | El año en que aprendimos a volar | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Los mejores libros en español | |
| 2022 | The World Belonged to Us | Horn Book Fanfare source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The World Belonged to Us | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The World Belonged to Us | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The World Belonged to Us | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2022 | The Year We Learned to Fly | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2021 | Before the Ever After | Coretta Scott King Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Author | |
| 2021 | Niña morena sueña | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Kids | |
| 2020 | Red at the Bone | Lambda Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Lesbian Fiction | |
| 2020 | Red at the Bone | Aspen Words Literary Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2020 | Red at the Bone | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2020 | Red at the Bone | Women's Prize for Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2020 | Before the Ever After | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Middle Grade & Children's | |
| 2020 | Before the Ever After | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Kids | |
| 2020 | Before the Ever After | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Fiction for Older Readers | |
| 2020 | Before The Ever After | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2020 | Before the Ever After | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Fiction | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Esquire Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Adults | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books | |
| 2019 | Red At The Bone: A Novel | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Literary Fiction | |
| 2019 | Red at the Bone | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |
| 2018 | Harbor Me | Kirkus Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Young Readers' Literature | |
| 2018 | Another Brooklyn | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | The Day You Begin | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Picture Books | |
| 2018 | Harbor Me | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Fiction for Older Readers | |
| 2018 | The Day You Begin | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Picture Books | |
| 2018 | Harbor Me | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2018 | Harbor Me | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2018 | The Day You Begin | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2018 | The Day You Begin | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2017 | Another Brooklyn | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Another Brooklyn | Lambda Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Lesbian Fiction | |
| 2017 | Another Brooklyn | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books for Young Adults: Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn: A Novel | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn: A Novel | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Barnes & Noble Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |
| 2016 | Another Brooklyn | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 10 | |
| 2015 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Coretta Scott King Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Author | |
| 2015 | Brown Girl Dreaming | John Newbery Medal source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Children's Literature | |
| 2015 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Informational Book | |
| 2015 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Young People's Literature | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Young Adult Literature | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Middle Grade & Children's | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Kids | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Informational Books for Older Readers | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books for Youth: Nonfiction, Middle Readers | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | Horn Book Fanfare source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | Brown Girl Dreaming | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Each Kindness | Coretta Scott King Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Author | |
| 2013 | This Is the Rope: A Story From the Great Migration | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Picture Books | |
| 2013 | This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Children's Picture | |
| 2012 | Each Kindness | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Picture Books | |
| 2012 | Beneath A Meth Moon: An Elegy | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Teen Fiction | |
| 2012 | Each Kindness | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2012 | Each Kindness | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2012 | Beneath a Meth Moon | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Teen | |
| 2011 | Pecan Pie Baby | Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Picture Book | |
| 2009 | After Tupac & D Foster | John Newbery Medal source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Children's Literature | |
| 2009 | Peace, Locomotion | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2009 | Peace, Locomotion | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Fiction for Older Readers | |
| 2008 | Feathers | John Newbery Medal source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Children's Literature | |
| 2006 | Show Way | John Newbery Medal source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Children's Literature | |