A Selection of Awards, Honors and Praise Laura’s Books and Poems Have Received
National & International Awards
- Sydney Taylor Book Awards Notable (A Place at the Table)
- National Book Festival Award Library of Congress, Discover Great Places through Reading (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Arnold Adoff Poetry Award for New Voices Honor Book (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Panda Book Award (A Place at the Table)
- South Asia Book Award—Highly Commended (A Place at the Table)
- CYBILS Award for Poetry (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- NCTE Notable Verse Novel (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Nerdy Book Club Award (A Place at the Table)
- PJ Our Way Author Incentive Award (Dani Karet is in the Doghouse)
- Clarinda Harriss Poetry Prize (Mountain, Log, Salt, and Stone)
- Gettysburg Review Conference for Writers Scholarship Winner
- Rita Dove Poetry Award Finalist
- Bermuda Triangle Prize Finalist
- Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards Honorable Mention
- Baltimore Science Fiction Association Poetry Prize, Honorable Mention
- Pushcart Prize Nomination
National Lists
- Rise: A Feminist Book Project List (Takedown)
- Bank Street Books Best Children’s Books of the Year (Takedown, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Tablet Magazine, Best Jewish Children’s Books of 2020 (A Place at the Table)
- Junior Library Guild Selection (Takedown)
- ILA-CBC Choices Reading Lists, Children’s Choices (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Lectio Book Award Master List (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- PJ Our Way Selection (A Place at the Table, Takedown)
- ProjectLit Selection (A Place at the Table)
- Amazon Editor’s Pick (A Place at the Table)
State Lists & Nominations
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle (A Place at the Table)
- Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Award Nominee (Takedown)
- New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- North Carolina Children’s Book Award (A Place at the Table)
- Oklahoma Library Association’s Children’s Sequoyah Masterlist (A Place at the Table)
- Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Rhode Island Children’s Book Award (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Texas Library Association’s Lone Star Reading List (A Place at the Table)
- Utah 2018 Beehive Poetry Award Nominee (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
- Wisconsin State Reading Association “Just One More Page” List (A Place at the Table, Takedown, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
Press
“This warm middle-grade novel explores the lives of first-generation immigrants and the definition of what it really means to be an American.”—Teen Vogue, A Place at the Table
“This gently evocative study of change in all its glory and terror would make a terrific read-aloud or introduction to a poetry unit. A most impressive debut.”—School Library Journal
“Reminding the reader that every student has a story beyond the classroom… this book could inspire close reading and a watershed of writing.”—School Library Connection, starred review
“Full of lovely, inventive moments…—Kirkus
“Will inspire readers.”—Publishers Weekly
“A solid choice for middle grade collections.”—School Library Journal
“Mikayla and Lev are winners.”—Kirkus
“Timely and true-to-life.”—Booklist
“Nuanced tale about the thrill of budding friendship.”— Publishers Weekly
“This tale of a diverse friendship tackles hard topics.”—Kirkus
“Readers will quickly become invested.”—Booklist
Interviews
Read Laura’s interview at Cynsations: Laura Shovan on Learning Something New With Each Project
