Canadian author Richard Van Camp and illustrator Julie Flett have won the 2016 American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Picture Book, for their 2013 collaboration Little You.

In the Middle School category, a Canadian anthology entitled Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native Voices edited by Lisa Charleyboy (host of CBC's New Fire) and Mary Beth Leatherdale was chosen as an Honor Book. Published in 2014, the anthology is a compilation of art, essays and poetry created by indigenous artists, like Joseph Boyden and Ashley Callingbull.

The American Indian Youth Literature Awards take place every two years to honour the best children's literature by and about indigenous people. A winner and Honor Book are chosen for each category.

The Middle School category was won by Joseph Marshall II for In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse. Tim Tingle won the Young Adult category for House of Purple Cedar, while Evangeline Parsons' Her Land, Her Love was chosen as the Honor Book. Sitting Bull Lakota Warrior and Defender of his People by S.D. Nelson was named the Honor Book for the picture book category.