The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), has selected the winners of the 2009 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature . The awards promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and are awarded based on literary and artistic merit. Here are the winners in the picture book and youth literature categories: The picture book winner is Cora Cooks Pancit , written by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore and illustrated by Kristi Valiant, published by Groundwood Books. The picture book honor was given to Tan to Tamarind , written by Malathi Michelle Iyengar and illustrated by Jamel Akib, published by Children’s Book Press. The youth literature winner is Everything Asian , written by Sung J. Woo and published by Thomas Dunne Books. The youth literature honor was given to Tofu Quilt , written by Ching Yeung Russell and published by Lee & Low Books. The winners and honor books were chosen from titles by or about Asian/P