Teen Book Awards

For all of you who have ever wondered what those stickers were doing on your books.

—–Michael L. Printz Award—–

Printz Award Gold Seal

-Who is Michael L. Printz?

Michael, or Mike to his friends, was a Kansas school librarian, an active YALSA member, and a passionate advocate for reading and young adults.

- Did you know?

“If no title is deemed sufficiently meritorious, no award will be given that year.” – Printz Award Policies and Procedures

This year’s winner is my personal favorite: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta!

Abandoned by her drug-addicted mother at the age of eleven, high school student Taylor Markham struggles with her identity and family history at a boarding school in Australia.

(If it starts a little slow, stick with it. It gets better. Trust me. )

- What kind of titles can/do win?

Each year there are (at most) 1 Printz Award winner and 4 Printz Honor Award winners.

Titles can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, anthology… basically any “quality” piece of teen literature can win. For more information on how titles are chosen and by whom, click here. I found the process to be fascinating!

—–The William C. Morris YA Debut Award—–

- Wait. I’ve never heard of this award. What is it?

As the name suggests, the William C. Morris YA Debut Award is an annual award celebrating a exemplary young adult book written by a first-time author. Along with the winner, the committee also selects up to 5 books for its shortlist.

- Who is William C. Morris?

William “Bill” Morris worked in publishing, and he was beloved as an advocate for outstanding children and teen literature.

Yet another award named after a kind and passionate person. Doesn’t it make you feel great that there are so many wonderful people in the world?

- Did you know?

The Morris YA Debut Award is new this year! So without further ado, the first ever Morris Award winner is…A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce.

Upon the death of her father, seventeen-year-old Charlotte struggles to keep the family’s woolen mill running in the face of an overwhelming mortgage and what the local villagers believe is a curse, but when a man capable of spinning straw into gold appears on the scene she must decide if his help is worth the price.

—–The Odyssey Award—–

Odyssey Award Gold Seal

-What is is?

The Odyssey award is given to the best audio book produced in the US in a given year.

-Did you know?

This 2009 winner is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, written and narrated by Sherman Alexie, which also won the National Book Award.

Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

For more information of these and other awards, visit the links on the new CLP Teen Website(Hint:Click then Scroll Down) or the Yalsa Website