YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) honors the best teen literature each year with its six literary awards, announced each year at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. To learn more about the awards, including previous winners click here.
The Michael L. Printz Award annually honors the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit. The 2013 winner is Nick Lake for his novel In Darkness.
In January 2010 an earthquake rocks the island of Haiti leaving fifteen-year-old Shorty trapped in rubble at a hospital in Port-au-Prince. As he weakens he becomes delusional and has nightmares that mix together his violent childhood and events from a Haitian revolutionary leader's life.
The William C. Morris Award is for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens. This year the winner is Rachel Hartman for Seraphina.
In a tale full of dragons and royal scandal, Seraphina is a strong willed young lady who uses her musical talents as a distraction for her own dark secret.
Benjamin Alire Saenz won the Stonewall Book Award for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. This award is given annually to English-language children's and teen books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.
In 1987, two seemingly opposite boys forge a deep bond. When Dante's feelings for Ari come to light and tragedy strikes, Ari must decide the type of person he wants to be.
The Mildred L. Batchelder Award recognizes an outstanding children's book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States.
My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoere, translated by Tammi Reichel is this year's winner.
Before the start of World War II, 10-year-old Ziska Mangold, who is raised Protestant, is taken out of Nazi Germany on one of the Kindertransport trains to live in London with an "adopted" Jewish family. She learns about Judaism and endures the hardships of war while attempting to keep in touch with her parents, who are trying to survive in Holland.
The Odyssey Award is for the best audiobook produced for teens and/or children available in English in the US. This year's winner is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and narrated by Kate Rudd.
Diagnosed with stage IV thyroid cancer, Hazel has always known her fate. But when she meets Augustus Waters at a cancer support group, Hazel struggles to change her outlook on life and love.
The Schneider Family Book Award is for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience and this year was given to Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis for Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am.
Ben is wounded and trying to recover from a traumatic brain injury that occurred while serving in Iraq. Although he will never be the person he once was, this is the story of his struggle and transformation.
Karli & Katharina, Central
