Book Awards & Book Lists
Teen Literature

General Awards
Alex Awards (http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/alexawards/alexawards.htm) Each year, ten books published for adults are selected to receive the Alex Award because of their potential appeal to teens. Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association, Booklist, and the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust.

Michael J. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature (http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/awardsandgrants/yalsaawardsgrants.htm) This award honors the highest literary achievement in books for young adults for a book published during the preceding year. Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association.

National Book Award (http://www.nationalbook.org/nba.html) This award honors authors in four different areas each year, one of which is writing for young people. Sponsored by the National Book Foundation.

Rhode Island Teen Book Award (http://www.yourlibrary.ws/ya_webpage/ritba/ritbaindex.htm) The goal of the award is to promote quality literature for teens by highlighting well-written books that will be of interest to those between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age. Sponsored by the Rhode Island Library Association and the Rhode Island Education Media Association.

Multicultural Awards
American Indian Youth Services Literature Award (http://www.nativeculturelinks.com/aila.html#litaward) This book award was created as a way to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. Sponsored by the American Indian Library Association.

Carter G. Woodson Award (http://www.socialstudies.org/awards/woodson/) This award is intended to "encourage the writing, publishing, and dissemination of outstanding social studies books for young readers that treat topics related to ethnic minorities and race relations sensitively and accurately." Sponsored by the National Council for the Social Studies.

Coretta Scott King Award (http://www.ala.org/ala/srrt/corettascottking/corettascott.htm) The recipients of this award are authors and illustrators of African descent whose distinguished books promote an understanding and appreciation of the "American Dream." Sponsored by Coretta Scott King Task Force of the American Library Association's Ethnic Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table.

Jane Addam's Children's Book Award (http://home.igc.org/~japa/jacba/index_jacba.html) These awards are given annually to the children's books published the preceding year that effectively promote the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and races. Sponsored by the Jane Addams Peace Association and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

Lambda Literary Awards or "Lammy" (http://www.lambdaliterary.org) Celebrates LGBT literature through awards in a number of categories. Sponsored by the Lambda Literary Foundation.

Notable Books for a Global Society (http://www.csulb.edu/org/childrens-lit/proj/nbgs/intro-ngbs.html) A guide to multicultural literature for all those seeking excellent selections for readers ranging from kindergarten through high school. Sponsored by the Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association.

The Pura Belpré Award (http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/belpremedal/belprmedal.htm) This award honors a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. Sponsored Association for Library Service to Children, and the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA Affiliate.

Sydney Taylor Book Award (http://www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/st_books.htm) This book award recognizes the best in Jeish children's literature. Sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Awards for Genre
Agatha Award (http://www.malicedomestic.org/agatha.htm) This British award recognizes outstanding mysteries first published in the United States by a living author. There is a category for Best Children's/Young Adult Mystery. Sponsored by Malice Domestic Ltd.

Andre Norton Award of Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book (http://www.sfwa.org/awards/) This award recognizes outstanding science fiction and fantasy novels that are written for the young adult market. Sponsored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Edgar Award (http://www.mysterywriters.org/) Honoring books of excellence from the genre of mystery, this award has a section devoted to highlighting a novel for teens. Sponsored by Mystery Writers of America.

Golden Duck Awards for excellence in Children's Science Ficiton Literature (http://www.goldenduck.org/index.php) Awards are given annually in three age-devised categories. Two of these are of interest to young adults: the Eleanor Cameron Award for Middle Grades and the Hal Clement Award for Young Adults. Sponsored by Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, a group of parents, teachers, and librarians.

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People (http://www.bookcentre.ca/awards/bilson/index.shtml) TThis is awarded annually to reward excellence in the writing of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young readers by a Canadian author. Sponsored by the Children's and Young Adult Round Table of the Virginia Library Association.

Green Earth Book Award (http://www.newtonmarascofoundation.org/programs/a_ge_pw.cfm) Awards are given annually to promote books that inspire a child or young adult to grow a deeper appreciation, respect, and responsibility for is or her natural environment.. Sponsored by the Newton Marasco Foundation.

Jefferson Cup (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/reading/ya/jeffcup.htm) The cup honors a distinguished biography, historical fiction, or American history book for young people. Sponsored by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.

Orbis Pictus Award (http://www.ncte.org/elem/awards/orbispictus/) This annual awardd promotes and recognizes excellence in the writing of nonfiction for youth. Sponsored by the Natinoal Council of Teachers of English.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal (http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/sibertmedal/Sibert_Medal.htm) This honor is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. Sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children and Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois.

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (http://www.scottodell.com/odellaward.html) This award was designed to highlight novels that will increase the interest of young readers in the historical background that has helped to shape their country and their world. Sponsored by the O'Dell Award Committee.

Author Awards
ALAN Award (http://alan-ya.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66&Itemid=32) Given to honro those who haev made outstanding contributions to the field of adolescent literature. The recipienct may be a publisher, author, librarian, scholar, editor, or servant to the organization. Sponsored by The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents.

Margaret A. Edwards Award (http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/margaretaedwards/margaretedwards.htm) This award is given to an author whose book or books have provided young adults with a window through which they can view their world and which will help them to grow and to understand themselves and their role in society.

Suggested Book Lists
Best Books for Young Adults (http://www.nativeculturelinks.com/aila.html#litaward) This general list of fiction and nonfiction titles is created each year to highlight books that have a proven appeal for teens. Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association.

Great Graphic Novels for Teens (http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/greatgraphicnovelsforteens/gn.htm) This annual list presents graphic novels published in the past 16 months that are recommended reading for teens aged twelve to eighteen. Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association.