History of the Youth Media Awards: Part 6, Young Adult Readers

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The young adult book market is one of the most vibrant in publishing.

The American Library Association (ALA) has encouraged the growth of this genre and also helped set the standards for achievement when bestowing its Youth Media Awards during the ALA's Midwinter Meeting.

Several awards have been created specifically to honor outstanding books for young adults, in both the fiction and non-fiction categories.

The Alex Awards are given to 10 books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.

The Alex Awards were first given annually beginning in 1998 and became an official ALA award in 2002.

The award is sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust. Edwards pioneered young adult library services and worked for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore. Her work is described in her book Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts, and over the years she has served as an inspiration to many librarians who serve young adults. The Alex Awards are named after Edwards, who was called “Alex” by her friends.

Edwards is also honored by the Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, which honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award is administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of ALA, and sponsored by School Library Journal magazine. It recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world.

The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. The award, sponsored by Booklist, an ALA publication, is named for a Topeka, Kan., school librarian who was a long-time active YALSA member.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first awarded in 2009, honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. The award's namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults.  

The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1 – October 31 publishing year.

Books are not the only medium recognized. The Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States. This annual award is given annually by YALSA and ALSC (the the Association for Library Service to Children), also a division of ALA, to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.

Photo credit: Reading girl by lady_lbrty