Last week I was able to watch the 2016 YALSA Awards and although I was familiar with a couple of them, there are many that I added to my To-Read pile once they were mentioned. In my post today I’m just going to mention the ones that really sparked my interest 🙂
Alex Awards: Given to books written for adults that appeal to young adult readers age 12-18.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: Coates wrote this book to his son about the struggles he will face as a result of being black in America.
Girl at War by Sara Novic: As a college student discovering herself, Ana begins to examine her war torn childhood living through the Balkan Wars in 1991.
Edwards Award: Recognizes an author whose work helps teens understand their role in society and in relationships towards others.
This year the award was given to David Levithan. Of his work I am most interested in reading:
Two Boys Kissing: This story is about Harry and Craig, two boys who hope to set a new record by entering a 32 hour kissing marathon. What makes this story so unique and intriguing though is that it is narrated and commented on by a previous generation of gay men who were lost to AIDS.
Morris Award: celebrates a debut Young Adult Author and their work.
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: This was the 2016 Morris Award winner. Simon is on the verge of coming out, when a classmate begins blackmailing him about his sexual identity and the online relationship he has with a peer.
The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore: This was a nominee that I have had my eyes on for awhile. This is a Romeo and Juliet themed story about two families of traveling performers. Amidst the circus setting there also a magical aspect to this story that has me very intrigued.
There were many other awards and books mentioned in the awards that I hope to get to in the future, but these were the ones that caught my interest right away!