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Alex Awards
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| Alex Award | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Adults books with "special appeal" for adolescents |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association |
| First award | 1998 |
| Website | ala |
The Alex Awards annually recognize "ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18".[1] Since 2002, the Alex Awards have been administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association.[2]
The awards, initially bestowed in 1998, were named after Baltimore librarian Margaret Alexander Edwards, who was known as "Alex". They are sponsored by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust and Booklist magazine.[3] Books published during the previous year are eligible for the awards.
Alex recipients
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "YALSA's Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). American Library Association (ALA). Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2013. With links to previous annual lists at the foot of the page.
- ^ "YALSA's Best of the Best" Archived May 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. YALSA. ALA. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
- ^ Carter, Betty. "Who Is Margaret Edwards and What Is This Award Being Given In Her Honor?". The ALAN Review (Spring 1992): 45–48. Archived from the original on December 26, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
- ^ "Alex Awards". 1998. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "1999 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2000 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2001 Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 3, 2007. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ "2002 Alex Award Winners". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2003 Alex Award Winners". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2004 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2005 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2006 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2007 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2008 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2009 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "2010 Alex Awards". Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "Alex Awards 2011". Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ "YALSA's Alex Awards. 2012 Winners". Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "YALSA's Alex Awards. 2013 Winners". Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- ^ "YALSA's Alex Awards. 2014 Winners". Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- ^ "2015 Alex Awards Winner | Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)". www.ala.org. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ Macey, Morales (January 11, 2016). "YALSA announces 2016 Alex Awards". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 14, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ "2017 Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). February 13, 2018. Archived from the original on February 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ "2018 Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 28, 2019. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ "2019 Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 27, 2020. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ "2020 Youth Media Award Winners". American Libraries Magazine. Archived from the original on December 16, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "2021 Youth Media Award Winners". American Libraries Magazine. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "2022 ALA Awards". Locus Online. January 24, 2022. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ "YALSA announces 2023 Alex Awards". News and Press Center. ALA American Library Association. January 30, 2023. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ "YALSA announces 2023 Alex Awards". News and Press Center. ALA American Library Association. January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ "American Library Association announces 2025 Youth Media Award winners". American Library Association. January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Alex Awards
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History
Establishment
Margaret A. Edwards (1902–1988), affectionately known as "Alex," was a pioneering librarian and educator who significantly advanced young adult library services in the United States. Born in Childress, Texas, she earned a master's degree from Columbia University and began her career teaching Latin before joining the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore at age 30. There, she served as administrator of young adult programs for over 30 years, starting in 1932, where she developed specialized collections by reading extensively and incorporating teen input, while pioneering outreach efforts such as booktalks in high schools, career fairs, and even a horse-drawn book wagon to engage adolescents.[4] Edwards emphasized providing teenagers with literature relevant to their experiences, advocating for the recognition of young adult needs within the library profession through her writings, speeches, and innovative programs.[4] In 1998, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), established the Alex Awards to honor Edwards' enduring legacy in promoting literature that resonates with young readers. Sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust, the awards were created to recognize books written for adults that demonstrate special appeal to young adults aged 12–18, thereby bridging the gap between adult and youth literature and encouraging librarians to recommend such titles to teens.[1] This initiative reflected Edwards' belief in the value of adult books for adolescent development, aiming to highlight works that address complex themes in accessible ways suitable for teen audiences.[3] The inaugural Alex Awards, announced in 1998, selected ten books published in 1997, marking the first annual presentation of the honor. Notable recipients included Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, a gripping nonfiction account of a tragic expedition that captivated young readers with its themes of survival and human endurance, and The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men against the Sea by Sebastian Junger, which explored perilous adventure and resilience in a narrative style appealing to adolescents. Other winners, such as Snow in August by Pete Hamill, a historical novel blending friendship and prejudice in 1940s Brooklyn, underscored the awards' focus on crossover appeal, fostering discussions on social issues relevant to teens.[5]Development
Following its establishment in 1998, the Alex Awards underwent significant institutional evolution in the early 2000s. In 2002, the awards were officially recognized as an American Library Association (ALA) award, marking their full integration into the portfolio of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ALA. This transition replaced the initial YALSA Adult Books for Young Adults Task Force with a dedicated Alex Awards Committee, formalizing the selection process and enhancing the awards' prestige within the library community.[1] By the mid-2000s, the awards had solidified their format and gained broader recognition. Annual selections consistently honored 10 books, as seen in the 2004 winners, which included titles like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, reflecting a steady output that encouraged greater participation from publishers and librarians. This period saw increased submissions and attention, contributing to the awards' role in highlighting crossover literature for young adults.[6][1] Key milestones in the 2010s further expanded the awards' reach through digital enhancements. In 2010, YALSA introduced the annual publication of a vetted list of nominations alongside the 10 winners, making the selection process more transparent and accessible via online platforms. The 2020s brought adaptations to contemporary challenges, including virtual ceremonies prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic; for instance, the 2020 winners were celebrated in a virtual event on June 11, and the 2021 awards featured an online celebration to maintain engagement amid restrictions.[1][7][8] By 2025, the Alex Awards had honored over 270 books across nearly three decades, demonstrating their enduring relevance in bridging adult and young adult genres by spotlighting titles with broad appeal to readers aged 12-18. This cumulative impact underscores the awards' growth from a niche recognition to a cornerstone of YALSA's youth media initiatives.[9]Description
Purpose
The Alex Awards aim to recognize ten books published for adult audiences in the preceding year that demonstrate special appeal to young adults aged 12 through 18, thereby promoting crossover reading experiences that bridge generational divides in literature and encouraging greater engagement with libraries among teenagers.[1] This focus helps expand access to high-quality adult titles that resonate with teen readers, fostering broader reading habits and discovery of diverse narratives beyond traditional young adult genres.[3] By emphasizing "special appeal" rather than strict categorization as young adult literature, the awards address a notable gap in recognition for adult books that captivate adolescents through themes of personal growth, exploration, and societal challenges, ultimately supporting the development of critical reading skills and lifelong literary interests.[1] The initiative honors the pioneering vision of Margaret A. Edwards, the award's namesake and a foundational figure in young adult librarianship, who advocated in her 1969 book The Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts: The Library and the Young Adult for libraries to curate challenging, intellectually stimulating materials that nurture independent thinking and enduring reader enthusiasm among teens.[1] In line with this inclusive philosophy, the Alex Awards encompass a range of formats—including fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and memoirs—to mirror the multifaceted interests and reading preferences of young adults, ensuring that the selections reflect contemporary teen experiences while broadening the scope of recommended literature.[1] This approach, sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust, underscores YALSA's commitment to equitable literary promotion without confining awards to predefined age demographics.[1]Selection Criteria
The Alex Awards recognize books originally published in English within the United States during the preceding calendar year, such as titles from 2024 eligible for the 2025 award. Eligible works must appear on adult book lists and have a U.S. edition printed and distributed by a U.S. publisher; self-published books, those available only in eBook format without print distribution, or titles published outside the U.S. without domestic availability are disqualified. Nominations from authors, publishers, or agents are also ineligible, as are suggestions lacking a second from a committee member.[10] The core evaluation criterion emphasizes special appeal to young adults aged 12–18, prioritizing literary quality and resonance with teen readers over commercial popularity. Committee members assess potential winners based on elements such as language, plot, style, setting, dialogue, characterization, and overall design, focusing on engaging narratives that reflect or illuminate adolescent experiences, irrespective of the book's original adult audience designation. There are no restrictions on genre, allowing for diverse selections across fiction, nonfiction, and other formats.[10] Selections are conducted by the Alex Awards Committee, comprising nine voting members—including a chair—appointed by the YALSA president-elect from among librarians and educators with expertise in youth services; members serve a one-year term from February 1 to January 31. Public nominations are solicited via an online form and accepted through December 31, after which the committee vets submissions to compile an official list published in January. Final choices of ten titles are determined by majority vote during the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting, with support from a non-voting Booklist consultant to ensure thorough evaluation.[10]Administration
Governing Bodies
The Alex Awards are administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA) established in 1957 to promote and develop library services for young adults ages 12 to 18.[11] YALSA's role ensures that the awards align with professional standards for youth literature, emphasizing accessibility and relevance in library collections nationwide.[12] Since becoming an official ALA award in 2002, the Alex Awards have benefited from the broader integration within the ALA's structure, which amplifies their visibility through the organization's national platform; they are announced annually as part of the Youth Media Awards suite during the ALA's January conference, such as LibLearnX, typically in late January.[1][2] This affiliation underscores YALSA's oversight in coordinating the awards' governance, from nomination reviews to final selections, while leveraging ALA's resources for dissemination.[3] The selection process is managed by the Alex Award Committee, a group of nine volunteer members comprising librarians, educators, and library professionals with expertise in youth materials evaluation.[13] Members are appointed by YALSA's President-Elect from among the association's membership, based on qualifications such as prior experience in book selection and adherence to YALSA policies; they serve one-year terms from February 1 to January 31, renewable once for a total of up to two years.[13] The committee also includes a consultant from Booklist magazine and, if needed, an administrative assistant appointed by the chair.[13] For ongoing maintenance, YALSA operates the official Alex Awards website, which archives complete lists of winners, annotations, and related resources, with updates posted annually immediately after the announcement to support librarians and educators in accessing the materials.[1] This digital repository ensures long-term preservation and promotes the awards' enduring value in youth services.[14]Sponsorship and Announcement
The Alex Awards are sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust, established through the will of Margaret Alexander Edwards (1902–1988), a pioneering young adult librarian at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, and by Booklist, the American Library Association's (ALA) official book review journal.[15][2] The trust, formed from Edwards' estate to support young adult library services, provides primary funding for the awards program, including an annual allocation of $5,000 to cover selection committee expenses such as meetings, materials, and administrative costs.[15][16] Booklist contributes promotional support by featuring winning titles in its publications, including reviews, annotations, and occasional author interviews to highlight their appeal to teen readers.[1][2] The awards are administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ALA.[1] They are announced each year during the ALA's Youth Media Awards press conference, traditionally in late January as part of the association's Midwinter Meeting or LibLearnX event. For instance, the 2025 recipients were revealed on January 27 in a hybrid virtual and in-person format.[2] After the announcement, official certificates are presented to recognize the winning titles, and promotional resources—including title lists, annotations, and digital badges—are made available on YALSA's website for librarians and educators.[1] Booklist further amplifies visibility through dedicated features in its spring issues, often incorporating author spotlights to encourage library collections and reader engagement.[1] While no monetary prizes are given to authors or publishers, the endorsement leverages the trust's resources and Booklist's reach to elevate the books, facilitating greater library acquisitions and sales by bridging adult titles to young adult audiences.[2][1]Recipients
Overview
The Alex Awards have honored a total of 280 books from their inception in 1998 through 2025, recognizing 10 titles annually.[1] These selections highlight adult books that resonate with young adults aged 12 to 18, fostering crossover appeal between adult and teen readership.[1] Recipients are primarily fiction, often exploring themes such as coming-of-age, social justice, and fantasy, with increasing inclusion of nonfiction and graphic novels since the 2010s.[1] Representation of authors from diverse backgrounds has grown, aligning with broader industry efforts to amplify underrepresented voices.[17] Many Alex Award winners gain increased visibility, often leading to higher sales, inclusion in teen library collections, and enhanced cultural reach.[2]List of Winners
The Alex Awards are given annually for ten books, and the complete list of winners from 1998 to 2025 is presented in the table below. Each entry includes the year, title, and author. Publishers are not included, as the focus is on the core bibliographic details for reference purposes. This catalog is drawn from official YALSA announcements.[1]| Year | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Secret Family: Twenty-four Hours Inside the Mysterious Worlds of Our Minds and Bodies | David Bodanis |
| 1998 | All Over but the Shoutin' | Rick Bragg |
| 1998 | Sugar in the Raw | Rebecca Carroll |
| 1998 | What Girls Learn | Karin Cook |
| 1998 | Snow in August | Pete Hamill |
| 1998 | The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea | Sebastian Junger |
| 1998 | Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster | Jon Krakauer |
| 1998 | Lest We Forget: The Passage from Africa to Slavery and Freedom | Velma Maia Thomas |
| 1998 | Only Twice I've Wished for Heaven | Dawn Turner Trice |
| 1998 | To Say Nothing of the Dog | Connie Willis |
| 1999 | The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition | Caroline Alexander |
| 1999 | Getting In | James Finney Boylan |
| 1999 | Needles | Andie Dominick |
| 1999 | At All Costs | John Gilstrap |
| 1999 | Space | Jesse Lee Kercheval |
| 1999 | Last Days of Summer | Steve Kluger |
| 1999 | Legends | Robert Silverberg |
| 1999 | Antarctica | Kim Stanley Robinson |
| 1999 | Almost a Woman | Esmeralda Santiago |
| 1999 | Caucasia | Danzy Senna |
| ... | ... | ... |
| 2000 | High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places | David Breashears |
| 2000 | Ender's Shadow | Orson Scott Card |
| 2000 | River, Cross My Heart | Breena Clarke |
| 2000 | Educating Esmé | Esmé Raji Codell |
| 2000 | The Reappearance of Sam Webber | Jonathon Scott Fuqua |
| 2000 | Stardust | Neil Gaiman |
| 2000 | The Hungry Ocean: Stories of Fishing and Food from the Edge of the World | Linda Greenlaw |
| 2000 | Barefoot Heart: Stories of a Migrant Child | Elva Trevino Hart |
| 2000 | Plainsong | Kent Haruf |
| 2000 | Imani All Mine | Connie Porter |
| ... | ... | ... |
| 2007 | The Book of Lost Things | John Connolly |
| 2007 | The Whistling Season | Ivan Doig |
| 2007 | Eagle Blue: A Team, a Dream, and a Promise: A Boy's Brilliant Battle to Lead His Team to Glory | Michael D'Orso |
| 2007 | Water for Elephants | Sara Gruen |
| 2007 | Floor of the Sky | Pamela Carter Joern |
| 2007 | Color of the Sea | John Hamamura |
| 2007 | The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game | Michael Lewis |
| 2007 | Black Swan Green | David Mitchell |
| 2007 | The World Made Straight | Ron Rash |
| 2007 | The Thirteenth Tale | Diane Setterfield |
| ... | ... | ... |
| 2022 | Light from Uncommon Stars | Ryka Aoki |
| 2022 | The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot | Marianne Cronin |
| 2022 | The Witch's Heart | Genevieve Gornichec |
| 2022 | The Library of the Dead | T. L. Huchu |
| 2022 | Nothing to See Here | Kevin Wilson |
| 2022 | The Final Girl Support Group | Grady Hendrix |
| 2022 | How Lucky | Will Leitch |
| 2022 | When the Reckoning Comes | LaTanya McQueen |
| 2022 | The Beautiful Ones | Silvia Moreno-Garcia |
| 2022 | For the Wolf | Hannah F. Whitten |
| 2023 | A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting | Sophie Irwin |
| 2023 | Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution | R. F. Kuang |
| 2023 | The Big Door Prize | M. O. Walsh |
| 2023 | The Body Liberation Project | Chrissy King |
| 2023 | The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories | Jamel Brinkley |
| 2023 | The High Desert: Black. A Family, a Town in Montana, a Montana Family Town | Keith McQuade |
| 2023 | The Kaiju Preservation Society | John Scalzi |
| 2023 | The Love of Singular Men | Victor Methos |
| 2023 | True Biz | Sara Nović |
| 2023 | Wash Day Diaries | Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith |
| 2024 | Bad Cree | Jessica Johns |
| 2024 | Chain-Gang All-Stars | Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah |
| 2024 | Chlorine | Jade Song |
| 2024 | Fourth Wing | Rebecca Yarros |
| 2024 | The Hard Parts: A Memoir | Oksana Masters |
| 2024 | I Will Greet the Sun Again | Khashayar J. Khabushani |
| 2024 | Maame | Jessica George |
| 2024 | Starter Villain | John Scalzi |
| 2024 | The Talk | Darrin Bell |
| 2024 | Whalefall | Daniel Kraus |
| 2025 | Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths About Disability | Melissa Blake |
| 2025 | Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined | David F. Walker, illustrated by Marcus Kwame Anderson |
| 2025 | Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung |
| 2025 | The Dead Cat Tail Assassins | P. Djèlí Clark |
| 2025 | How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Novel | Kristen Perrin |
| 2025 | I Feel Awful, Thanks | Lara Pickle |
| 2025 | I Was a Teenage Slasher | Stephen Graham Jones |
| 2025 | The Witch of Colchis | Rosie Hewlett |
| 2025 | The Witchstone | Henry H. Neff |
| 2025 | Woman, Life, Freedom | Marjane Satrapi, translated by Una Dimitrijević |