Youth Media Awards 2024

Last week, at it's annual conference, the American Library Association announced top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults. The most prestigious, the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults, was given to:“The Collectors: Stories,” edited by A.S. King. Four Honor Books were also named: “Fire from the Sky,” by Moa Backe Åstot, translated by Eva Apelqvist; “Gather,” by Kenneth M. Cadow; “The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption,” by Shannon Gibney; and “Salt the Water,” by Candice Iloh.

“Only This Beautiful Moment,” by Abdi Nazemian is the 2024 recipient of the Stonewall Book Award, for LGBTQIA+ books.

The Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American author of outstanding books for children and young adults went to:“Nigeria Jones,” by Ibi Zoboi.

The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults went to: “Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed,” written by Dashka Slater.  Four other books were finalists: “America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History," written & illustrated by Ariel Aberg-Riger; “Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam,” written & illustrated by Thien Pham; “From Here,” by Luma Mufleh; & “Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself,” by Monica Edinger & Lesley Younge.

The 2024 Alex Awards winners for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teens are: “Bad Cree,” by Jessica Johns; “Chain-Gang All-Stars,” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah; “Chlorine,” by Jade Song; “Fourth Wing,” by Rebecca Yarros; “The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph,” by Oksana Masters; “I Will Greet the Sun Again,” by Khashayar J. Khabushani; “Maame,” by Jessica George; “Starter Villain,” by John Scalzi; “The Talk,” by Darrin Bell; and “Whalefall,” by Daniel Kraus.

Watch the announcements for all of the awards here: