‘The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen’ wins 2023 William C. Morris Award
NEW ORLEANS — “The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen,” written by Isaac Blum, has been named the 2023 winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, which honors a book published by a first-time author. The book is published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House. The award was announced today by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), during the ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held Jan. 27-30, in New Orleans.
When Yehuda “Hoodie” Rosen’s Orthodox Jewish community moves to a quiet, mostly gentile town, they don’t receive the warmest welcome – particularly from the Mayor. So, many aren’t happy when Hoodie befriends the mayor’s daughter. As a series of anti-Semitic crimes escalate in town, Hoodie has to decide where he stands and figure out where he belongs.
“We were impressed by Hoodie’s authentic voice and exploration of identity, faith, family, prejudice and community – beautifully packed in a book less than 225 pages long,” said Morris Award Chair Candice Mack.
The award is named for William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults. William “Bill” Morris left an impressive mark on the field of children’s and young adult literature. He was beloved in the publishing field and the library profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children and teens.
Read the press release here.
