Courtesy of School Library Journal
December 14, 2021
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), selected five books as finalists for the 2022 William C. Morris Award, which honors the year’s best books written for young adults by a previously unpublished author. YALSA will name the Morris Award winner virtually at the Youth Media Awards on Jan. 24, 2022, during the ALA’s virtual LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience.
The 2022 William C. Morris Award finalists are:
Firekeeper’s Daughter written by Angeline Boulley and published by MacMillan, an imprint of Henry, Holt and Company. 978-1250766564.
Me (Moth) written by Amber McBride, published by MacMillan, an imprint of Feiwel and Friends. 978-1250780362.
Ace of Spades written by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and published by MacMillan, an imprint of Feiwei & Friends. 978-1250800817.
Vampires, Hearts, & Other Dead Things written by Margie Fuston and published by Simon & Schuster, an imprint of Margaret K. McElderry Books. 978-1534474574.
What Beauty There Is written by Cory Anderson and published by MacMillan, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press. 978-1250268099.
“The 2022 Morris Committee selected this year’s finalists after many hours of spirited virtual deliberation.,” said Patty Gonzales Ramirez, chair of the 2022 William C. Morris Award Committee. “This year’s debut authors delivered many diverse and incredibly written stories; choosing just five titles was a challenge. Our finalists cross genres, covering realistic fiction, fantasy, mystery, and crime drama, and all five are characterized by excellent storytelling.”
The Morris Award is named after 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.
