William C. Morris Award

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William C. Morris Award
Awarded for"a strong literary debut in writing for young adult readers"[1][2]
CountryUnited States
Presented byYoung Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association
First award2009
Websiteala.org/yalsa/morris

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award is an annual award given to a work of young adult literature by a "first-time author writing for teens".[3] It is administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). It was named for twentieth-century American publisher William C. Morris (born 1928 or 1929 and raised in Eagle Pass, Texas, died Sept 28, 2003 in Manhattan), whom YALSA calls an innovator and "an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults".[3]

The award is funded by the William C. Morris Endowment, established in 2000 and activated in 2003 with a bequest of $400,000 from the Morris estate.[2] Morris gave the money to ALA to fund programs, publications, events, or awards in promotion of children's literature.[2] In addition to being a member of ALA, Morris was the first recipient of its Distinguished Service Award in 1992.[2] The shortlist for the first award was announced on December 8, 2008, and the winner, A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce, was announced on January 26, 2009, at the ALA's midwinter meeting.[4]

"To be eligible, a title must have been designated by its publisher as being either a young adult book or one published for the age range that YALSA defines as 'young adult', i.e., 12 through 18".[1] About 4000 "YA titles" are published annually and about 10% may be debuts.[1]

Recipients

Morris Award winners and finalists[3][5][6]
Year Author Book Result Ref.
2009 Elizabeth C. Bunce A Curse Dark as Gold Winner [7][8]
Kristin Cashore Graceling Finalist [7]
Celeste Lecesne[a] Absolute Brightness
Christina Meldrum Madapple
Jenny Valentine Me, the Missing, and the Dead
2010 L. K. Madigan Flash Burnout Winner [9]
Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl  Beautiful Creatures Finalist [9]
Amy Huntley The Everafter
Nina LaCour Hold Still [9][10]
Malinda Lo Ash [9]
2011 Blythe Woolston The Freak Observer Winner [11][12]
Eishes Chayil Hush Finalist [11]
Karen Healey Guardian of the Dead
Lish McBride Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
Barbara Stuber Crossing the Tracks
2012 John Corey Whaley Where Things Come Back Winner [13]
Rae Carson The Girl of Fire and Thorns Finalist [13]
Jenny Hubbard Paper Covers Rock
Guadalupe Garcia McCall Under the Mesquite
Ruta Sepetys Between Shades of Gray
2013 Rachel Hartman Seraphina Winner [14]
S. D. Crockett After the Snow Finalist [14]
Laura Buzo Love and Other Perishable Items
Emily M. Danforth The Miseducation of Cameron Post 
Hannah Barnaby Wonder Show
2014 Stephanie Kuehn Charm & Strange Winner [15][16]
Carrie Mesrobian Sex & Violence Finalist [15][16]
Evan Roskos Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets
Elizabeth Ross Belle Epoque
Cat Winters In the Shadow of Blackbirds
2015 Isabel Quintero Gabi, A Girl in Pieces Winner [17][18]
Jessie Ann Foley The Carnival at Bray Finalist [17][18]
E. K. Johnston The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim
Len Vlahos The Scar Boys [17][18][19]
Leslye Walton The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender [17][18]
2016 Becky Albertalli Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Winner [20][21]
Leah Thomas Because You'll Never Meet Me Finalist [20]
Kelly Loy Gilbert Conviction
Stephanie Oakes The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly
Anna-Marie McLemore The Weight of Feathers
2017 Jeff Zentner The Serpent King Winner [22]
M-E Girard Girl Mans Up Finalist [22]
Sonia Patel Rani Patel in Full Effect
Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock The Smell of Other People’s Houses
Calla Devlin Tell Me Something Real
2018 Angie Thomas The Hate U Give Winner [23]
Nic Stone Dear Martin Finalist [23][24]
S.F. Henson Devils Within [23]
S.K. Ali Saints and Misfits
Akemi Dawn Bowman Starfish
2019 Adib Khorram Darius the Great is Not Okay Winner [25]
Joy McCullough Blood Water Paint Finalist [25]
Ngozi Ukazu Check, Please!: #Hockey
Tomi Adeyemi Children of Blood and Bone
Vesper Stamper What the Night Sings
2020 Ben Philippe The Field Guide to the North American Teenager Winner [26]
Nafiza Azad The Candle and the Flame Finalist [26]
David Yoon Frankly in Love [26][27]
Alicia D. Williams Genesis Begins Again [26]
Katy Rose Pool There Will Come a Darkness
2021 Kyrie McCauley If These Wings Could Fly Winner [28]
Echo Brown Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard Finalist [28]
Christina Hammonds Reed The Black Kids
Nina Kenwood It Sounded Better in My Head
Isabel Ibañez Woven in Moonlight [28][29]
2022 Angeline Boulley Firekeeper's Daughter Winner [30]
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Ace of Spades Finalist [30]
Margie Fuston Vampires, Hearts & Other Dead Things
Amber McBride Me (Moth)
Cory Anderson What Beauty There Is
2023 Isaac Blum The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen Winner [31]
Jen Ferguson The Summer of Bitter and Sweet Finalist [31]
Elizabeth Kilcoyne Wake the Bones
Sonora Reyes The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
Andrew Joseph White Hell Followed with Us
2024 Byron Graves Rez Ball Winner [32]
Hannah V. Sawyerr All the Fighting Parts Finalist [32]
Kiyash Monsef Once There Was
Ari Tison Saints of the Household
Trang Thanh Tran She Is a Haunting
2025 Meredith Adamo Not Like Other Girls Winner [33]
Ian X. Cho Aisle Nine Finalist [34]
Robin Wasley Dead Things are Closer Than They Appear
Carolina Ixta Shut Up, This is Serious
Madeline Claire Franklin The Wilderness of Girls
2026 DeAndra Davis All the Noise at Once Winner [35]
Stefany Valentine First Love Language Finalist [35]
Askel Aden Love, Misha
Sheryl Azzam Red Flags and Butterflies
Mary Shyne You and Me on Repeat

Notes

  1. Nominated as James Lecesne.

References

  1. "William C. Morris YA Debut Award Policies and Procedures" Archived March 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. YALSA. ALA. Revised March 2013. Retrieved 2015-08-04.
  2. Maughan, Shannon (June 29, 2007). "New ALA Award Honors Bill Morris". Publishers Weekly. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on May 28, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  3. "The William C. Morris YA Debut Award". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). American Library Association (ALA). Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  4. "Elizabeth C. Bunce wins first-ever William C. Morris Award".
  5. "Previous Morris Winners" Archived June 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. YALSA. ALA. Retrieved 2013-05-05. With annual links to information about the winner and finalists.
  6. "Morris Award". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  7. "2009 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  8. Roback, Diane (January 26, 2009). "Newbery, Caldecott Announced in Denver". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  9. "2010 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  10. Kantor, Emma (February 13, 2018). "Back to Work After an 'Otherworldly' Day: Nina LaCour on Winning the Printz Medal". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  11. "2011 Morris Award". American Library Association. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  12. Kirch, Claire (January 13, 2011). "Midwesterners Sweep Top Awards". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  13. "2012 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  14. "2013 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  15. "2014 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  16. Roback, Diane (January 27, 2014). "DiCamillo, Floca, Sedgwick Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  17. "2015 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  18. Roback, Diane (February 2, 2015). "Alexander, Santat, Nelson Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  19. Kirch, Claire (February 26, 2015). "Egmont USA Authors Respond to Joining Lerner Publishing Group". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  20. "2016 Morris Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  21. Roback, Diane (January 11, 2016). "De la Peña, Blackall, Ruby Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  22. Roback, Diane (January 23, 2017). "Barnhill, Steptoe, 'March: Book Three' Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  23. Roback, Diane (February 12, 2018). "Kelly, Cordell, LaCour Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  24. Lodge, Sally (May 31, 2018). "BookExpo 2018: Nic Stone: A Second Novel in Three Parts". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  25. Kantor, Emma; Roback, Diane (January 28, 2019). "Medina, Blackall, Acevedo Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  26. Kantor, Emma; Roback, Diane (January 27, 2020). "Craft, Kadir, King Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  27. Kantor, Emma (October 1, 2020). "Nicola and David Yoon Launch YA Romance Imprint Starring Heroes of Color". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  28. Roback, Diane; Kantor, Emma (January 25, 2021). "Keller, Goade, Nayeri Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  29. Brill, Pamela (January 26, 2023). "Page Street Publishing Turns the Page with YA Imprint". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  30. Morales, Macey (January 24, 2022). "American Library Association announces 2022 Youth Media Award winners". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  31. Roback, Diane; Kantor, Emma; Jones, Iyana (January 30, 2023). "Luqman-Dawson, Salati, and Tahir Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  32. "American Library Association announces 2024 Youth Media Award winners" (PDF). American Library Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  33. "'Not Like Other Girls' wins 2025 William C. Morris Award | ALA". American Library Association. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  34. "YALSA Announces 2025 William C. Morris finalists | ALA". American Library Association. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  35. Kantor, Emma; Jones, Iyana; Beeck, Nathalie op de (January 26, 2026). "Watson, Chien, Smith Win 2026 Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved May 27, 2026.