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William C. Morris Award facts for kids

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William C. Morris Award
Presented by Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association
Country United States
First awarded 2009

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". 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 up 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".

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. Morris gave the money to ALA to fund programs, publications, events, or awards in promotion of children's literature. In addition to being a member of ALA, Morris was the first recipient of its Distinguished Service Award in 1992. 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.

"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". About 4000 "YA titles" are published annually and about 10% may be debuts.

Recipients

Morris Award winners and finalists
Year Author Book Citation
2009 Elizabeth C. Bunce A Curse Dark as Gold Winner
Kristin Cashore Graceling Finalist
Celeste Lecesne Absolute Brightness
Meldrum, ChristinaChristina Meldrum Madapple
Valentine, JennyJenny Valentine Me, the Missing, and the Dead
2010 Madigan, L. K.L. K. Madigan Flash Burnout Winner
Garcia, KamiKami Garcia and Margaret Stohl  Beautiful Creatures Finalist
Amy Huntley The Everafter
LaCour, NinaNina LaCour Hold Still
Lo, MalindaMalinda Lo Ash
2011 Woolston, BlytheBlythe Woolston The Freak Observer Winner
Chayil, EishesEishes Chayil Hush Finalist
Healey, KarenKaren Healey Guardian of the Dead
McBride, LishLish McBride Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
Stuber, BarbaraBarbara Stuber Crossing the Tracks
2012 Whaley, John CoreyJohn Corey Whaley Where Things Come Back Winner
Carson, RaeRae Carson The Girl of Fire and Thorns Finalist
Hubbard, JennyJenny Hubbard Paper Covers Rock
McCall, Guadalupe GarciaGuadalupe Garcia McCall Under the Mesquite
Ruta Sepetys Between Shades of Gray
2013 Hartman, RachelRachel Hartman Seraphina Winner
Crockett, S. D.S. D. Crockett After the Snow Finalist
Buzo, LauraLaura Buzo Love and Other Perishable Items
Emily M. Danforth The Miseducation of Cameron Post 
Barnaby, HannahHannah Barnaby Wonder Show
2014 Kuehn, StephanieStephanie Kuehn Charm & Strange Winner
Mesrobian, CarrieCarrie Mesrobian ... & Violence Finalist
Roskos, EvanEvan Roskos Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets
Ross, ElizabethElizabeth Ross Belle Epoque
Winters, CatCat Winters In the Shadow of Blackbirds
2015 Quintero, IsabelIsabel Quintero Gabi, A Girl in Pieces Winner
Foley, Jessie AnnJessie Ann Foley The Carnival at Bray Finalist
Johnston, E. K.E. K. Johnston The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim
Vlahos, LenLen Vlahos The Scar Boys
Walton, LeslyeLeslye Walton The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
2016 Becky Albertalli Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Winner
Thomas, LeahLeah Thomas Because You'll Never Meet Me Finalist
Gilbert, Kelly LoyKelly Loy Gilbert Conviction
Oakes, StephanieStephanie Oakes The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly
McLemore, Anna-MarieAnna-Marie McLemore The Weight of Feathers
2017 Zentner, JeffJeff Zentner The Serpent King Winner
M-E Girard Girl Mans Up Finalist
Patel, SoniaSonia Patel Rani Patel in Full Effect
Hitchcock, Bonnie-SueBonnie-Sue Hitchcock The Smell of Other People’s Houses
Devlin, CallaCalla Devlin Tell Me Something Real
2018 Angie Thomas The Hate U Give Winner
Stone, NicNic Stone Dear Martin Finalist
Henson, S.F.S.F. Henson Devils Within
S.K. Ali Saints and Misfits
Akemi Dawn Bowman Starfish
2019 Khorram, AdibAdib Khorram Darius the Great is Not Okay Winner
McCullough, JoyJoy McCullough Blood Water Paint Finalist
Ukazu, NgoziNgozi Ukazu Check, Please!: #Hockey
Adeyemi, TomiTomi Adeyemi Children of Blood and Bone
Stamper, VesperVesper Stamper What the Night Sings
2020 Philippe, BenBen Philippe The Field Guide to the North American Teenager Winner
Azad, NafizaNafiza Azad The Candle and the Flame Finalist
Yoon, DavidDavid Yoon Frankly in Love
Williams, Alicia D.Alicia D. Williams Genesis Begins Again
Pool, Katy RoseKaty Rose Pool There Will Come a Darkness
2021 McCauley, KyrieKyrie McCauley If These Wings Could Fly Winner
Brown, EchoEcho Brown Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard Finalist
Reed, Christina HammondsChristina Hammonds Reed The Black Kids
Kenwood, NinaNina Kenwood It Sounded Better in My Head
Isabel Ibañez Woven in Moonlight
2022 Boulley, AngelineAngeline Boulley Firekeeper's Daughter Winner
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Ace of Spades Finalist
Fuston, MargieMargie Fuston Vampires, Hearts & Other Dead Things
McBride, AmberAmber McBride Me (Moth)
Anderson, CoryCory Anderson What Beauty There Is
2023 Blum, IsaacIsaac Blum The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen Winner
Ferguson, JenJen Ferguson The Summer of Bitter and Sweet Finalist
Kilcoyne, ElizabethElizabeth Kilcoyne Wake the Bones
Reyes, SonoraSonora Reyes The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
White, Andrew JosephAndrew Joseph White Hell Followed with Us
2024 Graves, ByronByron Graves Rez Ball Winner
Sawyerr, Hannah V.Hannah V. Sawyerr All the Fighting Parts Finalist
Monsef, KiyashKiyash Monsef Once There Was
Tison, AriAri Tison Saints of the Household
Tran, Trang ThanhTrang Thanh Tran She Is a Haunting
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