YALSA announces 2023 Alex Awards

NEW ORLEANS — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has selected 10 adult books with special appeal to teen readers to receive the 2023 Alex Awards. The awards, sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust and Booklist, were announced today during the ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held Jan. 27-30, in New Orleans.

The 2023 Alex Award winners are:

• “A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting,” by Sophie Irwin, published by Pamela Dorman Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House (9780593491348)
• “Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution,” by R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins (9780063021426)
• “Chef’s Kiss,” by Jarrett Melendez, illustrated by Danica Brine, published by Oni Press, an imprint of Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group (9781620109045)
• “Daughter of the Moon Goddess,” by Sue Lynn Tan, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (9780063031302)
• “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy, published by Simon & Schuster (9781982185824)
• “Solito: A Memoir,” by Javier Zamora, published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House (9780593498064)
• “The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere.,” written and illustrated by James Spooner, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (9780358659112)
• “The Kaiju Preservation Society,” by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group (9780765389121)
• “True Biz,” by Sara Nović, published by Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House (9780593241509)
• “Wash Day Diaries,” by Jamila Rowser, illustrated by Robyn Smith, published by Chronicle Books (9781797205458)

“This year’s Alex Award winners highlight a variety of stories that will resonate with teens – from fun and heartbreaking, magical and realistic,” said 2023 Alex Awards Committee Chair Jane Gov.

The Alex Awards were created to recognize that many teens enjoy and often prefer books written for adults, and to assist librarians in recommending adult books that appeal to teens. A full list of official nominations will be available online at www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/alex.

The award is named in honor of the late Margaret Alexander Edwards, fondly called “Alex” by her closest friends, a pioneer in providing library services to young adults. At Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Edwards used adult books extensively with teens to broaden their experience and enrich their understanding of themselves and their world.

Members of the 2023 Alex Awards Committee are: Chair Jane Gov, Pasadena Public Library, California; Heather Christensen, Portales High School, New Mexico; Aryssa Damron, District of Columbia Public Library, Washington, D.C.; Sara Day, Woodland Public Library, California; Kendra Fitzpatrick, City of Santa Clarita Public Libraries, California; Elizabeth Page, Pasadena, California; Kayla Payne, Alexandria Public Library, Virginia; Cathy Rettberg, Menlo School, Atherton, California, Retired; and Melody Scagnelli-Town, Bayonne Public Library, New Jersey.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is networking, advocacy, and professional development. The Young Adult Library Services Association empowers all those involved in the profession to provide equitable, diverse, and inclusive teen services. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources drive to www.ala.org/yalsa.

For information on the Alex Awards and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma. 

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, ALA has been the trusted voice for libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

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