YALSA announces 2026 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults finalists

CHICAGO – The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), selected five books as finalists for the 2026 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award, which awards the best in nonfiction published during a November 1 to October 31 year for young adults ranging in age from 12 through 18 years. It highlights excellence in writing, research, presentation and readability for young adults.

YALSA will name the 2026 award winner at the ALA Youth Media Awards on January 26, 2026, at the Hilton Chicago.

The 2026 Excellence in Nonfiction finalists are:

“American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad That Haunted a Nation,” written by Barb Rosenstock, and published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House.

“Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown,” written by Candace Fleming, and published by Anne Schwartz Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

“White House Secrets: Medical Lies and Cover-Ups,” written by Gail Jarrow, and published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House.

“White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, then Rewrote the History,” written by Ann Bausum, and published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

“A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, A Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out,” written by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Yas Imamura, and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

“YA Nonfiction has certainly come of age, as evidenced through our five fascinating finalists,” said Dr. Barbara A. Ward, chair of the 2026 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. “Not only are the topics covered in these books timely, but they challenge some of the existing dominant narratives and encourage critical thinking and questioning of certain ‘truths.’”

More information on the finalists and the award can be found on the Nonfiction Award page. Publishers and library staff can purchase finalist seals to place on the finalist titles at www.ala.org/awardsgrants/seals.

Members of the 2026 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Committee are: Chair Dr. Barbara A. Ward, Moscow, Idaho; Beth Davis, Berne-Knox-Westerlo MS/HS, Berne, New York; Cheri Dobbs, Detroit Country Day School, Beverly Hills, Michigan; Jenn Hartley, West Regional Library, Cary, North Carolina; Nisa Kesseler, Petoskey District Library, Michigan; Pam Penza, New Hanover County Public Library, Wilmington, North Carolina; Becky Standal, Longview Public Library, Longview, Washington; Bethany Winter, The Blake School, Minneapolis.

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, please visit www.ala.org/yalsa.

For more information on the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For nearly 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.