1999 Margaret A. Edwards Award Winner

image Author Anne McCaffrey of County Wicklow, Ireland, is the 1999 recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, honoring her lifetime contribution in writing for teens. The award, sponsored by School Library Journal, is administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). McCaffrey will receive $2,000 and a citation at the ALA annual conference in New Orleans in June of 1999.

The awards and honors for science fiction’s much-heralded "Dragon Lady", include being the first woman recipient of the Hugo Award. She has received the Nebula Award and ALA notable Book Award Citations. Ms. McCaffrey is the author of over 50 novels for young adults and adults.

"Her books have become science fiction classics and have "impressed" young adult readers for 30 years. Although set in imaginary worlds, McCaffrey’s focus on the personal and emotional need of human beings mirrors the quest of today’s teens to find their own place in society", stated Jana R. Fine, Clearwater (FL) Public Library System, chair of the Edwards Committee. When news of the Edwards Award came to Anne’s attention, she said "I didn’t think a science fiction author would ever win this award."

McCaffrey was cited for the following books: Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and the White Dragon comprise the series know as the Dragonriders of Pern, published by Del Rey. These three fantastic tales explore the bond between humans and dragons on the planet Pern. The Ship Who Sang , also published by Del Rey, takes readers into the artificial world of Helva – who becomes more machine than human. And the Harper Hall Trilogy, published by Bantam Spectra, follows Menolly and her bridge to adulthood through the following titles: Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, and Dragondrums.

Other members of the 1999 Margaret A. Edwards Committee are: Judy Druse, Washburn University (KS) Mabee Library; Juanita R. Foster, Hennepin County (MN) Library; Ian Rosenior, Miami-Dade (FL) Public Library System; and Caryn Sipos, King County (WA) Library System

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