About the Morris Award
The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first given in 2009, honors a book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. The winner is announced annually at the ALA Youth Media Awards, with a shortlist of up to five titles named the first week of December. The award's namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults. Bill Morris left an impressive mark on the field of children’s and young adult literature. He was beloved in the publishing field and the library profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children and teens.
Seal Licensing
Individuals who wish to buy small quantities of seals can find them in the ALA Online Store. Publishers wishing to buy bulk seals or license seal images can find more information by consulting YALSA's Award Seals Usage Guidelines and ALA's Seals Sales & Permissions page.
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Visit YALSA's Teen Book Finder Database, a one-stop shop for finding selected lists and award winners. Users can search this free resource by award, list name, year, author, genre and more, as well as print customizable lists.
2023 Winner
The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen written by Isaac Blum and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.
Yehuda "Hoodie" Rosen is a teen whose Orthodox Jewish community has just moved to a quiet, mostly gentile town, and the people - especially the Mayor - aren't especially welcoming. When Hoodie befriends Anna-Marie, the mayor's daughter, his community turns on him for siding with the enemy, especially after a series of escalating anti-Semitic crimes. Hoodie has to decide where he stands and figure out where he belongs.
2023 Finalists
The Summer of Bitter and Sweet written by Jen Ferguson (Métis/white) and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Lou is spending the summer working at her family's Métis ice cream stand when two people re-enter her life: a man she never wished to meet and her former best friend she hasn't heard from in years. Both ignite a season of self-discovery of family and identity.
Wake the Bones written by Elizabeth Kilcoyne and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group at Macmillan Publishing Group.
A dark horror fantasy about Laurel Early, a young woman who drops out of her first year of college to return to the rural Kentucky farm she grew up on, raised by her uncle after her mother's death when she was a baby. There is something haunting and monstrous in the land, looking for Laurel, who has her own magic connection. She and her friends must contend with their own complicated relationship with their home, and whether the darkness will overtake them or not.
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School written by Sonora Reyes and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing.
A funny and captivating satisfying read about a found family plus sibling bonds. Great sapphic romance with good representation. Heartwarming coming-of-age story with a perfectly imperfect main character. Overall a great read.
Hell Followed With Us written by Andrew Joseph White and published by Peachtree Teen, an imprint of Peachtree Publishing Company.
A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors.
Members of the 2023 William C. Morris Award Committee are: Candice Mack (Chair), Sabrina Carnesi, Sara Beth Coffman, Robin Kurz, Evan Mather, Stephanie Maldonado, Elizabeth Paldino, Becky Reiser, Lorraine Roussin.
View a complete list of previous Morris Award winners and finalists.
2022 Morris Award