Morris Award

8/2/2019 Morris Award

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Morris AwardThe William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first awarded in 2009, honors a debut book published by a

first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.

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 childrens and young adult literature. He was beloved in the publishing field and thelibrary profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children

and teens.

2012 Winner

Where Things Come Backby John Corey Whaley, published by Atheneum Books for YoungReaders, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 978-0-4424-1333-7

2012 Finalists

The Girl of Fire and Thorns written by Rae Carson, published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint ofHarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-202648-4.

Elisa bears the Godstone. She is a chosen one. What she is chosen to do is unclear, but perhaps her

journey to marry the king of a neighboring country in the midst of war will provide some of the answers.Carson weaves together religion, politics, prophecy, and more in this fast-paced fantasy that brings Elisa to

a destiny no one could have anticipated.

Paper Covers Rockwritten by Jenny Hubbard, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of RandomHouse Childrens Books. ISBN 978-0-385-74055-5.

Alex, a junior at an exclusive boarding school, uses his journal (neatly hidden inside a copy ofMoby Dick)

to relate the disturbing events that led to the drowning of a classmate. Hubbards literary references, her

creation of Alexs poems and journal entries, and her storytelling skills combine in a story abo ut the code

of silence that often compromises the code of honor.

Under the Mesquite written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, published by Lee and Low Books. ISBN978-1-60060-429-4.

This novel in verse tells the story of Lupita, the oldest of eight children. When Lupitas mother is

diagnosed with cancer, it is up to Lupita to step into a role she never considered taking in her drama class:

surrogate parent. McCalls chapters are exquisite poems with language that sings and stings. Finding hopeamidst despair, finding the chance to laugh, and finding the incredible power of family make this a

memorable reading experience.

Between Shades of Gray written by Ruta Sepetys, published by Philomel Books, an imprint of PenguinYoung Readers Group USA. ISBN 978-0-399-25412-3.

2011 Winner

The Freak ObserverBy Blythe Woolston, published by Carolrhoda Lab, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner

Publishing Group

Loa, a strong, intelligent, hardworking sixteen-year-old girl experiences a year of loss. While trying to take

care of her family and make it through school, she ponders the laws of physics as she tries to understand

what can never make sense.With insightful humor and an impressive economy of language, Woolston brings a fresh voice to teen

fiction that will challenge and delight readers, said Morris Award Chair Summer Hayes.


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2011 Finalists

Hush by Eishes Chayil, published by Walker Publishing Company, a division of Bloomsbury Publishing.Growing up in her insular Chassidic Jewish community has always made Gittel feel secure and given her a

sense of belonging. But when her best friend, Devory, hangs herself after being sexually abused, her faith

in the group is challenged and only gradually does she find ways to express her desire for the community to

deal with the issue.

Guardian of the Deadby Karen Healey, published by Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book GroupSeventeen-year-old Ellie Spencer is just trying to make it through her last year of high school, but a chance

interaction with the school's weirdo, Mark Nolan, puts her on a very different path filled with Maori

legends come to life.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancerby Lish McBride, published by Henry HoltSam thinks his life working in a fast food restaurant is awful. But when he's confronted by a powerful

necromancer, he learns that everything he thought was true about his lifeisn't.

Crossing the Tracksby Barbara Stuber, published by Margaret McElderry Books, an imprint o f Simon& Schuster Childrens Publishing Division

In the 1920s, Iris' emotionally distant father sends her to rural Missouri to act as a companion to an elderly

woman while he heads to Kansas City with his fiance. Iris' mother died when she was five, and it takes her

some time to learn to care for Mrs. Nesbitt and see her own future with optimism.

2010 Finalists Flash Burnoutby L.K. Madigan, published by Houghton Mifflin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.(9780547194899).

Blakes life is way too complicated. Hes a sophomore in high school with a girlfriend and a friend who is a

girl. One of them loves him. One of them needs him. Can he please them both?

Ashby Malinda Lo, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. (9780316040099).Consumed with grief after the death of her father, Ash's only escape from her harsh life and cruel

stepmother comes from re-reading the fairy tales that her mother once told her and hoping against hope that

the fairies will appear to her. When the fairy Sidhean appears, Ash hopes that he will steal her away to his

enchanted world; but when she meets the King's Huntress, Kaisa, she realizes that staying in her own realm

can also lead to beauty, romance, and perhaps even love.

Beautiful Creaturesby Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, published by Little, Brown Books for YoungReaders. (9780316042673).

Sixteen-year-old Ethan has lived all his life in Gaitlin, South Carolina, a town that hasnt changed muchsince the Civil War. While coping with the loss of his mother, a father who spends all of his time in his

study, and high school, his world turns upside down with the arrival of Lena, a new girl with whom he

seems to share a psychic connection. As they grow closer, Ethan discovers that Lena and her family share a

dark secret and that she is headed for doom on her sixteenth birthday.

The Everafterby Amy Huntley, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers(9780061776793).

Maddy is a ghost, surrounded by things she lost when she was alive. By touching these objects, she relives

the episodes in her life where she lost them. Even though Maddys dead, she explores the lessons these

objects holdand why are they still important.

Hold Stillby Nina LaCour, published by Dutton Childrens Books, a Division ofPenguin YoungReaders Group. (9780525421559).

After Caitlin's best friend Ingrid commits suicide, Caitlin has a hard time making sense of the loss. She

finds Ingrid's journal and slowly allows herself to read it and learn about why Ingrid felt the need to end herlife. Caitlin also grapples with allowing herself to find another friend, to let in a boyfriend, and to

understand why her favorite teacher is ignoring her. It is the haunting story of dealing with loss, moving on,

and finding peace and hope.


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2009 Winner

A Curse Dark As Goldby Elizabeth C. Bunce. This supernatural novel retells the story ofRumpelstiltskin, setting it at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and centering it around the life of

Charlotte Miller. When the bank wants to repossess her mortgaged mill, Charlotte strikes a bargain with the

mysterious Jack Spinner, (a creature who knows the art of turning straw into gold), but then discovers she

must free her loved ones from a generations-old curse.

At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, Charlotte Miller strikes a bargain with the malevolent JackSpinner, who can transform straw into gold, to save her familys mill. With masterly writing and vivid

characterization and setting, Bunce weaves a powerfully seductive tale of triumph over evil.

2009 Finalists

Gracelingby Kristin Cashore. In the Seven Kingdoms, those born with eyes of two different colors areGracelings who develop intense and powerful skills. Katsas Grace is killing, and she serves as King

Randas enforcer until she and Prince Po join forces to solve the riddle of his grandfathers kidnapping. The

closer they get to the answer and to each other, the more dangerous their quest becomes.

Absolute Brightnessby James Lecesne. When Phoebes flamboyant, effeminate cousin, Leonard, movesto her New Jersey town, he brings a confusing mix of beauty and irritation as he inserts himself into the

day-to-day running of her mothers beauty parlor business and Phoebes life at school. When Leonard

disappears, seemingly without a trace, Phoebe embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, and confronts

first-hand the price Leonard paid for being different.

Madapple by Christina Meldrum. Fifteen-year-old Aslaug was raised in isolation by a mother who wasboth strange and ill. Her mothers death brings an onslaught of new experiences as Aslaug must learn to

cope with the unwanted attention of the police, relatives she never knew she had, and multiple charges of

murder.

Me, the Missing, and the Deadby Jenny Valentine. Sixteen-year-old Londoner Lucas Swain, on awhim, decides to take a cab home and happens upon an urn with the ashes of Violet Park in the taxi office.

He feels the spirit of Violet leading him through a maze of layered clues, as he bit by bit solves the puzzle

of his fathers disappearance more than five years ago.

Documents

Morris Award