A New Literature for a New Millenium? The First Decade of the Printz Awards.

MONSTER (Book); HARD Love (Book); SKELLIG (Book); SPEAK (Book)

MYERS, Walter Dean, 1937-2014; WITTLINGER, Ellen, 1948-2022; ALMOND, David, 1951-; ANDERSON, Laurie Halse, 1961-

In this article the author discusses the first ten years of the Michael L. Printz Awards, prizes for young adult literature handed out annually by the Young Adult Library Services Association. It is noted that the Printz prizes are given to four books, a winner and three books that receive honorable mention. A number of issues are addressed including the author's close examination of the first winner, "Monster" by Walter Dean Meyer and the first three honor books, "Hard Love," by Ellen Wittlinger, "Skellig," by David Almond, and "Speak," by Laurie Halse Anderson.