Michael L. Printz Award
American Library Association (ALA) - Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
An annual award presented by YALSA to honor the best book written for teens, based entirely on literary merit as judged by a committee of librarians; considered the most prestigious award in young adult literature.
Latest winner · 2026
- Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories · Cynthia Leitich Smith (ed.)
Next · expected January 2027
Winner announced Full award calendar
You've reached the 150-character search limit.
Search through 7,609 books
2026
- Won
- Cope FieldShortlisted
T.L. Simpson
- Shortlisted
- Song of a BlackbirdShortlisted
Maria van Lieshout
- The House No One SeesShortlisted
Adina King
2025
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Road HomeShortlisted
Rex Ogle
- The Deep DarkShortlisted
Lee Knox Ostertag
2024
- Won
- Fire from the SkyShortlisted
Moa Backe Åstot with Eva Apelqvist (trans.)
- GatherShortlisted
Kenneth M. Cadow
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
2023
- Won
- IcebreakerShortlisted
A. L. Graziadei
- Shortlisted
- Scout's HonorShortlisted
Lily Anderson
- Shortlisted
2022
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- StarfishShortlisted
Lisa Fipps
2021
- Won
- Apple (Skin to the Core)Shortlisted
Eric Gansworth
- Dragon HoopsShortlisted
Gene Luen Yang with Lark Pien (color)
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
2020
- Won
- Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with MeShortlisted
Mariko Tamaki with Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (illus.)
- Ordinary Hazards: A MemoirShortlisted
Nikki Grimes
- The Beast PlayerShortlisted
Nahoko Uehashi with Cathy Hirano (trans.)
- Shortlisted
2019
- Won
- A Heart in a Body in the WorldShortlisted
Deb Caletti
- DamselShortlisted
Elana K. Arnold
- I, ClaudiaShortlisted
Mary McCoy
2018
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
2017
- Won
- Asking for ItShortlisted
Louise O'Neill
- ScytheShortlisted
Neal Shusterman
- Shortlisted
- The Sun Is Also a StarShortlisted
Nicola Yoon
2016
- Won
- Out of DarknessShortlisted
Ashley Hope Pérez
- Shortlisted
2015
- Won
- And We StayShortlisted
Jenny Hubbard
- Shortlisted
- The Carnival at BrayShortlisted
Jessie Ann Foley
- This One SummerShortlisted
Mariko Tamaki
2014
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Kingdom of Little WoundsShortlisted
Susann Cokal
- Maggot MoonShortlisted
Sally Gardner
- Navigating EarlyShortlisted
Clare Vanderpool
2013
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- The White BicycleShortlisted
Beverley Brenna
2012
- Won
- Shortlisted
- The ReturningShortlisted
Christine Hinwood
- Shortlisted
- Why We Broke UpShortlisted
Daniel Handler
2011
2008
- Won
- Shortlisted
- One Whole and Perfect DayShortlisted
Judith Clarke
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
2007
- Won
- Shortlisted
- SurrenderShortlisted
Sonya Hartnett
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
2006
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
2005
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Chanda's SecretsShortlisted
Allan Stratton
- Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster BoyShortlisted
Gary D. Schmidt
2004
- Won
- Shortlisted
- Fat Kid Rules the WorldShortlisted
K. L. Going
- Keesha's HouseShortlisted
Helen Frost
- The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round ThingsShortlisted
Carolyn Mackler
2003
- Won
- Hole in My LifeShortlisted
Jack Gantos
- My HeartbeatShortlisted
Garret Freymann-Weyr
- Shortlisted
2002
- Won
- FreewillShortlisted
Chris Lynch
- Shortlisted
- Shortlisted
- True BelieverShortlisted
Virginia Euwer Wolff
2001
- Won
- Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal SnoggingShortlisted
Louise Rennison
- Shortlisted
- Stuck in NeutralShortlisted
Terry Trueman
- The Body of Christopher CreedShortlisted
Carol Plum-Ucci
Frequently asked questions
- Who won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2026?
- “Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories” by Cynthia Leitich Smith (ed.) won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2026.
- Who are the most recent Michael L. Printz Award winners?
- 2026: “Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories” by Cynthia Leitich Smith (ed.); 2025: “Brownstone” by Samuel Teer with Mar Julia (illus.); 2024: “The Collectors: Stories” by A. S. King (ed.), written by King, M. T. Anderson, E.E. Charlton-Trujillo, David Levithan, Cory McCarthy, Anna-Marie McLemore, Greg Neri, Jason Reynolds, Randy Ribay, and Jenny Torres Sanchez; 2023: “All My Rage” by Sabaa Tahir; 2022: “Firekeeper's Daughter” by Angeline Boulley.