The William C. Moris YA Debut Award honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens. Find more information on the Morris Award, including winners, policies and procedures and how to nominate a title.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award

Policies and Procedures | Nominate a Title!

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award begins in 2009, honoring 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 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.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award celebrates the achievement of a previously unpublished author, or authors, who have made a strong literary debut in writing for young adult readers. The work cited will illuminate the teen experience and enrich the lives of its readers through its excellence, demonstrated by:

Compelling, high quality writing and/or illustration
The integrity of the work as a whole
Its proven or potential appeal to a wide range of teen readers

The Morris Award will be awarded annually at ALA’s Midwinter Youth Media Awards. A shortlist of up to five titles will be announced the second Monday of December.