The Printz awards have been announced. They are the most prestigious awards in the US of A for young adult literature. And the winner is an Australian: Melina Marchetta for Jellicoe Road. One of the honour books is Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan.
CONGRATULATIONS, Melina and Margo!!!! Genius recognised!!!
I’m also thrilled that non-Australian E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was also an honour book. How fabulous is that?
Tender Morsels and Frankie Landau are two of my fave books ever. I LOVE them!1
I also note that at least three of the books are fantasy! How bout that?
I haven’t read any of the other books on the list but I’m sure they’re just as fabulous. Unfortunately for me, none of them are set in the 1930s. So I won’t get to read them for awhile. Woe.
- Though I’m still not convinced Tender Morsels is YA. [↩]
I thought I was the only one who thought Tender Morsels was not YA. (though she’s a brilliant writer. But so far, I haven’t found any kids who like her stories, though all my adult friends rave.)
I’ve come across many teens on my travels who are fans. And I def. think many of her stories are YA. However, while I think Tender is genius it doesn’t fit my notions of YA. Mainly because it doesn’t follow one or more young adult protags. To me it’s more of a multi-generational bildungsroman, following them as they age and grow and have kids.
However, more and more books are being published as YA that aren’t a neat fit with many of our ideas of the category. Mostly these are books by people who started their career as YA writers. In the US context it makes sense to keep Margo’s books in the same place in the bookshop. Though Tender Morsels was published as adult at home in Australia.
Adult at home–and so was Alison Goodman’s recent Eon. It’s interesting to think about the lines between YA and non YA, and also, to think about who is reading YA. Adults reading books marketed to youth used to be suspect, if downright risible, but is no longer. I wonder if that is taken into consideration by some editors?
At any rate, whoever publishes Margo L. under whatever genre header is made of win.
We entitled our blog entries, about the Printz Awards, the same thing. Bizarre. I feel like it’s a second Australia Day and I particularly adore Melina’s work.
What else could this post be called? 🙂
Good point!
Tender Morsels is on my list to read. I just read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and adored it.
Jellicoe Road, however, I just finished yesterday, and I was completely blown away. We had a snow day/school cancellation, so while the kids were playing in the snow (I was watching from the window with my coffee), I read. The entire day. I could not put the book down, which often happens to be with a book regardless of the genre or topic, but man, I thought Jellicoe Road was incredible. Beautiful writing, authentic characters, and the juxtaposition of Hannah’s manuscript with the element of mystery regarding Taylor’s background was wonderful.
Next on the list: Octavian Nothing. 🙂