Award Criteria

Each nominated book must meet the requirements for eligibility.  These are:

1. The book must be written for teens in grades 7 through12.

2. The book must be published within two years of the creation of the nominated book list. For inclusion on the 2024 nominated book list, books had to have been first published in the United States in 2022 or 2023.

3. The primary consideration of book selection should be quality, but level of young adult interest should also be considered. Only titles published with young adults being the primary audience shall be considered.

4. There are no restrictions based on the home state or country of the author or whether the author is still living.

5. Sequels are ineligible for nomination.