I always look forward to reading the lists of finalists for the National Book Awards, but my eyebrows arched a bit higher this morning when I saw the subject areas covered by the authors in the Awards’ long list for Young People’s Literature: a Malcolm X novel, co-written by one of the daughters of the slain Black leader; a fantasy comic; the true, pre-Edward Snowden story of Daniel Ellsberg‘s expose of the Vietnam War, written by an author who was nominated for a National Book award last year; the triumph of art over war during the Siege of Leningrad.
It looks like young people are tackling topics that grown-ups typically avoid (laughing). A subset of these authors will be present for the National Book Foundation’s Teen Press Conference on Tuesday, November 17, at the 92nd Street Y, in New York City. I wonder if Snowden’s name will come up …
Two other important dates to remember are Wednesday, October 14, when a shorter list of finalists will be announced for each category; Wednesday, November 18, when one winner from each category will be announced during the National Book Awards Benefit Dinner.
The New Yorker published the list of Young People’s Literature finalists, which I included below. The Poetry long list will be announced tomorrow.
Becky Albertalli, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda”
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins Children’s Books
T. Anderson, “Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad”
Candlewick Press
Ali Benjamin, “The Thing About Jellyfish”
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group
Rae Carson, “Walk on Earth a Stranger”
Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Children’s Books
Gary Paulsen, “This Side of Wild: Mutts, Mares, and Laughing Dinosaurs”
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Laura Ruby, “Bone Gap”
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins Children’s Books
Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon, “X: A Novel”
Candlewick Press
Steve Sheinkin, “Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War”
Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Neal Shusterman, “Challenger Deep”
HarperTeen/HarperCollins Children’s Books
Noelle Stevenson, “Nimona”
HarperTeen/HarperCollins Children’s Books
mentalunrest.com 
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