91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), selected five books as finalists for the 2025 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award, which awards the best in nonfiction published for young adults ranging in age from 12 through 18 years, highlighting excellence in writing, research, presentation, and readability for young adults.

YALSA will name the 2025 award winner at the Youth Media Awards on January 27, 2025, during the 91´«Ã½’s : The Library Learning Experience conference in Phoenix, AZ.

The 2025 Excellence in Nonfiction finalists are:

“A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women's Soccer—and Beyond,” written by Elizabeth Rusch and published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. 9780063220904.

“Homebody,” written and illustrated by Theo Parish and published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. 9780063319592

“Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire,” written by Paula Yoo and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company. 9781324030904.

“Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away,” written by Candy J Cooper and published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House. 9781662620133.

“The Unboxing of a Black Girl,” written by Angela Shanté and published by Page Street Publishing. 9798890039538.

The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1 – October 31 publishing year. Award winners are announced annually during the 91´«Ã½ Youth Media Awards presentation.

“This year’s choices reflect the range of important topics being discussed in YA nonfiction, as well as the innovative formats being used to highlight essential stories, experiences, and voices,” said committee chair Erica Schimmel. “The committee was impressed and moved by these impactful stories and the authors’ engaging storytelling.”

The full list of annotations and more information on the finalists and the award can be found on the Nonfiction Award page. Finalist seals are available for purchase by publishers and library staff to place on the finalist titles.

Members of the 2025 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults committee are: Chair: Erica Schimmel, Arapahoe Libraries, Colorado; Adrienne Gillespie, Tumwater Middle School, Portland, Oregon; Suzan Alteri, Center for Children's Books University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Nancy J. Johnson, Bellingham, WA; Samantha Westall, Framingham State University, Framingham/ MA; Maryjean Riou, Hunterdon County Library System, Hunterdon County New Jersey; Elisa Anais Garcia, New York Public Library (Center For Educators & Schools), New York, New York; C. Ellen Wickham, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO

The mission of the Young Adult Services Association (YALSA) is networking, advocacy and professional development. The Young Adult Services Association empowers all those involved in the profession to provide equitable, diverse and inclusive teen services. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources, please visit .

For more information on the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults and other 91´«Ã½ Youth Media Awards, please visit .