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ATLANTA – “March: Book Three,” created by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell published by Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, has won the 2017 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) today announced the winner during the 91��ý Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held Jan. 20 -24, in Atlanta, Georgia.

This graphic novel is the conclusion of the March trilogy, a gripping autobiographical account of Congressman John Lewis’s experiences during the Civil Rights Movement. It follows Lewis’s involvement with the Mississippi Freedom Summer and the March on Selma, concluding with a call to action for today’s youth.

“Powell’s cinematic use of black-and-white images provide depth and perspective to a critical time in the life of Civil Rights icon John Lewis,” said Printz Award Committee Chair Melanie Koss.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named:

“Asking for It,” written by Louise O’Neill and published by Quercus, a Hachette Company

After a party, Emma Donovan is found dumped outside her house with no recollection of the previous night. Pictures go viral showing her being raped. Lacking support from her small Irish town, Emma becomes a shell of her previous self, struggling with the question of whether she asked for it.

“The Passion of Dolssa,” written by Julie Berry and published by Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers

This beautiful historical epic tells the tale of Dolssa, an accused heretic on the run, and the three sisters who find and help her during the time of the Inquisition. Through recollections and testimonies, Dolssa’s layered story unfolds across time periods with rich language and historical detail.

“Scythe,” written by Neal Shusterman and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing

In a future where death has been eradicated, scythes are selected to control overpopulation by “gleaning” random members of society. Teens Citra and Rowan are selected as apprentices and are thrust into a world of political intrigue. “Scythe” is a powerful examination of ethics, humanity, and the flaws of immortality.

“The Sun is Also a Star,” written by Nicola Yoon and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House

On the eve of her family’s deportation, Natasha, an undocumented Jamaican immigrant, meets Daniel, a Korean American boy trapped by his family’s expectations. A series of coincidences leads them through New York City, allowing them to explore to power of science, love and the possibility of fate.

The award, first given in 2000, is named for the late Michael L. Printz, a Topeka, Kan., school librarian known for discovering and promoting quality books for young adults. The award is administered annually by YALSA and is sponsored by Booklist magazine.

Members of the 2017 Printz Award Committee are: Chair Melanie Koss, Northern Illinois University, Chicago; Jonatha Basye, Bateman Library, Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Stephanie Charlefour, Gay-Kimball Library, Keene, N.H.; Karen Keys, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library; Jeanne McDermott, Queens (N.Y.) Library; Kefira Philippe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, Ill.; Katie Richert, Bloomingdale (Ill.) Public Library; Jessi Schulte-Honstad, Washington County Library, Woodbury, Minn.; Christina Vortia, Wesley Chapel, Fla.; Award Administrative Assistant Sharon Levin, Redwood City, Calif.; and Sarah Hunter, Booklist Consultant, Chicago.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to , or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.

For more information on the Michael L. Printz Award and other 91��ý Youth Media Awards, please visit .

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