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2021 Winner

If These Wings Could Fly written by Kyrie McCauley, published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. 9780062885029.

Living in a house that magically conceals the damage inflicted by her volatile father’s rampages, Leighton Barnes finds nothing strange in the thousands of crows descending on her town. As tensions mount in town and at home, she struggles with simultaneously wanting to escape and to protect her mother and younger sisters. Through haunting, lyrical prose McCauley builds a devastatingly authentic tale of intergenerational trauma and violence and society’s “blind eye” that perpetuates it.

2021 Finalists

Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard written by Echo Brown published by Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. 9781250309853.

In this beautifully written, unflinching tale, Brown relays her wizarding journey of hope and self-awareness as a young Black woman growing up on Cleveland’s East Side. Using magical realism, Brown explores the intersection of racism, poverty, sexual assault, and intergenerational trauma, as well as the strength and power that women wield as they navigate these challenges.

The Black Kids written by Christina Hammonds Reed published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

9781534462724.

Set against the LA riots in 1992, this historical yet timely novel follows Ashley through her senior year at her predominantly white, privileged school and wealthy neighborhood. Pulling away from her white friends, she gravitates towards the group of black students and identifies how racial bias, microaggressions, and her own complicity shape her relationships at home and school. Hammonds Reed’s honest, vivid descriptions of a city in chaos mirror Ashley’s own journey as her detached tone begins to crumble on her path toward growth and awakening.

It Sounded Better in My Head written by Nina Kenwood, published by Flatiron Books, Macmillan Publishers. 9781250219268.

Devastating acne during her adolescence left Natalie with low self-esteem. Now, as if the news of her parents’ divorce isn’t enough, Natalie feels like a third wheel with her best friends, is anxious about an unknown future after high school, and is confused by romantic feelings for her best friend's brother. A surprising romance begins, challenging Natalie to examine the kind of person her acne has formed her into versus who she really is. Told with snarky humor and vulnerability, Kenwood examines the often confusing yet empowering transition into adulthood.

Woven in Moonlight written by Isabel Ibañez, published by Page Street Publishing. 9781624148019

After the Indigenous Llacsans rebel and overthrow Illustrian rule, Ximena’s people are forced into exile. When the Llacsan king demands Illustrian Condesa’s hand in marriage, Ximena takes her place, intending to spy for the Illustrians and relay information to them through beautifully woven tapestries made from moonlight. This lush and descriptive story celebrates Bolivian culture and history while highlighting the impact of colonization.

2021 Committee

Members of the 2021 William C. Morris Award Committee are: Patty Ramirez (Chair), Kit Ballenger, Rebecca Caufman, Michelle Cheng, Beth Davis, Kara Hunter, Beth Kirchenberg, Marina Welmers, Ellen Wickham, Emily Townsend (Liason)

Previous Winners

View a of previous Morris Award winners and finalists.