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2022 Winner

“Ambushed!: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield” written by Gail Jarrow and published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers. . 9781684378142

An intricately detailed narrative of the assassination of President Garfield, Jarrow uses historical documents, newspaper accounts, and diary entries to create an engaging chronology of events as part of her Medical Fiascoes series.

2022 Finalists

“Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre” written by Brandy Colbert and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. 9780063056664.

Colbert contextualizes the Tulsa Race Massacre which had its hundredth year anniversary this year to commemorate the harrowing events using her skillful writing for teen audiences. A well-researched accounting of the racial violence that cannot be forgotten.

“From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement” written by Paula Yoo and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company. 9781324002871.

Yoo weaves an emotional story within a story of a movement that began after the death of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American at the hands of two white men. The book follows the chain of events and trial simultaneously capturing the country’s treatment of Asians and their efforts to overcome it.

“In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers: The Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months and Years After the 9/11 Attacks” written and illustrated by Don Brown and published by Etch, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing. 9780358223573.

For a new generation living in a post-9/11 era, Brown writes and illustrates the events of the terrorist attack immediately after not only at Ground Zero but the country and military operations abroad. With a style that befits the mood, the combination of words and art shines.

“The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life” written by Amy Butler Greenfield and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. 9780593127193.

With her work buried and credit given to others, female codebreaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman’s life and accomplishments are given prime coverage. The book celebrates her intelligence, creativity, and tenacity during World War I and II and the legacy she leaves behind filled with intrigue, spying, and ciphers.

Members of the 2022 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award Committee are: Alicia Abdul (Chair), Ginny Edwards, Laura Graves Massey, Laura Hargrove, Yolanda Hood, Jeana Menger, Michael Rogalla, Janet Weber, and Rebecca Weber

YALSA’s portfolio of book and media awards helps strengthen library services for and with teens by identifying quality, age appropriate resources for librarians and library workers to share with the teens in their communities.