Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award 2018 Winner and Nominees for 2019

The Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award 2018 Winner is The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. As co-chair of the Blue Spruce Award committee, I am particularly thrilled that this ground-breaking book was nominated and voted on by teens, recognizing its importance.  In addition to the Blue Spruce Award, the book received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, a Michael J Printz Honor, the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, and the Goodreads Choice Award for best debut and best YA novel in 2017. For those of you not familiar with the story, African American Starr Carter, the main character in The Hate U Give, lives in a poor black urban neighborhood, but attends a suburban prep school where she plays basketball and has a white boyfriend.  She successfully navigates these two very different realities until the night she witnesses a police officer shoot and kill her unarmed friend Khalil, when they are driving home from a neighborhood party. Although her parents want her to stay out of the news, she is challenged to come forward about the injustices following the event. Khalil is painted as a drug dealing thug and the officer is not charged. Starr, who has known Khalil since childhood, realizes she owes it to him to speak out, even if it endangers her family. Thomas' debut focuses on topics that are very current, police brutality and racism in America, and examines them on a very personal level.
The 2019 nominees include four books previously reviewed in this blog, including Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, Warcross by Marie Lu, Furyborn by Claire Legrand and The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. Additional nominees are as follows.
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
While helping plan her father's wedding, senior Lara Jean struggles with choosing a college and questions how graduation is going to change her relationship with her boyfriend (3rd book in the series.)
Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham
When Rowan finds a skeleton on her family's property, investigating the brutal, century-old murder leads to painful discoveries about the past.  Alternating chapters tell the story of William, another teen grappling with the racial firestorm leading up to the 1921 Tulsa race riot, providing clues to the mystery. 
Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre
Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that's made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead of moving with her family to Mars. Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan - a race of sentient aliens ships - to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers. (The Honors, Book #1)
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed by professional reapers known as scythes. Two teens must compete with each other to become a scythe- a position neither of them wants.  The one who becomes a scythe must kill the one who doesn't. (Arc of a Scythe Trilogy, Book #1)
The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase, son of Frey, the god of summer and health, isn't naturally inclined toward being a brave warrior.  Still, with the help of his motley group of friends, he has achieved deeds he never would have thought possible.  But Magnus's biggest challenge will be facing his own inner demons.  Does he have what it takes to outwit the wily trickster god, Loki? (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book # 3)
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Kiko Himura yearns to escape the toxic relationship with her mother by getting into her dream art school, but when things do not work out as she hoped, Kiko jumps at the opportunity to tour art schools with her childhood friend, learning life-changing truths about herself and her past along the way. 
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
In a near-future NYC, where a service alerts people on the day they will die, teenagers Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio meet using the Last Friend app and are faced with the challenge of living a lifetime on their End Day. 
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
In every generation on the island of Fennibirn, a set pf triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic.  But becoming the Queen crowned isn't solely a matter of royal birth.  Each sister has to fight for it.  The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.  The last queen standing gets the crown. (Three Dark Crowns Trilogy, Book #1)

To read more about the award and find book talks for the new nominees go to  http://www.coloradobluespruceaward.org