Iowa Teen Award

Purpose of the Iowa Teen Award

To encourage to read more and better books
To provide an avenue for positive dialogue between teachers, parents, and students about books and authors
To give recognition to those who write books for 6th - 9th grades.
To provide students an opportunity to choose a book to receive the award
To offer an avenue for students to suggest books for the yearly reading list

The Iowa Teen Award is unique in that it gives students an opportunity to choose the book to receive the award and to suggest books for the yearly reading list.

Iowa Teen Award Books

2023-2024

Iowa Teen Award Nominees

Order Here by March 31, 2023

Orders received by March 31 will be guaranteed a poster with their order.

Supply Order Form

ITA Book BINGO

Iowa Teen Award BINGO - 22

2022-2023 Resources

Voting Information

Voting ENDS Friday, April 21, 2023!

Winners will be announced on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at IASL Teacher Librarian Workshop Day in Ames!

Click above for book trailers - courtesy Michelle Morey

Bookmarks to print courtesy Deanne Drees

Voting Specifications

Nature of award: Engraved plaque

Frequency and/or number of awards given: 1 each year

Funding from sale of posters, bookmarks and label supplies for award books.

Voting Process for Selecting Winner

Voting Process

Students should read at least two titles to be eligible to vote. It is acceptable for students to read these themselves or have heard them read aloud.
Students may vote for only one title and may not vote for any title they have not read or heard read.
Voting will be conducted on ballots produced by each attendance center. Each participating school will send the results by web ballot unless another method is designated by the Iowa Teen Award chair. There will be a voting template available created by the ITA chair for those attendance centers who wish to use them. Students can then suggest titles for upcoming ITA reading lists at this same time.

Process for notification

Notification is sent immediately after winner is announced. Winner is contacted through publisher or agent, or through personal contact. ITA chair notifies winner.

Requirements of winners, if any, with details as to compliance follow-up procedures

None, although if thank you letters are received from winners, they are included on the IASL website.

Book Criteria

Eligible works must be published for young adults within two years of the list year. (If a list will be released in 2021, then books will be copyright year 19& 20)
Works may be fiction or nonfiction and should represent a wide range of subjects and reading levels.
Fifteen works from fifteen different authors will be selected.
A variety of genres will be selected to as a great extent as is practical.
Books should be written predominately in English and currently in print.
Works selected will appeal to readers of any gender and to the range of readers in grades 6-9.
Works must have at least one positive review from a major library reviewing periodical.
Series books are accepted if they can stand alone.
Graphic novels are accepted.
Works NOT considered for inclusion on the list include:
- Newbery Winners (although Honor Books are eligible)
- Books which have appeared on previous IASL Book Awards Lists

Process for Nominations

In March, teens across Iowa take part in nomination of books for the Iowa Teen Award. Votes and nominees for the next year's list are due by March 30th.
These books are then reviewed by the ITA committee and volunteer readers until the list is narrowed.
During the summer, the adult readers read and rate the titles. The summer read list is issued by the end of May.
Ratings of summer reading list are due by the beginning of September of each school year.
The committee members finalize the list and provide it prior to the end of the school year prior to the competition. For example, the 2019-20 nominee list will be made available prior to the end of the 2018-2019 school year.