Wednesday, February 1, 2017

In the Margins Book Award and Selection Committee 2017 Awards








2017 Press Release ITM Awards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
01/30/2017
Contact: Dale Clark, In the Margins Book Award and Committee dngclark@shaw.ca
Burnaby, BC – We are thrilled to announce our fourth annual Fiction, Non-Fiction, Top Ten and Social Justice/Advocacy Awards along with our official list of 25 books published by and about those living In the Margins. Our list highlights a survival story of an often overlooked aspect of a teen’s life – aging out of the foster care system – as well as a stunning, self-published fiction debut with a great cover. In a world hungry for diversity in books, we strive to find small press and independent titles and bring them to light, while also acknowledging titles that may be more popular in the US and Canada but specifically resonate with youth living in the margins. Our Social Justice/Advocacy Award goes to the top book recommended for adults to highlight issues facing marginalized and resilient communities. Who Do You Serve, Who do you Protect? Brings forth provocative and hard-hitting questions we collectively need to answer.




ITM Social Justice/Advocacy Award - Who Do You Serve, Who Do you Protect?

As we enter our fifth year, we are excited about our next year’s committee and are currently looking an official sponsor.
In the Margins Official 2017 Top Ten List
1.     Abram, Christy Lynn. Little Miss Somebody. 259p. Humble Bee Publishing. July 2015. PB $9.99.  ISBN 9780692386224.
2.     McLellan, Michael.  American Flowers. 296p. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. August 2015. PB. $11.99.  ISBN 9781516830695.
3.     Carter, Alton. Aging Out: A True Story. 203p. Roadrunner Press. November 29, 2017. Tr. $15.00. ISBN 9781937054298.
4.     Glasgow, Kathleen.  Girl in Pieces.  416p. Delacorte Press. August 2016. Tr. 18.99.  ISBN 9781780749457.
5.     Westhoff, Ben. Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap. Hachette Books. September 2016. Tr. $28.00. ISBN 9780316383899. 
6.     Sterling, S.C. Teenage Degenerate. 252p. S.C. Sterling. January 2016. PB $14.99. ISBN 9780997017540. 
7.     Simone, Ni-Ni. Dear Yvette.  288p. Dafina. November 2016. PB $9.95. ISBN 9780758287762.
8.     Desire, C.  Other Broken Things. 256p. Simon Pulse. January 2016. Tr. $17.99.  ISBN 9781481437394.
9.     Johnston, Jeffry W. Truth. 256 p. Sourcebooks Fire. February 2016. PB $9.99. ISBN 9781492623205.
10.   Free Minds Book Club. The Untold Story of the Real Me: Young Voices from Prison. 106p. Shout Mouse Press. October 2015. PB $14.99 ISBN 9780996927444.
In addition, for the third year, we have chosen a title for our Social Justice/Advocacy Award.  The winning title is:  Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? by Maya Shenwar
The Decision Making
This year’s choice for Top Fiction spot was highly debated amongst the committee members. Popular with our readers, Little Miss Somebody chronicles what so many of our young teens face in their daily lives. Wanting to belong, be part of a loving family and yet facing uncertainty in so many ways is a constant struggle for far too many of our youth. At the same time, American Flowers depicts the tragedy and downward spiral of drug abuse. This is a book which hauntingly highlights the consequences of a few bad decisions easily made by young people. The relevance of this book, in the face of the opioid crisis facing so many communities is undeniable.
ITM Top Fiction - Little Miss Somebody
Alton Carter’s book, Aging Out was chosen by the majority of our In the Margins committee. We debated whether it best fit the Non-Fiction category or the Social Justice/Advocacy spot. However, throughout the discussions and as the year progressed, we realized that many of our youth were selecting this book to read and were recognizing so many areas of commonality with their own lives and experiences.
ITM Top Non- Fiction - Aging Out


Across the continent, young adults face the desperation of racial inequality, social upheaval and economic disparity. Through reading, our young people can find solace in knowing that their struggles are the struggles of others. Most of us who work with marginalized youth are regularly amazed and inspired by the conversations and comments our kids make about the books that they read. (There is nothing more heartwarming than seeing a group of teenage boys debating the qualities of books in a juvenile detention center library.) It is incumbent upon us, as librarians, to provide them with the books that will continue to ignite their enthusiasm for reading.
The full list of 25 titles with annotations and more information on the committee, selections, and process can be found at:
In the Margins identifies quality and meaningful resources for librarians and library workers who work with teens in lockdown, foster care, homeless shelters, and other non-traditional venues living in the margins.
2017 Committee Members
  • Sabrina Carnesi, School Librarian: Crittenden Middle School; Newport News, VA
  • Dale Clark, Teacher-Librarian: Fraser Park Secondary; Burnaby Youth Custody Services; Burnaby, BC, Canada
  • Marvin DeBose Sr., Library Supervisor: Free Library of Philadelphia, PA
  • Susan McNair, Librarian: Birchwood School; South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice; Columbia, SC
  • Maggie Novario, Teen Librarian: Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, WA
  • Jean Smith, HS Library Media Specialist: Atlanta Public Schools, GA



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