THUMBS UP! AWARD

The Thumbs Up! Award recognizes and promotes an outstanding contribution to teen literature that has both literary quality and teen appeal for those 13 to 18 years of age. The award was established in 1986 by the Teen Services Division of the Michigan Library Association. Thumbs Up! Award Guidelines (pdf)

2024 Thumbs Up! Award Top Ten Titles

MLA Youth Literary Award workgroups spent thousands of hours reading, reviewing, and discussing hundreds of books to determine the top titles for youth published in 2023. Check out the 2024 Thumbs Up! Award Top Ten Titles and save the date! The winners and honor books will be announced on Friday, June 7 at 10:00 AM on our social media and website!

(Listed in random order)

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

All the Fighting Parts: A Novel by Hannah V. Sawyerr

America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History by Ariel Aberg-Riger

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

All That’s Left to Say by Emery Lord

Waxways #1, A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa

Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi

Invisible Son by Kim Johnson

Award Seals

Download the Thumbs Up! Award seals to use at your library! Winner, Honor Book and Top Ten Title award seals are available for download here: (To download, right-click on the seal and save it as an image.)