Stacey Shapiro

From historical works to books influenced by personal history to those with characters who must examine the past to move forward, these five titles are strong Printz contenders.

Every year I look forward to the Youth Media Awards, and this time is no different. Last year had several strong standouts that I hope were considered by the Printz committee.

Will the Printz committee honor nonfiction, a graphic novel, or the first book in a duology this year? A case could be made for any of these five standout titles. 

The Printz Award announcement is just around the corner. In our final column of the season, Stacey Shapiro, a member of last year's Printz committee, considers the books that could take this year's award—and helped her get through 2020.