Alex Awards

The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The award is sponsored by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust. Edwards was a young adult specialist for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore.

2008 Winners
American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China by Matthew PollyAmerican Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China
Polly, Matthew
2007
Laced with humor and illuminated by cultural insight, this coming-of-age tale explores one young American's quest to become a kung fu master at China's legendary Shaolin Temple.
Bad Monkeys by Matt RuffBad Monkeys
Ruff, Matt
2007
Jane Charlotte claims to be a member of a secret organization--the Bad Monkeys--devoted to ridding the world of especially evil people.  As Jane's tale grows increasingly bizarre, a psychiatrist tries to sort truth from lies.  Is she lying or crazy, or is her tale unbelievably true?
Tales from the Farm by Jeff LemireTales from the Farm
Lemire, Jeff
2007
Xeric Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire (Lost Dogs) illustrates the tale of Lester, an orphaned 10-year-old who goes to live on his Uncle's farm.  Their relationship grows increasingly strained and Lester befriends the town's gas station owner, and damaged former hockey star, Jimmy Lebeuf.  The two escape into a private fantasy world of super-heroes, alien invaders and good old-fashioned pond hockey.  Tales from the Farm is the first volume in a trilogy of graphic novels set in a fictionalized version of Lemire's hometown of Essex County, Ontario.
Genghis: Birth of an Empire by Conn IgguldenGenghis: Birth of an Empire
Iggulden, Conn
2007
Iggulden, the acclaimed author of the Emperor novels, which chronicle the life of Julius Caesar, now offers an account of the life of Genghis Khan.
The God of Animals by Aryn KyleThe God of Animals
Kyle, Aryn
2007
In her stunning debut, Kyle produces an emotionally powerful coming-of-age story that deftly and movingly captures not only the complexity of love, loss, and human relationships but also the fierce and powerful bond between horses and humans.
Mister Pip by Lloyd JonesMister Pip
Jones, Lloyd
2007
Intense, beautiful, and fable-like, Jones' Mister Pip is a remarkable work of fiction that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the power of literature to transform lives.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick RothfussThe Name of the Wind
Rothfuss, Patrick
2007
This powerful debut novel follows the story of Kvothe, the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.
The Night Birds by Thomas MaltmanThe Night Birds
Maltman, Thomas
2007
Prefigured by the twin ravens Hunin and Munin--Memory and Understanding--14-year-old Asa Senger learns that the past is as close as his own heartbeat.  Without understanding that past he can neither know who he is, nor who he may become.
The Spellman Files by Lisa LutzThe Spellman Files
Lutz, Lisa
2007
Meet Izzy Spellman, a 28-year-old private eye working for her family's investigative business--a family that puts the "fun" in dysfunctional--in this irresistible, laugh-out-loud debut novel.