Michael L. Printz Award
for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

2003 Winner

Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers - YA CHA                                                 
Chambers’ novel is a passionate narrative about 17-year-old Jacob, who comes to Amsterdam tofind the grave of his grandfather who died there during World War II. He meets Geertrui, the Dutch woman who cared for his wounded grandfather. Her teenage World War II story is interwoven with Jacob’s surprising discoveries about love, sex, family secrets and his own identity.

Chambers lives in England, and his previous young adult works have been acclaimed by critics on both sides of the Atlantic. “Postcards from No Man’s Land” was awarded the British Carnegie Medal, and Chambers received the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2002 for the body of his work.

2003 Honor Books

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer - YA FAR                                                    
To most people around him, Matt is not a boy, but a beast. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by sinister characters. Around every turn in this vivid, futuristic adventure is a heart-stopping surprise with unforgettable consequences.

My Heartbeat by Garrett Freymann-Weyr - YA WEY                                                     
Grade 9 & Up--In this tightly constructed novel about love, family, and the ambiguities of sexual identity, Ellen, 14, idolizes her brother, Link, and his best friend, James, who are seniors. When she enters their private Manhattan high school, she is surprised when some girls assume that Link and James are "a couple".

Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos - YA  921 GAN                                                                  
Gantos was an aspiring writer who needed money and adventure. He got more than he bargained for when he was arrested for smuggling hash on a 60-foot yacht. Here he pieces together how he became, and overcame, the odds of a successful life.