A Statistical Analysis of Diversity in the Printz Awards

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates the diversity of the American Library Association’s Michael L. Printz Award which is given for outstanding young adult literature titles. The award’s website notes that it strives for diversity amongst the award winning or honored titles. This study uses quantitative analysis to determine if the committee’s statement is valid along two categories: narrator’s gender and narrator’s ethnicity/race which served as the variables for the study. The study examined 91 book titles including the 18 award winning books and the 73 honorary titles in order to gain a broader understanding of the gender and racial/ethnic identities of the titles’ narrators. Research was conducted using several book-centered websites to determine narrator’s identities. The study includes implications for further research for youth literary awards committees, teachers and other educational stakeholders, with several organizations challenging the young adult literary world to diversify its titles, as well as recommendations for future researchers.