The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents facts for kids

ALAN, The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents is a group in the United States for teachers. It is part of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). ALAN started in November 1973. It includes teachers, authors, librarians, and publishers. People who teach future teachers and their students are also members. Anyone interested in books for young adults can join ALAN. This group manages itself. ALAN holds its main meetings every November. These meetings happen during the NCTE yearly convention. ALAN also publishes a magazine called The ALAN Review.

ALAN has given awards almost since it began. These awards honor people who have done great things for young adult literature. An award winner might be a publisher, writer, or librarian. They could also be a scholar, editor, or someone who helps the organization. The ALAN Executive Board chooses one person each year. This person gets the ALAN Award at a special breakfast. This breakfast is held on a Saturday morning during the NCTE Convention. In 2000, ALAN also created the Hipple Award. This award honors Ted Hipple. He was a longtime leader for ALAN. His hard work led to this award for dedicated service.

The ALAN Award: Honoring Great Writers

ALAN has given the ALAN Award since it started. This award celebrates people who have made big contributions. These contributions are to the world of books for young adults. The person who receives the award can be many things. They might be a publisher, an author, or a librarian. They could also be a scholar, an editor, or someone who serves the ALAN group. Each year, the ALAN Executive Board picks an honoree. This person gets the ALAN Award at the yearly ALAN breakfast. This event takes place on a Saturday morning. It is part of the NCTE Convention. Below is a list of people who have won this award.

Past ALAN Award Winners

The Ted Hipple Service Award: Honoring Dedication

The Ted Hipple Service Award is given every year. It honors someone who has greatly helped the ALAN organization. This award is named after Ted Hipple. He was the first and longest-serving Executive Secretary for ALAN. Ted Hipple passed away on November 25, 2004. He helped shape ALAN for many years. He gave steady service and support. Ted was a Professor of Education at the University of Tennessee. There, he led the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Before that, he was a Professor of Education at the University of Florida. He earned his doctorate degree from the University of Illinois. He also taught English at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.

Past Hipple Award Winners

• 2014 Connie Zitlow
• 2013 Rick Williams
• 2012 Joan F. Kaywell, University of South Florida, ALAN Past President and Membership Secretary
• 2011 Gary Salvner, Youngstown State University, ALAN Past President and Executive Secretary
• 2010 Christopher E. Crowe, Brigham Young University, ALAN Past President
• 2009 Wendy Lamb, Wendy Lamb Books, Random House
• 2008 Jeanne McDermott, Farrar, Straus & Giroux
• 2007 Patricia Kelly, ALAN Past President
• 2006 Alleen Pace Nilsen, ALAN Past President
• 2005 Bill Subick, National Council of Teachers of English
• 2004 John Mason, Scholastic, Inc.
• 2003 M. Jerry Weiss, ALAN Past President
• 2002 Terry Borzumato, Random House Children's Books
• 2001 Don Gallo, ALAN Past President
• 2000 Ted Hipple, ALAN Executive Secretary and Past President

The Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award: Celebrating Great Books

Since 2009, the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award has been given each year. It recognizes a book that shows "literary excellence." This means the book is very well written. It also needs to have "widespread appeal." This means many people enjoy reading it. Finally, it must have "a positive approach to life" in young adult literature. The winning book and other honored books must be fiction. They must have been published in the United States. This publication must happen in the year before nominations are asked for.

ALAN Presidents: Leaders of the Organization