Orson Scott Card Wins the 2008 Margaret A. Edwards Award

Orson Scott Card is the recipient of the 2008 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring his outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens for his novels "Ender's Game" and "Ender's Shadow." An accomplished storyteller, Card weaves the everyday experiences of adolescence into broader narratives, addressing universal questions about humanity and society. The award was announced January 14 at the 2008 Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA) in Philadelphia.

"Ender's Game" and "Ender's Shadow" both published by Tor Books, present a future where a global government trains gifted young children from around the world in the art of interstellar warfare, hoping to find a leader whose skills can prevent a second attack upon humanity by the insect-like aliens descriptively nicknamed "buggers." Young Andrew "Ender" Wiggin may be the savior they seek. He is not alone, as seen in the companion tale, "Ender's Shadow", where orphaned Bean relates his own Battle School experiences. Just as the stories of Ender and Bean are paralleled in the novels, their experiences echo those of teens, beginning as children navigating in an adult world and growing into a state of greater awareness of themselves, their communities and the larger universe.

"’Ender's Game’ and ’Ender's Shadow’ continually capture the imagination and interest of teens," said Edwards Committee Chair Brenna Shanks. "The conflicts of self and society, on a personal level and on a universal stage, never lose relevance."

Card, the author of numerous books, short stories and plays, lives in Greensboro, N.C.

The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author’s lifetime achievement for writing books that have been popular with teenagers. The annual award recognizes an author’s work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world. It is named in honor of the late Margaret A. Edwards. She spent her professional life bringing books and young adults together, pioneering outreach services for teenagers, and establishing a stringent training program designed especially for librarians beginning their work with adolescents.

The Margaret A. Edwards Award is presented by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ALA, and sponsored by School Library Journal. The Margaret A. Edwards Award is sponsored by School Library Journal and administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ALA. Card will be honored at the YALSA Edwards Awards Luncheon and presented with a citation and cash prize of $2,000 during the 2008 ALA Annual Conference to be held in Anaheim, Calif., June 26-July 2.

Above information is provided courtesy of American Library Association.