Candace Fleming wins 2026 Edwards Award

CHICAGO — Candace Fleming is the recipient of the 2026 Margaret A. Edwards Award, honoring hersignificant and lasting contribution to writing for teens for “Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart,”“Crash From Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell,” “The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia,” “The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum,” “Murder Among Friends: How Leopold and Loeb Tried to Commit the Perfect Crime,” “Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life,” “Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West,” and “The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh.” The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced the award today during the ALA’s Youth Media Awards Announcements in Chicago.

Fleming is a prolific author known for her gripping narrative nonfiction “Amelia Lost” which suspensefully recounts Amelia Earhart’s life and disappearance. “Crash From Outer Space” explores the 1947 Roswell incident, deftly separating fact from fiction. In “The Family Romanov,” the privilege and plight of the infamous Romanovs is contrasted with the misfortune of Russia’s peasants. “The Great and Only Barnum” brings the realities behind the showman’s legend to life.  “Murder Among Friends” examines the notorious Leopold and Loeb case, shining a light on how corruption and social attitudes of the day impacted the verdict. “Our Eleanor” portrays Eleanor Roosevelt’s transformation into a powerful, empathetic leader, while “Presenting Buffalo Bill” reframes the myth and history of “Buffalo Bill” Cody. “The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh” doesn’t shy away from the aviator’s controversial political opinions. Fleming’s work deconstructs polished images of historical figures and events, presenting them with nuance and depth.

“Candace Fleming brings history to life with her compelling nonfiction that respects teens, challenges them to think critically, and confronts history’s complexity with unflinching honesty,” said Edwards Committee Chair Jessica Hilbun Schwartz.

Fleming will be honored later this year and presented with a citation and cash prize of $2,000. The award is sponsored by School Library Journal.

The award is named in honor of the late Margaret A. Edwards, a pioneer in providing library services to young adults. Through her work at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Edwards demonstrated that only through literature would young adults move beyond themselves into a larger world.

Members of the 2026 Edwards Committee are Chair Jessica Hilbun Schwartz, Louisville Public Library, Colorado; Alexis Ferguson, Galion Public Library, Mansfield, Ohio; Sarah Julsonnet, Trinity Episcopal School, Austin, Texas; Emily Mazzoni, Monroe Township Public Library, New Jersey; and Michelle Muller, Ramapo Catskill Library System, Middletown, New York.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

About the Young Adult Library Services Association

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.

For information on the Margaret A. Edwards Award and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

-30-