NBA Controversy: Stitches

Book lists for the big awards can be pretty hot button topics. Taste in books is a very personal thing, and a title I love could be one you hate. And it’s difficult to see a title you love passed over in favor of one you’re not so keen on. But what happens when a book makes the cut–in the wrong category?

Surely not! The NBA panels know what’s what! And how hard can it be, anyway? Non-fiction books go in the non-fiction category and kids’ books belong in young people’s literature, right?

It’s not so clear cut anymore. A title in the NBA finalists for young people’s literature is causing quite a stir. Renowned illustrator and Caldecott Medalist David Small’s Stitches: A Memoir, is a non-fiction graphic novel originally released for adults. So why did Norton enter it as young people’s lit?

According to PW, Norton considers Stitches a crossover book, with great appeal to “kids between 12 and 18. Many of the comments we’ve gotten are from teens. It is a growing-up story, but the issues addressed in the book are ones that a lot of teens face.”

I haven’t read Stitches yet, but it’s definitely in my to-read pile. Making the NBA list at all suggests it’s an excellent book, and I’m curious about why it appeals to teens. Crossover books have become a lot more common in the past decade, while graphic novels have gained greater acceptance in the literary community. This kerfuffle could be the jumping off point for a much bigger question: how do we decide what’s YA and what’s not when the audiences aren’t so clear cut anymore?

Is Stitches’ appeal to young people enough to garner it an award for young people’s lit? Did Small’s history as a children’s illustrator contribute to the decision? Or did Norton feel that a graphic novel was more likely to be passed over in an adult category? If Norton had released Stitches with two separate covers, like Harper Collins did with The Graveyard Book, would this even be an issue?