Which novel won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young-adult literature?

Looking for Alaska won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young-adult literature.

John Green’s debut novel, Looking for Alaska, was published in 2005 and received the Printz Award in 2006. The award is given by the American Library Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young-adult literature.

The novel follows Miles Halter, a teenager who leaves Florida for boarding school in Alabama. There he develops friendships, encounters pranks and philosophical questions, and becomes close to Alaska Young. The book is structured around a “before” and “after” event, with its second half examining grief, guilt, and the search for meaning.

The award is often confused with the Printz Honor designations, which recognize other distinguished books in the same year. Looking for Alaska received the main award, not merely an honor citation.