YA novels and the Hugo Awards

The Hugo Award is voted by members of the World SF Convention. In the best novel category, are nominated two YA novels:

Cory Doctorow, LITTLE BROTHER
Neil Gaiman, THE GRAVEYARD BOOK

plus another YA novel with a teenage protag, though I think it's not technically published as YA:

John Scalzi, ZOE'S TALE

and an adult book which has had comments describing it as having a YA feel to it:

Neal Stephenson, ANATHEM.

Which leaves just Charles Stross's SATURN'S CHILDREN as the only fully adult novel on the list. Is this the year of the SF/fantasy YA novel?

True - apart from Gaiman (who has published YA/MG more than once and has a big fan base amongst teenage readers for his adult novels), those writers are very much known for their adult work (and their online presence, but that's another matter). Their novels are their first YA work - and I'm not sure if Zoe's Tale is even officially published as YA either.

However, MG/YA novels have won adult genre awards before - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won the Hugo, and some SF fans and commentators are still fuming.

Neil Gaiman's Coraline won the Hugo and the Nebula, though due to its wordcount it was in the novella rather than novel category. The late Thomas M. Disch's The Brave Little Toaster was nominated for both, again as a novella.

The Nebula shortlist this year contains two YAs - Little Brother and Ursula Le Guin's Powers. These are voted by members of the SF and Fantasy Writers of America. They also administer the Andre Norton Award, which is specifically for YA SF and fantasy. The shortlist for that is, in alphabetical order by author:

Kristin Cashore, GRACELING
D.M. Cornish, LAMPLIGHTER
Ingrid Law, SAVVY
Mary E. Pearson, THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX
Ysabeau S. Wilce, FLORA'S DARE; HOW A GIRL OF SPIRIT GAMBLES ALL TO EXPAND HER VOCABULARY, CONFRONT A BOUNCING BOY TERROR, AND TRY TO SAVE CALIFA FROM A SHAKY DOOM (DESPITE BEING CONFINED TO HER ROOM)