Requirements for the participation of a youth book:

a) Fiction book
b) New publication
c) Youth audience (as opposed to a children's audience)

The jury is composed of 11 teenagers and 11 adults. They may apply in writing, or in person, to the city of Buxtehude (Culture Office Kulturbüro or library). Every jury participant may only participate twice consecutively.

The maximum age for youths is 17, the minimum age is 14. The jury is not limited to region. Interested persons from other areas are also welcome to participate.

The competing books are available in the Buxtehude Library. Each juror receives two books (from the library) respectively by post that are to be returned after reading. Then each juror will receive a further two other books.

Many positive ratings bring a book to the finals. Four negative ratings eliminate the book.
All of the books that reach the final level are read by all 22 jurors.
The jury's prize-winner decision takes place, publicly, in Buxtehude by counting of previously sent-in mail votes from the all of the jurors.

The decision is made without previous discussion. This procedure was selected to prevent jurors from being manipulated in their opinions at the last minute.
As soon as it is clear which youth books have reached the final level, the jurors are asked to rate which final-round book is the first, second, third, fourth and fifth places. They must then punctually send the completed ranking of their prize-winner choice in a sealed envelope to the Buxtehude Library.

For each competing book:

The book which receives the most points is the winner.