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. 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 City Hall. Each judge receives two books respectively by post that are to be returned after reading. Then each judge will receive a further two other books.

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

The decision is made without previous discussion. This procedure was selected to prevent judges 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 judges are asked to rate which final-round book is the first, second, third, fourth and fifth places.

For each competing book:

The book which receives the most points is the winner.