Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults

About the Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
To select, annotate, and present for publication an annual list of notable audio recordings significant to young adults from those released in the past two years. Full list can be found here.

Administered by:

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) logo

Award and Frequency

This award is given out on an annual basis.

Eligibility

Each year’s submissions for consideration must have been produced or released within the 24 months previous to the list’s release at Midwinter. The recommended titles must address the wide scope of interests and concerns of listeners between 12 and 18.

Application Instructions

Fill out the form online. If you require additional help, please contact the person listed.

Contact Information

Displaying active committee roster as of 03/19/2024. Last retrieved on 03/19/2024. Members can log in and refresh page to view full contact information for committee members.

Selection Criteria

The criteria against which any particular audiobook should be judged as a candidate for a final list of annual recommendations by YALSA include:
 
    * Appeal of content to any or all potential listeners between 12 and 18 years old. While the list as a whole addresses the interests and needs of young adults ranging in age from 12 to 18, individual titles may appeal to parts of that range rather than to its whole. Material need not be “family friendly,” or appeal to the youngest common denominator of adults.
    * Adapted materials must remain true to, expand, or complement the original work.
    * Effective use of voices, music, sound effects, and language.
    * Appropriateness of material for audio presentation.
    * Suitability of match between performer and text.
    * Possible expansion of audience of young adults for a text that has not been readily accessible in its print format to its target audience.
    * Professional production quality
    * Correct pronunciation of all text words is required, however, a title would not necessarily be disqualified if an error is deemed by the Committee to be minor. when evaluating the recording as a whole
    * Clarity of recording is required.
    * Informative packaging is required
 
Curricular suitability can be a positive consideration but is not a requirement for inclusion.