2021 Teens’ Top Ten Book Groups application now open

CHICAGO — Library staff can now apply on behalf of their teen book groups for a chance to be a part of the official 2021-2022 Teens’ Top Ten book groups.

The Teens’ Top Ten, formerly called YA Galley, is an ongoing project in which publishers of young adult books provide advanced reading copies of their recent titles to teen book discussion groups, also known as the Teens’ Top Ten book groups, in libraries. In exchange, teen readers evaluate books for the publishers.

A total of fifteen teen book groups, led by an advisor, will be selected to fulfill a two-year term (January of 2021 - December 31, 2022). Advisors of the book groups must be current personal members of YALSA and are required to submit sample teen book reviews with their application. Book reviews must be filled out by teens and can be for any book that they have recently read. Learn more about the Advisor's Procedures, eligibility requirements, and more by reading the FAQ.

Apply by October 15.

The Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Nominations are posted in April on the Thursday of National Library Week, and teens across the nation are encouraged to read the titles over the summer and vote for their favorite titles between August 15 and mid-October. Voting for the 2020 Teens' Top Ten will open August 15. View the current 25 nominees here and vote by October 15.

A digital image of a Teens’ Top Ten seal for nominated titles is available to publishers for licensing. Arrangements can be made through ALA's Rights and Permissions office for publishers who need permission to reproduce the seal on a paperback edition or book jacket. Contact permissions@ala.org or Mary Jo Bolduc, (312) 280-5416 or (312) 944-8741 (fax) for information.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or e-mail: njackson@ala.org.