YALSA names 2012 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults

For Immediate Release
Tue, 01/24/2012

Contact:

Jaclyn Finneke

Marketing & Communications Specialist

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

jfinneke@ala.org

DALLAS — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2012 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults list. The list for those ages 12-18 is drawn from the previous two years of spoken-word releases and presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The full list can be viewed at www.ala.org/yalsa/audiobooks.

The 2012 Amazing Audiobooks list, comprised of 32 fiction titles and one nonfiction, features recordings covering a wide range of interests for young adults from realistic fiction to fantasy and humor.   

            In addition to the full list, the committee chose the following recordings as its top ten:

  • Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?” by Louise Rennison, read by Stina Nielson. Recorded Books, 2010.
  • Beauty Queens” by Libba Bray, read by Libba Bray. Scholastic Audio, 2011.
  • Carter’s Big Break” by Brent Crawford, read by Nick Podehl. Brilliance Audio, 2011.
  • Chime”by Franny Billingsley, read by Susan Duerden. Listening Library, 2011.
  • Curse of the Wendigo” by Rick Yancey, read by Steven Boyer. Recorded Books, 2010.
  • Fever Crumb” by Philip Reeve, read by Philip Reeve. Scholastic Audio, 2011.
  • How They Croaked” by Georgia Bragg, read by L.J. Ganser. Recorded Books, 2011.
  • Marbury Lens” by Andrew Smith, read by Mark Boyett. Brilliance Audio, 2010.
  • Ring of Solomon” by Jonathan Stroud, read by Simon Jones. Listening Library, 2010.
  • Wake of the Lorelei Lee” by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren. Listen and Live Audio, 2010.

"After reviewing hundreds of audiobooks, we’re pleased to recognize this list of top quality audiobooks for teens,” said Chair Jennifer Lawson. “With its wide range of genres, settings and characters, we hope this list will have something that every teen will enjoy."

Members of the 2011 Amazing Audiobooks Committee are: Chair Jennifer Lawson, San Diego County Library; Catherine Andronik, Brien McMahon High School, Norwalk, Conn.; Joanna Axelrod, Escondido (Calif.) Public Library; Jennifer Campbell, Notre Dame de Sion High School, Kansas City, Mo.; Lynn Piper Carpenter, Birmingham (Ala.) Public Library; Jeri W. Cohen, Patchogue-Medford (N.Y.) Library; Donna S. Cook, Central High School, Independent School District, Pollok, Texas; Sara E. Fitzgerald, Martin County Library System, Stuart, Fla.; Gretchen Kolderup, New Canaan (Conn.) Library; and Courtney Saldana, administrative assistant, Ontario (Calif.) City Library.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens.  For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390 or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.