For immediate release | January 15, 2016
YALSA names 2016 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adults
CHICAGO – The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2016 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list.
The list of 67 titles and 2 series, drawn from 181 nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list identifies titles aimed at encouraging reading among teens who dislike to read for any reason. The full list can be viewed at www.ala.org/yalsa/quick-picks-reluctant-young-adult-readers.
In addition to the full list, the committee chose the following titles as its top ten:
Nonfiction
- Maggs, Sam. A Fan Girl’s Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks. 2015. Illus. Quirk Books.
- Schatz, Kate. Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History... and Our Future! 2015. Illus. City Lights Books.
Fiction
- Aveyard, Victoria. Red Queen. 2015. HarperTeen/HarperCollins.
- Black, Holly and Clare, Cassandra. The Iron Trial. 2014. Illus. Scholastic Press.
- Lee, Fonda. Zeroboxer. 2015. Flux/Llewellyn Worldwide.
- Murphy, Julie. Dumplin’. 2015. Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins
- Myers, E.C. The Silence of Six. 2014. Adaptive Studios.
- Older, Daniel José. Shadowshaper. 2015. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic.
- Stevenson, Noelle. Nimona. 2015. Illus. HarperTeen/HarperCollins.
- Yoon, Nicola. Everything, Everything. Illus. 2015. Delacorte Press/Random House.
“I am very proud of the list our committee has put together for reluctant readers of all types,” said Chair, Erik Carlson. “Quick Picks readers will be treated to a diverse selection of irresistible non-fiction, graphic novels with fabulous illustrations, intriguing whodunits, and gripping realistic stories. We can’t wait for these books to end up in the hands of teens.”
Members of the Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers committee are: Chair Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, White Plains, NY; Fallon Bleich, Bentonville Public Library, Bentonville, AR; Judith Rodgers, Wayzata Central Middle School, Plymouth, MN; Morgan Brickey, Arlington Public Library, Arlington, TX; Dorcas Wong, San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco, CA; Rebecca Denham, Houston Public Library, Houston, TX; Savannah Kitchens, North Shelby Public Library, Birmingham, AL; Allison Cusher, Grafton Public Library, Grafton, MA; Drue Wagner-Mees, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CA; Jen Scott Wills, Boise Public Library, Boise, ID; Ny'ilah Covington, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland; Robbin Friedman, Administrative Assistant, Chappaqua Library, Chappaqua, NY.
YALSA’s portfolio of book and media awards helps strengthen library services for and with teens by identifying quality, age appropriate resources for librarians and library workers to share with the teens in their communities. Learn more about YALSA’s other book and media lists here.
For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and library staff to engage, serve and empower teens. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.
Contact:
Anna Lam
Communications Specialist
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
alam@ala.org
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