YALSA names 2018 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults

CHICAGO – The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2018 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults list.

The list, aimed towards young adults aged 12-18, is drawn from the previous year of spoken-word releases and presented annually on The Hub. The full list can be viewed at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/amazing-audiobooks and includes 28 fiction titles and 2 nonfiction titles. It will be available on both the Teen Book Finder Database and app.

The 2018 Amazing Audiobooks list, comprised of fiction and nonfiction titles, features recordings that cover a wide range of interests for young adults from historical fiction, to fantasy, to realistic fiction.

“Navigating the transition from a traditional selection committee to a dedicated group of bloggers definitely required some finesse,” said Coordinator Ariel Cummins. “However, after listening to over 200 audiobooks, every member of the committee is extremely proud to present such a varied and interesting list filled with outstanding storytelling.”

Members of the 2018 Amazing Audiobooks Blogging Team are: Coordinator Ariel Cummins, New Braunfels Public Library, San Antonio, TX; Kennedy Penn-O’Toole, Albany County Public Library, Laramie, WY; Beatriz Pascual Wallace, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA; Melanie Wachsmann, Lone Star College-CyFair Branch, Tomball, TX; Katrina Ortega, New York Public Library, New York, NY; Tommy Bui, an MLIS student in Pacoima, CA; Karen Perry, RJ Reynolds High School Library, Winston Salem, NC; Erin Durret, Flint Public LIbrary, Flint, MI; Amy Oelkers, Washington County Library-Oakdale Branch, Oakdale, MN; Tracy Sumler, DC Public Library, Washington DC.

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.

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 contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.