YALSA names 2010 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
Communications Specialist
312-280-2128
skuenn@ala.org

NEWS
For Immediate Release
Jan. 20, 2010

BOSTON —The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2010 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (PPYA). The list, drawn from 165 official nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.

The complete list of 88 titles, including annotations, can be found at www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/poppaper. This year’s PPYA committee produced four lists of titles arranged by the following topics:

  • Bodies: They come in all shapes, sizes and abilities...love it or hate it, you only have one body. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
  • Change Your World or Live to Regret It: You say you want a revolution? What are you willing to do? What are you willing to lose? The future starts now.
  • Hard Knock Life: Sometimes the odds are stacked against you. What do you do when life knocks you down?
  • Twists on the Tale: The times may change, but the tales remain eternal. Familiar characters and stories are given a new twist.

“Teen readers and the librarians who serve them are a diverse group, but they are all looking for a good book,” said Elizabeth Saxton, committee chair. “Hopefully our lists this year will help teens realize that life can be hard and everybody has issues, but if you are willing to make a difference, there is a good chance you’ll find your happily ever after.”

Members of the Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Committee are: Elizabeth Saxton, chair, Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library; Teresa Allen, Colorado State Library, Denver; Kay Bowes, Brandywine Hundred Library, Wilmington, De.; Karen Brooks-Reese, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Valerie Davis, Campbell County Public Library, Newport, Ky.; Franklin Escobedo, Oceanside (Calif.) Public Library; Megan Honig, New York Public Library; Jennifer Korn, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; Renee C. McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, N.Y.; Morgan McMillian, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, Texas; Elizabeth Schneider, Moorpark City Library, Calif.; Melanie Wachsmann, Lone Star College Cyfair Branch, Cypress, Texas; and Shauna Yusko, Evergreen Junior High, Redmond, Wash.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audio books 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.