YALSA names 2013 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults

For Immediate Release
Thu, 01/31/2013

Contact:

Jaclyn Finneke

Communications Manager

Young Adult Library Services Association

1-800-545-2433 ext.2128

jfinneke@ala.org

SEATTLE— The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2013 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 http://www.ala.org/yalsa/amazing-audiobooks.

The 2013 Amazing Audiobooks list, composed of 28 fiction titles and 2 nonfiction titles, features recordings covering a wide range of interests for young adults from high fantasy dragon epics to serial killer-driven thrillers to fictionalized accounts of historical events in verse.

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

  • “Code Name Verity”by Elizabeth Wein, read by Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell.  Bolinda, 2012.
  • “Crusher”by Niall Leonard, read by Daniel Weyman.  Listening Library, 2012.
  • “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever”by Jeff Kinney, read by Ramon de Ocampo.  Recorded Books, 2011.
  • “The Diviners”by Libba Bray, read by January LaVoy.  Listening Library, 2012.
  • “Inheritance”by Christopher Paolini, read by Gerard Doyle.  Listening Library, 2011.
  • “The Isle of Blood”by Rick Yancey, read by Steven Boyer.  Recorded Books, 2011.
  • “Personal Effects”by E.M. Kokie, read by Nick Podehl.  Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, 2012.
  • “Warriors Don’t Cry”by Melba Patillo Beals, read by Lisa Renee Pitts.  Tantor Audio, 2011.
  • “The Watch That Ends the Night”by Allan Wolf, read by Michael Page, Phil Gigante, Christopher Lane, Laurel Merlington and Angela Dawe.  Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, 2011.
  • “Wonder”by R.J. Palacio, read by Diana Steele, Nick Podehl and Kate Rudd.  Brilliance, 2011.

"After thousands of combined hours of listening and discussion, we're so pleased to share the most outstanding audiobooks from the last two years,” said committee chair Gretchen Kolderup. “All of these titles resonated with us emotionally, whether they were hilarious or heartbreaking, and we know they’ll do the same for teen listeners.”

Members of the 2013 Amazing Audiobooks Committee are: Chair Gretchen Kolderup, formerly of the New Canaan (Conn.) Library, now with the New York Public Library; Catherine Andronik, Brien McMahon High School, Norwalk, Conn.; Mary Burkey, Olentangy Liberty Middle School, Powell, Ohio; Randee Bybee, Upland (Calif.) Public Library; Jennifer Campbell, Notre Dame de Sion High School, North Kansas City, Mo.; Lynn Carpenter, Birmingham (Ala.) Public Library; Donna Cook, Central High School, Pollok, Texas; Pamela Spencer Holley, Eastern Shore Public Library, Accomac, Va.; Karilyn Steward, Calabasas (Calif.) Library; and administrative assistant Colleen Seisser, Mount Prospect (Ill.) Public Library.

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.

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.