2011 Popular Paperbacks for young adults

About

2011 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

The list of 99 titles, drawn from 192 official nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. This year’s PPYA committee produced four lists of titles arranged by the following topics:

Thrillers & Killers
What's Cooking?
What If...
Zombies, Werewolves & Things with Wings
In addition, the committee chose a Top Ten list of titles.

“Teen readers are always looking for books that are interesting and fun. Like the librarians that serve them, teens are a very diverse group,” said Franklin Escobedo, committee chair. “We hope that this year's list will bring about some creature diversity in what teens are reading, not just another vampire story. We also wanted to highlight popular titles in other genres that librarians and teens may have overlooked. In this year's list readers, will find a great mix of books that will make their heart race, to those that will make them laugh, and of course, zombies!”

Members of the Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Committee are: Franklin Escobedo, chair, Oceanside (Calif.) Public Library; Kay I. Bowes, Brandywine Hundred Library, Wilmington, De.; Amber Creager, Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library; Valerie Davis, Campbell County Public Library, Newport, Ky.; Sarah B. Hill, Paris (Ill.) Cooperative High School; Jennifer H. Korn, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; Renee C. McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, N.Y.; Kelly C. Metzger, Dedham (Mass.) Middle School; Elizabeth Schneider, Monrovia (Calif.) Public Library; Mari S. Smith, Cicero, Ill.; Shanna Smith, Mesa County Public Library District, Grand Junction, Colo.; Kate Toebbe, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; Sarah Townsend, Norfolk (Va.) Public Library; Melanie Wachsmann, Lone Star College-CyFair Branch, Cypress, Texas.

The Titles

*denotes Top Ten pick

Thrillers & Killers

May cause anxiety. . . don't read at home alone.

Kay Bowes, Subcommittee Chair
Sarah B. Hill
Renee C. McGrath
Kelly C. Metzger
Elizabeth Schneider
Mari S. Smith
Shanna Marie Smith

Beitia, Sara. The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon. Flux, 2010. $9.95 978-0738720685.
Albert wakes up in his girlfriend's bed—alone.

Blundell, Judy. What I Saw and How I Lied. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2010. $8.99. 9780439903486.
What would she lose by telling the truth?

Cabot, Meg. Size Twelve Is Not Fat. HarperCollins, 2006. $12.95978-0-06-052511-8.
Former tween pop star turns campus detective.

De la Cruz, Melissa. Blue Bloods. Hyperion, 2007. $8.99978-1423101260.
A vampire killer is on the loose.

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2004. $8.959780152053109.
In 1906 love letters and a suspicious drowning make for one unforgettable summer.

Feinstein, John. Change-Up. Random House, 2010. 978-0375847592. $7.99
What is pitcher Norbert Doyle hiding?

Ferguson, Alane. The Christopher Killer: A Forensic Mystery. Sleuth Speak. 2006. $6.99. 9780142408117.
A serial strangler is no match for a teen corner.

Gerber, Linda. Death by Bikini. Sleuth Speak, 2008. $7.99. 9780142411179.
Aphra must rely on skills her missing mother taught her to survive.

Giles, Gail. Dead Girls Don't Write Letters. Simon Pulse, 2004. $6.99. 978-0689866241.
So who’s sleeping in her bed?

Henderson, Lauren. Kiss Me, Kill Me. Delacorte Press. 2008. $8.99. 9780385734882.
Are all first kisses this deadly.

Mazer, Norma Fox. The Missing Girl. Harper Collins. 2008. $8.99. 978-0064473651.
A man watches five sisters trying to decide which one he likes best.

McNamee, Graham. Acceleration. Laurel Leaf, 2005. $6.99. 978-0440238362.
What would you do if you found the diary of a serial killer?

Olin, Sean. Killing Britney. Simon Pulse, 2005. $9.99. 9780689877780.
First her mom, then her boyfriend: who will die next?

Parker, Robert B. The Boxer and the Spy. Speak/Sleuth, 2008. $8.99. 978-0-14-241439-2.
Terry fights for the truth.

Perez, Marlene. Dead is the New Black. Graphia, 2008. $7.95. 978-0152064082.
Cheerleaders are dropping like flies.

Schrefer, Eliot. The School for Dangerous Girls. Scholastic, 2010. $8.99. 978-0545035293.
Her goal: graduate from boarding school—alive.

Shepard, Sara. Pretty Little Liars. HarperTeen; 2007. $8.99. 978-0060887322.
I know all your secrets. -A

Sorrells, Walter. First Shot. Puffin; 2009. $7.99. 9780142414217.
Could David finally his mother’s killer in his sights?

Stolarz, Laurie Faria. Project 17. Hyperion, 2009. $8.99. 978-1423121244;
Making a movie in an abandoned mental institution is never a good idea.

Sturman, Jennifer. And Then Everything Unraveled. Point, 2009. $8.99. 9780545087230.
Delia doesn't believe her mother is truly dead.

Urasawa, Naoki. Naoki Urasawa's Monster: Volume 1. Illus. by Naoki Urasawa. Viz Media, 2006. $9.99. 978-1-59116-641-2.
Doctor Tenma has created a monster.

Watson, Andi. Clubbing. Illus. by Josh Howard. Minx Books, DC Comics, 2007. $9.99 978-1-4012-0370-2.
Exiled goth girl turns private investigator.

*Weingarten, Lynn. Wherever Nina Lies. Point, 2010. $9.99. 978-0-545-06633-4.$8.99
Why is Ellie searching for her dead sister?

Werlin, Nancy. Killer's Cousin. Speak, 2009. $7.99. 9780142413739.
Declared innocent, David’s future is threatened by Lily’s behavior.

*Wooding, Chris. Malice. Illus. by Dan Chernett. Scholastic, 2009. $9.99. 978-0-545-16044-5.
Trust me, this comic’s a killer!

What’s Cooking?

Tasty reads to fill your belly and warm your soul.

Renee C. McGrath, Subcommittee Chair
Kay Bowes
Franklin Escobedo
Jennifer H. Korn
Kate Toebbe
Sarah Townsend
Melanie Waschsmann

*Anderson, M.T. Burger Wuss. Candlewick, 2008. $7.99. 978-0763631789.
One O'Dermott's burger, and order of fries, soda, and a side of revenge, supersized.

Ando, Natsumi. Kitchen Princess Vol 1. Illus. by Miyuki Kobyashi. Del Rey, 2007. $10.95. ISBN: 978-0345496201.
Searching for prince charming, one meal at a time.

Caletti, Deb. Fortunes of Indigo Skye. Simon & Schuster, 2009. $9.99. 9781416910084.
Money can buy you a lot of pie but not happiness.

Dessen, Sarah. The Truth About Forever. Speak. 2006. $8.99. 978-0142406250.
One summer, Macy learns to deal with death, love, and dirty dishes.

Fergus, Maureen. Recipe for Disaster. Kids Can Press. 2009. $8.95. 978-1554533206.
Before Francie can become the next celebrity chef, she has to survive freshman year.

Ferreira, Charity. Peeps!: Recipes and Crafts to Make with your Favorite Marshmallow Treat. Illus. by Liz Wolfe. Chronicle Books, 2008. $12.95. ISBN: 9780811860413.
Peeps: They aren't just for eating out of the package!

Gold, Rozanne. Eat Fresh Food: Awesome recipes for teen chefs. Bloomsbury. 2009. $17.99. 9781599904450.
Unleash your inner chef with these fresh and healthy recipes!

Green, John, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. Let It Snow. Speak, 2009. $6.99. 978-0142414996.
Snow + six hungry teens + one snow night = a recipe for love.

Hashiguchi, Takashi. Yakitate!! Japan, Vol. 1. Illus. by Takashi Hashiguchi. VIZ Media, 2006. $9.99. 978-1421507194.
Bread making is serious business.

Hepler, Heather. The Cupcake Queen. Speak, 2010. $7.99. 978-0142416686.
Beauty queen vs. cupcake queen who will win.

*Ishihara, Yoko. The Manga Cookbook. Illus. by Chihiro Hattori. Manga University, 2007. $14.95. 9784921205072.
Dust off your chopstick skills and chow down on manga-inspired Japanese cuisine.

Juby, Susan. Getting the Girl: A Guide to Private Investigation, Surveillance, and Cookery. Harper Teen, 2010. $8.99. 978-0060765286.
The nice guy doesn’t always finish last when there’s dinner, drama, and the d-list.

Komura, Ayumi. Mixed Vegetables, Vol. 1. VIZ Media, 2008. $8.99. 978-1421519678.
To fulfill her dream to be a sushi chef, she must marry into a sushi family.

Layman, John. Chew Volume 1: Taster's Choice. Illus. by Rob Guillory. Image Comics, 2009. $9.99. 978-1607061595.
Taking a bite out of crime one decomposing victim at a time.

Mackler, Carolyn. Vegan Virgin Valentine. Candlewick Press, 2004. $8.99. 9780763626136.
Life takes an unexpected turn when V moves in.

Ostow, Micol. Crush du Jour. Simon Pulse, 2007. $6.99. 978-1416950271.
At the hot new restaurant, love is on the menu.

Pollan, Michael. Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. Penguin, 2009. $11. 978-0143116387.
A simple, easy-to-use manual to eating well in today's complicated world.

Shaw, Tucker. The Girls. Amulet, 2010. $6.95. 978-0810989917.
Lattes, love, and lust.

*Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Tantalize. Candlewick, 2008. $8.99. 978-1406315608.
Blood sausage is just one of the many specialties at this vampire-friendly restaurant.

Smith, Sherri L. Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet. Laurel Leaf. 2009. $6.99. 978-0440239888.
Family dinners can be torture.

Stern, Sam. Cooking Up a Storm: The Teen Survival Cookbook. Candlewick, 2006. $16.99. 978-0763629885.
Tasty recipes for the guys.

Walers, Eric. Stuffed. Orca, 2006. $9.95. 978-1551435008.
Taking on the fast food nation one burger at a time.

Whytock, Cherry. My Cup Runneth Over: The Life of Angelica Cookson Potts. Simon Pulse, 2003. $5.99. 978-0689865510.
A full-figured foodie, Angelica struggles with her perfect-sized friends and family.

Zeises, Lara M. Sweet Life of Stella Madison. Delacorte, 2010. $8.99. 978-0440238591.
Food, summer, romance, and cute boys!

Zielin, Lara. Donut Days. Speak, 2009. $7.99. 978-0142417218.
Can donuts help Emma break away from her pastor parents?

What If…

It's the end of the world as we know it.

Valerie Dawn Davis, Subcommittee Chair
Amber Lee Creger
Franklin Escobedo
Sally Lynn McSpadden
Kelly C. Metzger
Elizabeth Schneider
Mari S. Smith
Sarah Townsend

Arakawa, Hiromu. Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol 1. Illus. by Hiromu Arakawa. VIZ Media, 2005. $9.99. 978-1591169208.
Equivelent exchange.a price must be paid.

Bachorz, Pam. Candor. EgmontUSA, 2010. $8.99. 978-1606841358.
A world where everything is rewired to be perfect.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic, 2010. $8.99. 978-0439023528.
Twenty-four enter. Only one will make it out alive...

Dashner, James. The Maze Runner. Delacorte, 2010. $9.99. 978-0385737951.
No girls, no memory, no way out.

Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. Tor Teen, 2010. $9.99. 978-0765323118.
1984 was decades ago but Big Bother is still watching.

DuPrau, Jeanne. The Diamond of Darkhold. Yearling, 2010. $6.99. 978-0375855726.
Venture back to the City of Ember to find a gift left by the Builders.

Elliott, Kate. Cold Magic. Orbit, 2010. $14.99. 978-0316080859.
When steampunk meets ice.

Fukui, Isamu. Truancy. Tor Teen, 2010. $9.99. 978-0-7653-2258-6.
It's students vs. teachers in a fight to the death.

Grant, Michael. Gone. Katherine Tegen Books, 2009. $9.99. 978-0061448782.
What will kids do when all the adults have disappeared?

Kostick Conor. Epic. Firebird, 2008. $9.99. 978-0-14-241159-9.
Erik must win, or lose everything.

Malley, Gemma. The Declaration. Bloomsbury, 2008. $7.99. 978-1599902951.
For others to live forever you must not exist.

Marsden, John. Tomorrow, When the War Began. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2006. $8.99. 978-0439829106.
Leave as teens return as revolutionaries.

Mieville, China. Un Lun Dun. Del Rey, 2008. $9.95. 978-0345458445.
An urban wonderland beneath modern day London.

Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go: Chaos Walking. Candlewick, 2009. $9.99. 978-0763645762.
There are no secrets in the Noise.

Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn. Harper Collins, 2007. $7.99. 978-0060531829.
Titanic in the sky.

Osterlund, Anne. Academy 7. Speak, 2009. $8.99. 978-0-14-241437-8.
Welcome to the most prestigious prep school in the galaxy.

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It. Graphia, 2008. $7.99. 978-0152061548.
When an asteroid collides with the moon.

Priest, Cherie. Boneshaker. Tor, 2009. $15.99. 978-0765318411.
If the gas doesn’t get you… the zombies will.

*Ross, Campbell. Shadow Eyes. Illus. by Campbell Ross. SLG, 2010. $14.95. 978-1593621896.
A newborn vigilante takes justice into her own eyes.

Ryan, Carrie. The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2010. $9.99. 978-0385736824.
Is leaving the sisterhood worth the dream?

*Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. Simon & Schuster, 2009. $8.99. 978-1416912057.
It's a race to keep your organs.

Testa, Dom. The Comet's Curse. Tor, 2005. $6.99. 978-0-7853-6077-9.
Two hundred fifty-one teens. A five year journey. Humanity's last hope.

Vaughan, Brian K. Y: Last Man: Unmanned. Illus. by Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan, Jr. Vertigo, 2002. $12.99. 978-1563899805.
If you’re the last man alive, can you have just one girlfriend?

*Westerfield, Scott. Leviathan. Illus. by Keith Thompson. Simon Pulse, 2010. $9.99. 9781416971740.
This isn't the history you studied.

Wood, Brian. DMZ: On the Ground. Illus. by Ricardo Burchielli. Vertigo, 2006. $9.99. 978-1401210625.
In the demilitarized zone everyone is just trying to survive.

Zombie, Werewolves & Things With Wings

Because vampires suck!

Jennifer H. Korn, Subcommittee Chair
Amber Lee Creger
Valerie Dawn Davis
Sarah B. Hill
Sally Lynn McSpadden
Shanna Marie Smith
Kate Toebbe
Melanie Waschsmann

Arthur, Artist. Manifest. Kimani Press, 2010. $9.99. 9780373831968.
Mystery, romance, superpowers: they call themselves the Mystyx.

Brooks, Max. The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. Illus. by Max Werner. Three Rivers Press, 2003. $12.95978-1400049622.
The ultimate survival guide against zombies—be prepared.

Clare, Cassandra. City of Bones. McElderry, 2008. $10.99. 978-1416955078.
Demons, vampires, werewolves and fairies, oh my.

Delaney, Joseph. The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch. Harper/Greenwillow, 2006. $7.99. ISBN: 978-0060766207.
To save the county from the Dark, Thomas Ward must become the last apprentice.

Despain, Bree. Dark Divine. EgmontUSA, 2010. $9.99. 978-1606841549.
The preacher’s daughter falls in love with the damned.

Feasey, Steve. Wereling. Feiwel & Friends, 2010. $9.99. 978-0312-59612-5.
Can Trey learn to control the wolf or will the wolf control him?

Gill, David Macinnis. Soul Enchilada. Harper/Greenwillow, 2010. $8.99. 978-0061673030.
This demon repo man can make life a living hell, literally.

Hicks, Faith Erin. Zombies Calling. SLG Publishing, 2007. $9.95. 978-1593620790.
There is no time for zombies when you have to study for finals.

Holt, Simon. The Devouring. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009. $7.99. 978-0316027120.
They feed on your fear and thirst for your soul.

Kagawa, Julie. The Iron King. Harlequin, 2010. $9.99. 978-0373210084.
Move over summer and winter fey there’s a new court in town.

Kate, Lauren. Fallen. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2010. $9.99. 978-0385739139.
These angels are mysterious, sexy and lethal.

*Kincy, Karen. Other. Flux, 2010. $9.95. 9780738719191.
Pookas, dryads and werewolves… no Other is safe with hunters on the loose.

MacCullough, Carolyn. Once a Witch. Graphia, 2010. $8.99. 978-0547417301.
0547417306
When you’re the untalented sister how do you stand out.

Maguire, Eden. Beautiful Dead Book 1: Jonas. Sourcebooks Fire, 2010. $8.99. 978-1402239441.
Four teens cannot rest in peace until they solve the mysteries surrounding their deaths.

Marr, Melissa. Wicked Lovely. HarperCollins, 2008. $8.99. 978-0061214677.
An unlikely queen meets her destiny.

*Mecum, Ryan. Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry for Your…Brains. How, 2008. $9.99. 978-1600610707.
Who knew zombies could be so poetic?

Peterfreund, Diana. Rampant. HarperTeen, 2010. $8.99. 978-0061490040.
These aren't the unicorns you dreamed of as a child...they're killers!

St. Crow, Lili. Strange Angels. Razorbill, 2009. $9.99. 9781595142511.
Dru is ready to kick some supernatural tail.

Selzer, Adam. I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It. Delacorte Books, 2010.$7.99. 978-0385735032.
Should you, could you, would you kiss a really hot zombie?

Stiefvater, Maggie. Shiver: The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2010. 9780545123273.
The wolves are becoming restless…

Swain, Heather. Me, My Elf & I. Speak, 2009. $7.99. 9780142412558.
Just an elf trying to make in the big city.

Tedman, Nicola. Zombie Felties: How to Raise 16 Gruesome Felt Creatures from the Undead. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2010. $14.99. 978-0740797644.
They’re crafty! They’re cute! They’re felt zombies!

Tennapel, Doug. Ghostopolis. Graphix, 2010. $14.99. 978-0545210287.
A washed-up ghost wrangler accidently sends Garth to the spirit world.

Waters, Daniel. Generation Dead. Hyperion, 2009. $8.99. 978-1423109228.
Phoebe likes the strong, silent, and dead type.

Wright, Eric. My Dead Girlfriend. Tokyopop, 2007. $9.99. 978-1598169966.
Is a living girlfriend too much to ask for?

Awards Won

Title Year
Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
To encourage young adults to read for pleasure by presenting to them lists of popular or topical titles which are widely available in paperback and which represent a broad variety of accessible themes and genres.
2011 - Selection(s)