Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selects 79 titles

 

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced its 2004 annual recommended list of Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.   The list was released during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, January 9-14.

Compiled by a 12-member committee, the 79 titles on the list were published late 2002 through 2003 and represent more than 41 different publisher imprints.   Thirty of the titles are fiction and forty-nine are non-fiction.

The Quick Picks committee seeks books that teens, ages 12-18, will pick up on their own and read for pleasure.   The list is geared to the teenager who, for whatever reason, does not like to read.   Teen input is a vital aspect in the final decision of the committee.   The visual appearance of a book and the standard considerations in the quality of content is equally important when selecting books for reluctant young readers.   The list is not intended for teenagers with reading disabilities, though some of the selected titles may be appropriate for those teens.

Ty Burns, Chair of this year’s committee said, “The Committee is really proud of the variety of titles and formats that are represented on this year’s list. We appreciate the publishers recognizing the need for valuable titles like these that attract reluctant YA readers.”

Members of the YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers committee are:     Ty R. Burns, Chair, Cypress Springs (Texas) High School; Sallie H. Barringer, Walnut Hills (Ohio) High School; Stacy Dillon, Librarian LREI, (N.Y.); Mary Ann Harlan, Arcata High School (Calif.); Maureen Hartman, Minneapolis Public Library; Kimberly Patton, Lawrence (Kans.); Karen M. Perry, Central Davidson Middle School (NC); Susan Raboy, Consultant Young Adult Services (N.Y.); Karyn N. Silverman, New York Public Library; Jennifer M. Stencel, Richfield Branch (Ohio) Library of ASCPL; Jamie Lynn Watson, Harford (MD)County Public Library; Ilene Cooper, consultant Booklist, Chicago; Administrative Assistant, Melanie A. Rapp-Weiss, Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library.

An annotated list will appear in the March 15 issue of Booklist and on the YALSA Member’s Only Web Site.   For more information, contact the YALSA office by phone at 800-545-2433 x 4390 or email, yalsa@ala.org.

 

  •   Boards: the Art and Design of the Skateboard.   Universe Publishing.
  • Crime Scene: The Ultimate Guide to Forensic Science . Dorling Kindersley Publishing.
  • How To Hold a Crocodile . Firefly Books.
  • Japanese Comickers: Draw Anime and Manga Like Japan's Hottest Artist . HarperCollins / Harper Design International.
  • MX: The Way of the MotoCrosser .Harry N. Abrams.
  • Paint Me Like I Am: Teen Poems From Writerscorps . HarperCollins / Tempest.
  • Simpsons Comics Madness . Harper Collins / Perennial.
  • Spoken Word Revolution: (slam, hip hop & the poetry of a new generation) . Sourcebooks Inc./Media Fusion.
  • Tattoo Nation: Portraits of Celebrity Body Art . AOL Time Warner Book Group / Bulfinch Press.
  • Tupac: Resurrection 1971-1996  . Atria Books.
  • Asai, Carrie.  Samurai Girl series. Simon & Schuster / Pulse.
  • Ashanti.  Foolish/ Unfoolish: Reflections On Love . Hyperion.
  • Beatty, Scott.  JLA: The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America . Dorling Kindersley Publishing. 
  • Bendis, Brian Michael .  Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 2 .   Marvel.
  • Bonnell, Jennifer .  D.I.Y. Girl: The Real Girl's Guide to Making Everything From Lip Gloss to Lamps . Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.
  • Brian, Kate .  The Princess and the Pauper . Simon & Schuster.
  • Cabot, Meggin .  The Boy Next Door . HarperCollins / Avon.
  • Chandler, Elizabeth .  Dark Secrets: The Deep End of Fear . Simon & Schuster.
  • Christe, Ian .  Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal . HarperCollins / HarperEntertainment.
  • Clarke, Miranda .  Night of a Thousand Boyfriends . Quirk Books.
  • Collier-Thompson, Kristi .  The Girls' Guide to Dreams . Sterling.
  • Dean, Zoey .  The A List . Little Brown and Co.
  • DeFalco, Tom .  The Hulk: The Incredible Guide . Dorling Kindersley Publishing.
  • Edut, Tali and Ophira. Astrostyle: Star-studded advice for love, life, and looking good .   Simon & Schuster / Fireside.
  • Flake, Sharon .  Begging for Change . Hyperion.
  • Fricke, Jim .  Yes Yes Y'all: The Experience Music Project Oral History of Hip-Hop's First Decade . Da Capo Press.
  • Fulghum, Hunter .  Don't Try This at Home: How to Win a Sumo Match, Catch a Great White Shark, and Start an Independent Nation and Other Extraordinary Feats (For Ordinary People) . Broadway Books.
  • Giles, Gail .  Dead Girls Don't Write Letters . Millbrook Press / Roaring Brook Press.
  • Gregory, Leland .  Hey Idiot!: Chronicles of Human Stupidity . Andrews McMeel.
  • Gregory, Leland .  Stupid Crook Book . Andrews McMeel.
  • Halliday, John .  Shooting Monarchs . Simon & Schuster / Margaret K. McElderry.
  • Halvorson, Marilyn .  Bull Rider . Orca Book Publishers.
  • Hart, Christopher .  Manga Mania Fantasy Worlds: How to Draw the Enchanted Amazing Worlds of Japanese Comics . Watson-Guptill.
  • Hart, Christopher .  Manga Mania Villians: How To Draw the Super Villians of Manga and Anime . Watson-Guptill.
  • Hopkins, Cathy .  Mates, Dates, and series. Simon & Schuster / Pulse.
  • Horowitz, Anthony .  Skeleton Key: An Alex Rider Adventure . Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.  
  • Huebner, Mark .  Sports Bloopers: All-star Flubs and Fumbles . Firefly Books.
  • Johnson, Angela .  The First Part Last . Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.
  • Kleh, Cindy .  Snowboarding Skills: The Back-To-Basics Essentials for All Levels . Firefly Books, Ltd..
  • Koon, Jeff and Andy Powell .  Wearing of This Garment Does Not Enable You To Fly: 101 Real Dumb Warning Labels . Free Press.
  • Kyi, Tanya Lloyd .  Truth . Orca Book Publishers.
  • Levithan, David .  Boy Meets Boy . Random House.
  • Levy, Joel .  Really Useful: Origins of Everyday Things . Firefly Books.
  • Little, Jason .  Shutterbug Follies . Doubleday.
  • Macdonald, Andy .  Dropping In With Andy Mac: Life of a Pro Skateboarder . Simon & Schuster / Pulse.
  • Malone, Bonz .  Hip-Hop Immortals: Volume 1: The Re-Mix . Avalon Publishing Group.
  • Marz, Ron .  The Path: Crisis of Faith . CrossGen Comics.
  • McDonald, Janet .  Twists and Turns . Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
  • McNamee, Graham .  Acceleration . Random House.
  • Milano, Selene .  Unforgettable Color: Makeup With Confidence . Firefly.
  • Mirra, Dave .  Mirra Images: The Story of My Life . HarperCollins.
  • Montano, Mark .  Super Suite: The Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Guide for Girls . Universe Publishing.
  • Morse, Jennifer Corr .  Scholastic Book of World Records 2004. Scholastic Reference.
  • Nixon, Joan .  Nightmare . Random House Children's Books.
  • Payment, Simone .  Navy SEALs: Special Operations for the U.S. Navy . Rosen Publishing Group.
  • Peretti, Frank .  Nightmare Academy (Veritas Project, No. 2) . Tommy Nelson.
  • Platt, Larry .  Only the Strong Survive:   The Odyssey of Allen Iverson . HarperCollins / ReganBooks.
  • Rees, Douglas .  Vampire High . Delacorte.
  • Roeper, Richard .  Ten Sure Signs a Movie Character is Doomed and Other Surprising Movie Lists . Hyperion.
  • Rylant, Cynthia .  God Went to Beauty School . HarperCollins Children's Book Group / Tempest.
  • Schiff, Nancy Rica .  Odd Jobs: Portraits of Unusual Occupations . Ten Speed Press.
  • Schreiber, Ellen .  Vampire Kisses . HarperCollins.
  • Seate, Mike .  Jesse James : The Man and His Machines . Motorbooks International / MBI.
  • Shaw, Tucker .  "What's That Smell?" (Oh It's Me): 50 Mortifying Situations and How to Deal With Them . Alloy / 17th Street Productions.
  • Shields, Genie .  Fairie-ality: The Fashion Collection from the House of Ellwand . Candlewick Press.
  • Simpson, Jessica .  Jessica Simpson I Do: Achieving Your Dream Wedding . NVU/Innerworkings.
  • Soto, Gary .  The Afterlife . Harcourt, Inc.
  • Springer, Nancy .  Blood Trail . Holiday House.
  • Stine, R. L.  Dangerous Girls . HarperCollins.
  • Traig, Jennifer .  Makeup: Things To Make and Do . Chronicle Books.
  • Trueman, Terry .  Inside Out . HarperCollins / Tempest.
  • Willingham, Bill .  Animal Farm (Fables series) . DC Comics: Vertigo.
  • Willingham, Bill .  Legends in Exile (Fables series) . DC Comics: Vertigo.
  • Wood, Nick . 360 ° New York . Harry N. Abrams.