Michael L. Printz Award (excellence in literature written for young adults): In Darkness by Nick Lake

Alex Awards (10 best adult books that appeal to teens): Caring is Creepy by David Zimmerman, Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman, Juvenile in Justice by Richard Ross, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf, One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard, Pure by Julianna Baggott, The Round House by Louise Erdrich, Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt, and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Margaret A. Edwards Award (lifetime achievement in writing for young adults): Tamora Pierce

Mildred L. Batchelder Award (outstanding children’s book originally published in another country and language, then translated into English for publication in the United States): My Family for the War by Anne Voorhoeve

Odyssey Award (best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults): The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, narrated by Kate Rudd

Pura Belpré (Author) Award (honoring a Latino writer whose children’s books best portray the Latino cultural experience): Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award (most distinguished informational book for children): Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Stonewall Book Award (English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience): Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (again!)

William C. Morris Award (debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens): Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

and last but not least…

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (again!!)

If you’re in need of a good read or listen, or you have to pick a book for school, or you just need something to flip through when you’re riding in the car, these are some excellent choices. YALSA (rhymes with salsa) stands for Young Adult Library Services Association and they are completely dedicated to awesome library service and materials for teens. Check them out here and browse around their other lists. They even have a YALSA Teen Book Finder app.

Good luck!

Writers who got their start at a young age (click the links for title info):

S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

Alexandra Adornetto, Halo, Hades, Heaven

Christopher Paolini, Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Maureen Daly, Seventeenth Summer

Alex and Brett Harris, Do Hard Things

Isamu Fukui, Truancy, Truancy: Origins

Teen Read Week is also when the Teens’ Top Ten is announced. The Teens’ Top Ten is like the Teen Choice Awards for books, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Sixteen lucky teen book groups in schools and libraries across the country make the official nominations, and then anyone ages 12-18 can vote in September. The winners are announced during Teen Read Week…and since that’s now, here are the winners! Click the link to see the library’s catalog and reserve any of the titles with your library card. Drumrolllllll…

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3. Legend by Marie Lu

4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

5. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

6. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

9. Where She Went by Gayle Forman

10. Abandon by Meg Cabot

2012

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (limited release beginning September 21)

Synopsis from imdb.com: Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, this is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs. The introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who welcome him to the real world.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (New York Film Festival September 28, full release November 21)

Synopsis from imdb.com: Based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, is a magical adventure story centering on Pi Patel, the precocious son of a zoo keeper. Dwellers in Pondicherry, India, the family decides to move to Canada, hitching a ride on a huge freighter. After a shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a 26-foot lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, all fighting for survival.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (December 14)

Synopsis from imdb.com: Bilbo Baggins is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities…

2013

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia book / movie

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card book / movie

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan book / movie

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare book / movie

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher book / movie

Delirium by Lauren Oliver book / movie

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff book / movie

The Maze Runner by James Dashner book / movie

This is just a sample of movie projects that are based on YA books! Which of your favorite books would you like to see made into a movie?

You do need a valid Wilton Library card and PIN number to use the service, so if you lost your card or don’t have a card, come in to the circulation desk and we’ll set you up for free.

Enjoy!

 

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

A plane carrying 50 contestants to the Miss Teen Dream pageant crashes on a deserted island. The surviving girls must decide whether to continue practicing for the pageant or turn their attention to more pressing matters, such as how to collect rainwater with leftover evening gowns and survive the devious traps in store for them. A hilarious read for anyone and everyone who has questioned who they really are meant to be.

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The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Rory, fresh from Louisiana, is spending a year in London at boarding school. Unfortunately, she arrives just as a serial killer starts killing women in much the same way as Jack the Ripper did in the 1800s. One night, Rory sees a man that no one else can see, and suddenly, her life and view of the world change drastically. Who was that invisible man? This book has a great climax and will be part of a series.

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Trapped by Michael Northrop

Snow begins falling softly one afternoon, and school is dismissed early. Scotty, Pete, and Jason stay behind, along with four other kids. They have no way of knowing that the snow won’t let up for a week and they are trapped in their high school. They have to keep warm, scavenge for food, and– hopefully– survive.

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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Jacob grew up with bizarre tales and photographs from his grandfather. Once Jacob sees something unnatural and terrifying attack his grandfather in the woods, he knows he must go to Wales to find the orphanage where his grandfather grew up– Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Will Jacob find the endings to his grandfather’s fantastic stories? The book is peppered with photographs of the peculiar children, borrowed from vintage photograph collectors to illustrate the story.

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Matched by Ally Condie

Cassia has always trusted the decisions made for her by the Society, so she is happy to see her best friend Xander’s face on the Matching screen. But for a split second, she sees the face of another boy– could he be her real Match? Now Cassia must choose to follow what’s expected or to follow her heart and defy the Society. Can she choose for herself, or will Society dictate what happens to her? This book is first in a dystopian series.

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The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf

On April 15, 1912, the RMS Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg. In this book, Allan Wolf interprets the facts into vignettes told from the point of view of passengers, crew, and even the iceberg itself. Chilling, fascinating, and heartbreaking, this is an excellent book to read as we approach the 100^th year anniversary of the ship’s sinking. The back matter has a lot of great resources for those seeking additional information.

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Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Alex, a junior at boarding school, feels guilty for not saving his friend Thomas from drowning. He and friend Glenn, who was also there, lie about their involvement in order to escape expulsion. Alex takes refuge in the library, writing in a journal he keeps hidden there. At the same time, the boys’ young English teacher Miss Dovecott, near the river on the day of the drowning, thinks she knows what really happened, and Glenn insists that she must be stopped at all costs. Will Alex confess, or will Miss Dovecott pay the price?

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What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

After her parents’ divorce, McLean and her dad move around from town to town. McLean takes the chance to try out different personas in each new place she goes. But this time, McLean really wants to stay in one place, make friends, and be herself. Can she forgive her mother and convince her father to put down roots?

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A Monster Calls: inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd by Patrick Ness

Conor O’Malley’s nightmares are real—a terrifying monster constructed from a yew tree visits each night with evidence left behind in the morning. These nightmares begin as big changes happen in his life, including a new school, a distant father, and a mom who has just started cancer treatment. As Conor shoulders these burdens, he becomes more invisible and grief-stricken. Will he be able to deal with all the pain and fear, or will he be crushed by the monster? This book is illustrated with haunting images, making Conor’s situation more real.

For what, you ask?  For the new Teen summer reading program!  Why would you want to do that?  Well, for the prizes awarded every week (duh) but also to out-read your competition.  How?  Well if you are entering 7th grade or higher this year, come into the teen department to register your reading passport and pick up instructions.  At the end of each of the six weeks (listed here)  you have until 2 days after the week “closes” to  record in your passport, which is kept at the library, the books you have finished.  For each book you read you get a chance in that weeks’ drawing.  So the more books = the more chances you have. When the week closes the drawing is held and the library contacts the winners.  So why are you still reading this blog post when you could be increasing your odds to win?  Go read!