Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers is a book list created annually by the Young Adult Library Services Association. The list identifies fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels that may encourage teenagers who dislike reading to read.[1]

Researchers, educators, librarians, parents, and teenagers have used the list to identify books reluctant young adult readers may enjoy.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Criteria edit

When selecting books for the Quick Picks list, the judges consider:[1]

  • Physical appearance (e.g., the cover, print style, format, and artwork/illustrations)
  • Writing style

For fiction novels, judges consider whether the book has:[1]

  • High interest "hook" in first 10 pages
  • Well-defined characters
  • Sufficient plot to sustain interest
  • Plot lines developed through dialogue and action
  • Familiar themes with emotional appeal for teenagers
  • Believable treatment
  • Single point of view
  • Touches of humor when appropriate
  • Chronological order

For informational books, judges consider the accuracy and objectivity of the book, as well as whether technical language is well-defined.[1]

Recipients edit

Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Top Ten (2016-2021)
Award YearAuthorTitle
2016[9]Victoria AveyardRed Queen
Holly Black and Cassandra ClareThe Iron Trial
Fonda LeeZeroboxer
Sam MaggsThe Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks
Julie MurphyDumplin'
E. C. MyersThe Silence of Six
Daniel José OlderShadowshaper
Kate SchatzRad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History
ND StevensonNimona
Nicola YoonEverything, Everything
2017[10]Julie BuxbaumTell Me Three Things
Jeff GarvinSymptoms of Being Human
Nadia Abushanab HigginsFeminism: Reinventing the F-Word
E. K. JohnstonExit, Pursued by a Bear
Jeff LemirePlutona
Amy LukavicsDaughters Unto Devils
Marieke NijkampThis Is Where It Ends
Jason Reynolds and Brendan KielyAll American Boys
Meredith RussoIf I Was Your Girl
Sarvenaz TashThe Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love
2018[11]Alison Deering with Bob Lentz (Illus.)Sandwiches!: More Than You've Ever Wanted to Know About Making and Eating America's Favorite Food
Keith Giffen with Howard Porter (Illus.)Scooby Apocalypse
Karen M. McManusOne of Us Is Lying
Doreen Rappaport42 Is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero
Jason ReynoldsLong Way Down
Jason ReynoldsMiles Morales: Spider-Man
Jason ReynoldsPatina
Nic StoneDear Martin
Angie ThomasThe Hate U Give
Scott Westerfeld with Alex Puvilland (Illus.)Spill Zone
2019[12]Elizabeth AcevedoThe Poet X
Laurie Halse Anderson with Emily Carroll (Illus.)Speak: The Graphic Novel
Tommy GreenwaldGame Changer
Jarrett KrosoczkaHey Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction
Gretchen McNeil#MurderTrending
Jason ReynoldsTrack series (Sunny [vol. 3] and Lu [vol. 4])
Aisha SaeedAmal Unbound
Chana StiefelAnimal Zombies!: And Other Blood-Sucking Beasts, Creepy Creatures, and Real-Life Monsters
Courtney SummersSadie
Jen WangThe Prince and the Dressmaker
2020[13]Ashley Elston10 Blind Dates
Eva DarrowsBelly Up
Mindy McGinnisHeroine
Colleen AF Venable with Ellen T. Crenshaw (Illus.)Kiss Number 8
Rainbow Rowell with Faith Erin Hicks (Artist)Pumpkinheads
Danielle VegaThe Haunted
Kim LiggettThe Unfortunates
Karen McManusTwo Can Keep a Secret
Jenni Hendriks and Ted CaplanUNpregnant
Malala YousafzaiWe Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories From Refugee Girls Around the World
2021[14]Gretchen McNeil#NoEscape
Mindy McGinnisBe Not Far From Me
Joseph BruchacFound
Carl DeukerGolden Arm
Alice OsemanHeartstopper Vol. 1
Jason Reynolds with Danica Novgorodoff (Illus.)Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel
Ibi Zoboi and Yusef SalaamPunching the Air
Kat LeyhSnapdragon
Ben OliverThe Loop
Leah JohnsonYou Should See Me in a Crown
2022[15]B. B. AlstonAmari and the Night Brothers
Dusti BowlingThe Canyon's Edge
Crystal Fraiser with Val Wise (Art)Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms
Abby HowardThe Crossroads at Midnight
Molly Knox OstertagThe Girl from the Sea
L. L. McKinneyNubia: Real One
Isaac FitzsimonsThe Passing Playbook
Christian AllaireThe Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures
Lily SparksTeen Killers Club
Sugar RodgersThey Better Call Me Sugar: My Journey from the Hood to the Hardwood


References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2012-03-02. Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  2. ^ Jones, Leigh Ann (May 2006). Do "Quick Picks" book covers appeal to middle school readers? The impact of covers on self-selection of fiction books in the middle school library setting (PhD dissertation). Texas Woman's University. hdl:11274/11177. ProQuest 3215110. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  3. ^ Mundy, JaNae Jenkins (2000). Best books for young adults: An analysis of the structural, stylistic, and thematic characteristics of the 1998 Best Books for Young Adults and 1998 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (PhD dissertation). Texas Woman's University.
  4. ^ Roy, Loriene (April 2008). "Circle of Knowledge: Sap Boiling Moon Month or Iskigamizige-Giizis" (PDF). American Libraries. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  5. ^ Carr, Carolyn Marie (2009). The portrayal of teenage sexuality in young adult literature (Graduate research paper). University of Northern Iowa. Archived from the original on 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  6. ^ "Young Adult Literature". Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 23 (2): 109–110. 1998. doi:10.1353/chq.0.1250. ISSN 1553-1201.
  7. ^ Blasingame, James; Pace Nilsen, Alleen; Donelson, Ken (September 2004). "The 2003 Honor List: A Book for All Reasons". The English Journal. 94 (1): 88–94. doi:10.2307/4128854. JSTOR 4128854.
  8. ^ Broadway, Marsha (2016-08-09). "Children's Literary Awards and Recommended Lists on the Net". Children's Book and Media Review. 28 (2). Archived from the original on 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  9. ^ "2016 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2017-12-28. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  10. ^ "2017 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2017-01-22. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  11. ^ "2018 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2018-01-31. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  12. ^ "2019 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2019-01-17. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  13. ^ "2020 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2020-01-07. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  14. ^ "2021 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2021-01-05. Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  15. ^ Serbekian, Michael (2022-02-04). "YALSA names 2022 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-02-05.