Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

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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]

Contents

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

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

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

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

Recipients

Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Top Ten (2016-2021)
Award YearAuthorTitle
2016 [9] Victoria Aveyard Red Queen
Holly Black and Cassandra Clare The Iron Trial
Fonda Lee Zeroboxer
Sam Maggs The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks
Julie Murphy Dumplin'
E. C. Myers The Silence of Six
Daniel José Older Shadowshaper
Kate Schatz Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History
ND Stevenson Nimona
Nicola Yoon Everything, Everything
2017 [10] Julie Buxbaum Tell Me Three Things
Jeff Garvin Symptoms of Being Human
Nadia Abushanab Higgins Feminism: Reinventing the F-Word
E. K. Johnston Exit, Pursued by a Bear
Jeff Lemire Plutona
Amy Lukavics Daughters Unto Devils
Marieke Nijkamp This Is Where It Ends
Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely All American Boys
Meredith Russo If I Was Your Girl
Sarvenaz Tash The 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. McManus One of Us Is Lying
Doreen Rappaport 42 Is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero
Jason Reynolds Long Way Down
Jason Reynolds Miles Morales: Spider-Man
Jason Reynolds Patina
Nic Stone Dear Martin
Angie Thomas The Hate U Give
Scott Westerfeld with Alex Puvilland (Illus.)Spill Zone
2019 [12] Elizabeth Acevedo The Poet X
Laurie Halse Anderson with Emily Carroll (Illus.) Speak: The Graphic Novel
Tommy Greenwald Game Changer
Jarrett Krosoczka Hey Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction
Gretchen McNeil#MurderTrending
Jason Reynolds Track series (Sunny [vol. 3] and Lu [vol. 4])
Aisha Saeed Amal Unbound
Chana Stiefel Animal Zombies!: And Other Blood-Sucking Beasts, Creepy Creatures, and Real-Life Monsters
Courtney Summers Sadie
Jen Wang The Prince and the Dressmaker
2020 [13] Ashley Elston 10 Blind Dates
Eva Darrows Belly Up
Mindy McGinnis Heroine
Colleen AF Venable with Ellen T. Crenshaw (Illus.)Kiss Number 8
Rainbow Rowell with Faith Erin Hicks (Artist)Pumpkinheads
Danielle Vega The Haunted
Kim Liggett The Unfortunates
Karen McManus Two Can Keep a Secret
Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan UNpregnant
Malala Yousafzai We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories From Refugee Girls Around the World
2021 [14] Gretchen McNeil #NoEscape
Mindy McGinnis Be Not Far From Me
Joseph Bruchac Found
Carl Deuker Golden Arm
Alice Oseman Heartstopper Vol. 1
Jason Reynolds with Danica Novgorodoff (Illus.) Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel
Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam Punching the Air
Kat Leyh Snapdragon
Ben OliverThe Loop
Leah Johnson You Should See Me in a Crown
2022 [15] B. B. Alston Amari and the Night Brothers
Dusti Bowling The Canyon's Edge
Crystal Fraiser with Val Wise (Art) Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms
Abby Howard The Crossroads at Midnight
Molly Knox Ostertag The Girl from the Sea
L. L. McKinney Nubia: Real One
Isaac Fitzsimons The Passing Playbook
Christian Allaire The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures
Lily Sparks Teen Killers Club
Sugar Rodgers They Better Call Me Sugar: My Journey from the Hood to the Hardwood


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References

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