YALSA president Paula Brehm-Heeger welcomed ALA President Loriene Roy, who welcomed NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He talked about visiting his local public library as a child, noting that the library was a place he learned how to make sense of his world. He read from his book
On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance and after his reading several members of the audience asked questions, but everyone was really just waiting to get to the good stuff: for the teens to step up to the microphones.
I did my best to get the comments down, but any mistakes/paraphrasing/etc. are mine. Any books that were not mentioned by a teen are not listed here.
Brooks, Martha. Mistik Lake. 15 0
* I had different feelings about the book. On one hand, there were interesting vivid believable characters and I liked the format of different generations of women in the family telling their stories. On the other hand, there were parts that were boring. Plot points were obvious 30 pages in advance. It was unclear which relationship was supposed to be the main plot. There was no dominant plot - the two plots were fighting for the attention of the reader.
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel. 15 0
* Graphic novels are on their way in. It was thrilling and it felt like being in a movie. I loved it.
* It was well written, very understandable, had believable characters, and the dialogue interesting and well written. I loved the writing.
Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. 15 0
* It is a best book because it's amazing and doesn't use any words. It's a graphic novel with so many images that describe emotions. You feel the same way he does because you don't understand anything you're reading. It was beautiful and amazing.
* As an immigrant myself I thought it was a good book that shows how a person comes into the country. It is a best book.
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. 14 0
* I loved this book. I thought it was hilariously funny and sarcastic. I liked the style he wrote it in.
* Really, really funny. Really realistic. I liked the way it was written.
* This book ties for first place for my favorite issues novel of the year. It was so funny and took a very serious situation (poverty on an Indian reservation and getting out of that and integrating into white society) and acknowledged funny aspects of that situation. The basketball scenes might appeal to boys. Everything about it was exquisite.
* It was hilarious, and I liked that there were illustrations. The illustrations didn't take away from the plot like they do in some books. They added to the story and made it more funny.
Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone 14 0
* My favorite book so far this year. Wonderfully written, and thought provoking in every sense of the phrase. Compelling, engaging, emotional. I almost cried while reading it. It will definitely appeal to a lot of people. Situations like this are occurring all over the world. It differed from the normal books I read. I loved it, it was amazing.
Grey, Christopher. Leonardo's Shadow 14 1
* I liked it. I'm positive I have read something exactly like it but that didn't bother me. I'm not sure everyone would like it. It was kind of original.
Wiess, Laura. Such a Pretty Girl. 14 1
* It was not my most favorite but it was the most intense book I've ever read. I was like OMG that is so freaky. The book got me so creeped out. It should be for older readers. It gave me trust issues with my own parents. I really liked the book and liked the ending.
Zarr, Sara. Story of a Girl. 14 1
* I liked it. It started out messed up and ended up with a clean slate. It was different .
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Twisted. 13 2
* I loved it because it's extremely original. I love the voice of the main character. It touched on matters that girls and boys both experience. The main character shows that guys are more than just muscle.
Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. 13 1
* I liked it because it was dark but also very informative. I could really tell the emotions of the character and see the emotions of the author.
* I liked it except for the first chapter, which was confusing. But the story went on and was an amazing plot which kept moving.
* I loved this book because it was a dark twist on the teen novel. You felt that these were typical teen characters but saw another side of them you don't usually see. The plot was original and you could feel the emotions of the main characters and you felt as if you knew them. It was really good to get into. I read it in one sitting.
* I enjoyed reading it a lot. I thought the characters were believable and the captivating plot made it hard to put down. I liked how the author involved the two character voices. He incorporated the setting in a virtual map technique which made the setting stand out more than in other books.
Carey, Mike. The Re-Gifters. 13 2
* I thought it would be cliche but became more entranced in the story. I really enjoyed it.
Cassidy, Anne. Looking for JJ. 13 1
* It was different than books I usually read. I didn't know what happened to her until the end of the book. It keeps it mysterious. I didn't like the ending because nothing changed. It is not a best book.
Castellucci, Cecil. Beige. 13 2
* I liked this book. It's kind of a cliche storyline but this book did it well. It added a different element as her father was a musician.
Hemphill, Stephanie. Your Own, Sylvia 13 2
* All teenagers should read important classical authors and poets. This author did a very good job representing Plath's poetry. Since I read it now I know everything about her. I liked the poetry. It was so interesting how poetry didn't have much to do with her life as she went along. It was great.
Marillier, Juliet. Wildwood Dancing. 13 1
* This wasn't my favorite favorite but I have the most to say about it. Twelve Dancing Princesses was my favorite fairy tale, so I was disappointed that she cut it down to five and that they were not princesses. The five girls were all specific types seen in Little Women, The Sound of Music, etc. I wanted it to be just simple fantasy but it took place in historical Transylvania. The author should choose historical fiction or fairy tale - don't mix them.
* I really like this book.
* This is my favorite book of the year and probably all time but I'm not done with it yet.
Brande, Robin. Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature. 12 2
* Good but not the best book I've read. Definitely worth reading. The ending is predictable but cute. What set it apart was the incorporation of religion into the story. The cover attracted me. I like how the author brings both sides of the religion controversy to the table.
* The plot line was new. It was relatable.
* Mediocre but cute. It seems cliche. It was controversial and interesting to read about but it took up a lot of the plot.
* I thought it was a best book. It showed that high schoolers can be involved in topics happening around the world.
Ellis, Ann Dee. This Is What I Did. 12 3
* I liked the book and the different media it was formatted in. It was an easy read. Some parts were kind of boring.
Wizner, Jake. Spanking Shakespeare. 12 3
* I loved it but read it too long ago to remember it, but it was hysterical.
Alexie, Sherman. Flight. 11 3
* It was good, and I liked his work before. All of the sudden the character transformed into different people, which was weird and annoying. Dark but kind of cool, too.
* I really didn't like this book. I thought the switching body aspect was badly written. I thought the dark moments were forced, and the funny moments were forced.
Cameron, Peter. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You. 11 1
* I loved this book. It was really funny. I liked how witty the main character was. I wished there was more of an ending, it was too abrupt. I believe the title is true.
* Definitely one of my favorites. It was a much needed break from many ditzy girlie novels I read. Many high schoolers are in this transitional stage.
* I really like this book. It was really different than the books I usually read. It was so interesting. I related to the main guy character who was funny. I started to read slower and slower toward the end of the book so he would keep having the little moments. I liked the different parts that were interesting, not just about him being gay, but it also touched on other things many people go through. The ending was a little bit stopped short, itcould've been stretched out longer.
Downham, Jenny. Before I Die. 11 1
* An incredible book. I loved the main character's outlook on life. It had me smiling. It had down to earth thoughts and well written dialogue. Although it was intense, it was perfect and it made me think after I read it. It stays with you. It is a best book.
* I liked it but had a few problems with it. It is an interesting idea. I liked the characters and liked the ending. It made dying not seem quite such a tragedy. The character did things it didn't seem like she would do. It makes you appreciate life but also makes you panic because anyone could have cancer.
* I really, really liked it. It might have been one of my favorites. It was really realistic and I could absolutely imagine it happening in real life.
* Provocative. It was emotionally moving which made it a best book. It is a book for a more mature reader. Pretty great.
* So sad, I actually cried about two times. I thought it was a really sweet relationship between the main character and her boyfriend. I liked it.
* Two things I really liked: you would expect a book about someone dying of cancer to be a slow plot and kind of annoying, but the plot was fast and I liked it. I liked looking into her mind as she was dying. The author did good job imagining what it might be like to die.
* Most things that happen in this book are pretty normal. I liked it. The characters made it special. It was really really good.
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. 11 0
* The best book I read all year. I became attached to the characters.
Zevin, Gabrielle. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac. 11 4
* I loved it, it was amazing. It had realistic characters. It was a random topic but I really liked it.
Caletti, Deb. The Nature of Jade. 10 4
* It was relatable because the girl wasn't perfect and also she had a lot of choices to make between what was right and what she thought she wanted.
Felin, M. Sindy. Touching Snow. 10 4
* There was a lot of foreshadowing and I wanted to get there faster. The way the book ended was annoying. It was a waste of time.
* I actually really enjoyed it. It offered a new perspective. Other books on similar topics are sugar coated/light at the end of the tunnel-ish but this book was honest and haunting and gave details not for the faint of heart. The author incorporated humor. It offered a lighter perspective but was also very dark and I really liked that contrast. A best book.
* I didn't like it that much. It was more violent than I expected though violence is okay. Not a best book. The ending was confusing. The plot was disorganized and needed more explaining.
Klein, Lisa. Ophelia: A Novel. 10 5
* I loved this book. I'm not a huge Shakespeare fan but this really told it in such an interesting and different way. I never read something like this from the view of a character that wasn't very interesting in the real play. It was more modern but told in language that was more historical or old fashioned. It still took some phrases from Shakespeare and put them in modern language. I really love this book.
* Wack! It dragged and was boring. I don't know why I finished it. It got worse as it kept on going. The author uses Hamlet, one of the greatest stories, but lost track of it completely. I hated it! Don't read it!
* I absolutely loved it! It was amazing, definitely tied for one of my favorites on this list. I was engaged and completely consumed by reading it. Even talking about it, I am totally sucked in. Each character had a distinct voice and manner, even the small ones, and they all felt so real. I grew with Ophelia and learned from her experiences. Her passion entranced me. Even when I disagreed with her I wanted to reason with her. The way every detail worked, the simplest lines made me cry because they represented the accumulation of so many different emotions and events. It upset me that this story might only initially appeal to Shakespeare fans. It has passion, devotion, mystery, and love.
Lyga, Barry. Boy Toy. 10 5
* This is one of my favorite books ever in the history of the world. The plot is not normal. There are emotions and passion and the book is important. The author developed characters with such depth. It brings up questions of what is right and wrong and why.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 10 4
* If you don't like Harry Potter, I don't really understand you. This book is extremely entertaining. It was weird but cool. I couldn't put the book down. It's amazing.
* This book was a great way to end the series.
* This book should not be on the list because it's not significant and it's not one of the best.
Giles, Gail. Right Behind You. 9 6
* The idea was compelling. It's a book for all ages.
* It was really good even though it was dark.
* It was really good and I really liked it. At the beginning a lot of characters were not believable. I hate that they didn't get into the setting more. When you get the picture in your head and then have to change it, it's annoying.
Hornby, Nick. Slam. 9 3
* It's well written but the kind of book that is extremely complicated. After each chapter you have to think about and decipher what he's saying. It's too much to think about while you're reading. It's less descriptive than Dickens. The characters are real but weird. It's not even a time machine, but a time poster. Weird! It makes you confused. It's well written but too confusing.
Moore, Perry. Hero. 9 2
* I really connected to the main character.
Dogar, Sharon. Waves. 8 3
* I liked it but had mixed feelings.
Jocelyn, Marthe. How It Happened in Peach Hill. 8 6
* It was different. The characters were believable and I liked it. It was unique.
* I liked it so much I thanked the author for writing it. I liked how the main character interacted with other characters.
Marr, Melissa. Wicked Lovely. 8 7
* I really liked it. I like the genre. It is really awesome because I'm the only one who can see fairies, also.
* It was really, really good. It showed that fairies are the best things in the world, which is awesome. It actually showed that fairies and magic are great.
* I love this book, especially the characters.
* This book is the best dark fantasy since Tithe reinvented the genre.
Reinhardt, Dana. Harmless. 8 7
* I really like this one. This book really shows what happens when you lie about something you don't need to lie about.
Aronson, Sarah. Head Case. 7 8
* This book ties for my favorite issues novel of the year. It brought a situation I've never thought about before. It was very moving. The ending was heartwarming/Lifetime movie-ish, and I loved it.
Bingham, Kelly. Shark Girl. 7 6
* I really liked it. It was realistic. It was hard to imagine how the author wrote it without actually going through the events. It was almost too sad but someone who likes sad would like it.
* I didn't like it very much. The only part I liked was that it was original. It creeped me out and it was in poetry form which was very short. The author might have been using the poetry format to draw it out to take up more pages.
Duey, Kathleen. Skin Hunger. 7 7
* I am a dark fantasy fan and avid reader but failed to get into this book. It switches between two perspectives that are seemingly unrelated which was disconcerting.
* I got really into it. I was upset that chapters were so short. I really liked it. It's a little younger of a read, it didn't take very long but it's good.
Herrick, Steven. The Wolf. 7 7
* The poetry added to it but the plot was kind of dry. It could've been better written if it had more details.
* I really enjoyed it. I stayed up half the night reading it. I liked that it was written in poems. It is touching and doesn't give anything away. Overall, really good.
Jenkins, A.M. Repossessed. 7 6
* It contradicts itself. It's strange. It never really describes why things are happening in the first place. I liked that the sense of religion was kept neutral.
Jinks, Catherine. Evil Genius. 7 8
* I like sci-fi but hated this book. It was super long, huge! After 5 chapters I got completely bored with it. Some characters seemed believable, but some were just plain stupid. The dialogue was confusing.
Carey, Janet Lee. Dragon's Keep 6 7
* Now it's too young for me but last year I liked it. It's something you don't read about often. It had a good ending. Sometimes good endings annoy me a bit, but in this book it WAS good and wasn't annoying.
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big In This? 5 9
* I really actually liked it. It's a book about a normal girl who just happened to be Muslim and decided to wear the hijab full time which you don't usually hear about.
Beaudoin, Sean. Going Nowhere Faster. 5 7
* I liked this book. It had a Catcher in the Rye type feel to it. It was random and jumpy, but the tone was sarcastic and humorful.
Cohn, Rachel and David Levithan. Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List. 5 10
* This is one of my favorites. The authors changed the narrator every chapter but the plot kept going. It was really interesting. Using pictures to substitute for words was really cool. Sometimes I didn't know what it meant but the pictures were cute. I liked the plot - it could've been cliche but the way it was written was original.
* This definitely should be a best book. Personally I'm not into teen romance or drama novels. This one didn't seem forced or fake. The characters and dialogue were genuine and believable. The concept isn't common but definitely felt real in the context. The two authors did an amazing job together. The cover and title suit the book very well.
* I love David Levithan with all my heart but this is one of the worst books I read all year. It's either a New York thing or a girl thing (those people seem to like it). Lots of minor characters got too many pages. The little pictures were like Highlights magazine for kids. One of the main characters was stupid, the other selfish. I didn't understand why college kids were behaving so childishly.
Crutcher, Chris. Deadline. 5 9
* This book makes you wonder what you would do if you only had a year to live. it's cool to think about the decisions he made.
* I usually don't like books where you can't picture the situation ever happening but this was really interesting. I liked it.
* I didn't like it. I didn't like that it was unrealistic. It was weird that he wouldn't tell his parents. His acceptance was too early in the novel. The author was trying too hard to be funny. When he eventually told that he was dying, I didn't feel sorry for him. The ending was awful.
* This book is sort of a loose sequel to another Crutcher book from 20 years ago. I skimmed over the football scenes. It was unrealistic but I never thought about it. The kid is a philosopher and he is funny and wry and real to life. This is Crutcher at his best.
Halpin, Brendan. How Ya Like Me Now. 5 6
* I liked this book but title confused me - those words are not in the book at all. I liked that they described everything that's going on before it really got into the story.
Horvath, Polly. The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane. 5 9
* The characters seemed very exaggerated and not very dimensional but got more depth as you went on. It was weird. I wouldn't exactly call it a best book.
Uhlig, Richard. Last Dance at the Frosty Queen. 5 6
* I liked it a lot. It is one of the best books on this list. It's not the things you read about all the time. It's not one of those chick books. It's about becoming an adult, more mature. It's about things that are actually going on, I can relate to, and that have depth. It's not just ditzy girlie stories which I am completely not reading from now on. The setting was boring but he made it interesting. I liked it more with each page I turned.
* I liked the independent character. The book has quintessential typical problems but goes much deeper.
Barkley, Brad and Heather Helper. Dream Factory. 4 8
* I haven't finished yet but like it so far. It has a modern day fairy tale vibe to it. Fairy tales can be real, you just have to work for them. The narrators change from boy to girl so you get to see both sides.
* Fairly mediocre but really good for girls who like The It Girls, Gossip Girls, The A List and want to move up to something more substantial. The story was a cute concept but fizzled for me. Both the main characters are weird.
De Lint, Charles. Little (Grrl) Lost. 4 8
* I loved the Littles in 2nd grade and this was like an older version to some degree. I really liked it.
* Pretty creative but odd. The scenes switched between characters which got confusing. It was pretty good.
* I didn't really like it. It was believable but had boring characters. It was repetitive. The setting was not interesting. The voice was not unique or descriptive.
* I couldn't put the book down once I started. It was really good.
Deuker, Carl. Gym Candy. 4 8
* It was kind of unrealistic. Except for the main character it was pretty realistic. A high school kid deciding to take steroids is not realistic. It was a really good book other than that.
Knowles, Jo. Lessons from a Dead Girl. 4 8
* This book really freaked me out in the beginning. The subject matter was odd to me. I really did not like in the beginning how the only reason that the tomboy girl could be popular was that she did odd things with the popular girl. That was not realistic at all.
Salisbury, Graham. Night of the Howling Dogs. 4 6
* There was no scenery in the book that was not described. It was really good.
Morgenroth, Kate. Echo. 3 10
* This book took something to the next level. It was chilling and intriguing.
Rabb, Margo. Cures For Heartbreak. 3 11
* This book was amazing and had lots of emotions. I almost cried. It was funny and a page turner. It should've been longer and I would read it again anytime.
Sones, Sonya. What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know. 3 11
* I really enjoyed it. It was written in a poetic style. The boys' perspective in a relationship novel is unusual.
Bildner, Phil. Busted. 2 9
* I didn't like it. It seemed like a teen drama movie, trying too hard to be like college but set in high school. It didn't make much sense.
Harrison, Mette Ivie. The Princess and the Hound 2 7
* I hated this book. I'm a big fan of the fairy tale novel but this was so unoriginal. The characters were complete types - the headstrong princess and wise old tutor. I have read at least five other books that take place in the same society and are about magic. The whole talking to animals was so unoriginal. Many sections of the book were weird and confusing and I had to read it over to understand it. I would not suggest reading it at all.
Haydon, Elizabeth. The Thief Queen's Daughter 2 9
* I don't like series books but some problems of the first book were fixed in this book. Personally I really liked it. The last portion was forced, but overall it was very good. The illustrations fit the book.
Johnson, Maureen. Girl at Sea. 2 11
* At first I didn't like it and thought she was complaining too much. Then the romance got my attention. I didn't like the cover.
* I enjoyed it. I was looking for a Gossip Girl-ish book to read and read this. It was interesting, and was historical fiction a little, so it's not like reading complete trash. I liked it a lot.
Wahl, Mats. The Invisible. 2 11
* I loved this book. There were so many details. There were realistic characters and storyline. It was believable.
Brooks, Kevin. Being. 1 10
* I didn't finish it but liked the cover. Five pages in I was bored and didn't like it at all.
* It's different than I expected from the cover. The book drew me in from the first 20 pages, but was unpredictable. It was gut clenching at times but once you start you have to keep on going, like when you start watching a TV series.
Jones, Patrick. Chasing Tail Lights. 1 10
* I didn't finish it. I got halfway through and didn't want to finish it. It's kind of like those normal 'I'm an outcast and I like this guy who's popular and I can't be as popular as my friend' stories. It kind of didn't intrigue me at all. I didn't like it that much.
Kantor, Melissa. The Breakup Bible. 1 12
* The cover is bright pink so it's kind of embarrassing to read in public but actually I really liked it. I started laughing out loud reading it. The only thing I didn't like was that I liked the main character's friends better than the main character. The main character was too pathetic and gross toward her old boyfriend. It was really enjoyable.
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid A Novel in Cartoons. 1 12
* I read this yesterday after meeting the author. I read it in one day because it's amazing. It's funny and so crazy and really, really funny. There are so many illustrations it's kind of a mix of novel and graphic novel. It's designed for younger readers but great for older too. It was very good.
* One of my favorite books. It was funny and the character was real.
Lester, Julius. Cupid A Tale of Love and Desire. 1 13
* I absolutely love, love this book. It has the feel of a classic Roman or Greek myth. A few times the narrator made comments some people think are sexist but they supported and fit the strange narrator. There is not a specific beginning, middle, and end so the story doesn't end like you'd expect.
Hartinger, Brent. Split Screen 0 14
* I really didn't like the cover. It was trying too hard to grab attention.
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Tantalize. 0 14
* It has a good cover and I liked the subtle allusions to Dracula.
Back to me now. I did not take down any of the plot summary bits the teens mentioned - hopefully I didn't miss any commenty bits.
I find it interesting that Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal (15 0) and The New Policeman (15 0) got no teen comments but were unanimous yes votes in the straw poll. That's two of the top five from the straw poll that none of the teens felt strongly enough to speak to.
Some of the titles I'd like to have heard about:
Dowd, Siobhan. A Swift Pure Cry. 14 1
Resau, Laura. Red Glass. 13 1
Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. 13 0
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Notes from the Midnight Driver. 12 2
Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. The Off Season. 10 4
Shusterman, Neal. Everlost. 9 4
Jolin, Paula. In The Name Of God. 8 5
Erskine, Kathryn. Quaking. 7 6
Wittlinger, Ellen. Parrotfish. 6 8
Luper, Eric. Big Slick. 3 7
Ellsworth, Loretta. In Search of Mockingbird. 2 13
I suspect that a few of those titles may be books that grown-ups like a lot but don't have a ton of teen appeal, but it's hard to say without any actual evidence.
