YALSA's Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

-- School Library Journal, 3/1/2007

See also: ALA Book Picks 2007

The members of YALSA’s Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Committee are Diane Emge Colson, chair, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL; Alison Hendon, administrative assistant, Brooklyn Public Library, NY; Meghan L.F. Baranski, Topeka & Shawnee County (KS) Public Library; Karen Brooks-Reese, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh District Library Center; Allan O’Grady Cuseo, Bishop Kearney High School, Rochester, NY; Elizabeth Elam, Prince Georges County Memorial Library, Hyattsville, MD; Kristin Fletcher-Spear, Foothills Branch Library, Glendale, AZ; Nancy Reich, Los Angeles Unified School District; Kathryn Olson, San Francisco Public Library; Ann Perrigo, Allegan (MI) Public Library; Susan Person, Columbine Library, Littleton, CO; Melissa Rabey; Caryn Sipos, Tigard (OR) Public Library; Carlie Kraft Webber, Bergen County Cooperative Library System, Hackensack, NJ; J. Marin Younker, Seattle Public Library.

Get Creative

Bang, Molly. Picture This: How Pictures Work. illus. by author. SeaStar. 2000. $12.95. ISBN 1-58717-030-2.
Barry, Lynda. One Hundred Demons. Sasquatch. 2005. $17.95. ISBN 1-57061-459-8.
Carle, Megan & Jill Carle. Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat. Ten Speed. 2004. $19.95. ISBN 1-58008-584-9.
Cirrone, Dorian. Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You. HarperTrophy. $7.99. ISBN 0-06-055703-6.
Frank, Hilary. Better Than Running at Night. Houghton. 2002. $10. ISBN 0-618-25073-5.
Gaines, Thom. Digital Photo Madness! 50 Weird and Wacky Things to Do With Your Digital Camera. Lark. $9.95. ISBN 1-57990-624-9.
Greenberg, Jan & Sandra Jordan. Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist. Yearling. 2003. $6.99. ISBN 0-440-41917-4.
Grimes, Nikki. Bronx Masquerade. Puffin. 2003. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-250189-1.
Hart, Christopher. Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics. Watson-Guptill. 2001. $19.95. ISBN 0-8230-3035-0.
Klancher, Lee, ed. Monster Garage: How to Customize Damn Near Anything. Motorbooks. 2003. $19.95. ISBN 0-7603-1748-8.
Koja, Kathe. Straydog. Puffin. 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240071-8.
Lanier, Troy & Clay Nichols. Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling Off Your Shorts. Michael Wiese Prod. 2005. $18.95. ISBN 1-932907-04-1.
Lenhard, Elizabeth. Chicks with Sticks: It’s a Purl Thing. Puffin. $6.99. ISBN 0-14-240695-3.
Murillo, Kathy Cano. Crafty Chica’s Art de la Soul. HarperCollins. $19.95. ISBN 0-06-078942-5.
Myers, Walter Dean. Autobiography of My Dead Brother. HarperCollins/Amistad. $6.99. ISBN 0-06-058293-6.
Nikolay, Megan. Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt. Workman. $14.95. ISBN 0-7611-3785-8.
Okey, Shannon. Knitgrrl: Learn to Knit with 15 Fun and Funky Projects. Watson-Guptill. 2005. $9.95. ISBN 0-8230-2618-3.
O’Neil, Dennis. The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics. Watson-Guptill. 2001. $19.95. ISBN 0-8230-1027-9.
Partridge, Elizabeth. Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange. Puffin. 2001. $11.99. ISBN 0-14-230024-1.
Salzman, Mark. True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year at Juvenile Hall. Vintage. 2004. $13.95. ISBN 0-375-72761-2.
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. Scholastic. $5.99. ISBN 0-439-75520-4.
Talbot, Bryan. The Tale of One Bad Rat. illus. by author. Dark Horse. 1995. $14.95. ISBN 1-56971-077-5.
Todd, Mark & Esther Pearl Watson. Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics. Graphia. $12.99. ISBN 0-618-56315-6.
Vitkus, Jessica. AlternaCrafts: 20+ Hi-Style Lo-Budget Projects to Make.. photos. by Brian Kennedy. Stewart, Tabori and Chang. 2005. $19.95. ISBN 1-58479-456-9.
Yazawa, Ai. Paradise Kiss. vol. 1. illus. by author. TokyoPop. 2002. $9.99. ISBN 1-931514-60-7.

I’m Not Making This Up

Ahmedi, Farah with Tamim Ansary. The Other Side of the Sky. Simon Spotlight. $12.95. ISBN 1-4169-1837-X.
Baskin, Julia. The Notebook Girls. Warner. $22.95. ISBN 0-446-57862-2.
Boese, Alex. Hippo Eats Dwarf: A Field Guide to Hoaxes and Other B.S. Harvest. $14. ISBN 0-15-603083-7.
Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. Vintage. 1994. $14. ISBN 0-679-74558-0.
Capuzzo, Michael. Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916. Broadway. 2002. $14.95. ISBN 0-767-90414-1.
Davis, James. Skateboarding Is Not a Crime: 50 Years of Street Culture. Firefly. 2004. $19.95. ISBN 1-55407-001-5. board.
Dee, Kool Moe. There’s a God on the Mic: The Fifty Greatest MCs. Thunder’s Mouth. 2003. $24.95. ISBN 1-56025-533-1.
DiClaudio, Dennis. The Hypochondriac’s Pocket Guide to Horrible Diseases You Probably Already Have. Bloomsbury. 2005. $14.95. ISBN 1-59691-061-5.
Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science. Houghton. 2004. $8.95. ISBN 0-618-49478-2.
Genat, Robert. Lowriders. Motorbooks. 2001. $14.95. ISBN 0-7603-0962-0.
Hoye, Jacob & Karolyn Ali, eds. Tupac: Resurrection. Atria. $18.95. ISBN 0-7434-7435-X.
Nelson, Peter. Left for Dead: A Young Man’s Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis. Random. 2003. $8.95. ISBN 0-385-73091-8.
Northcutt, Wendy. The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action. Putnam. 2002. $13. ISBN 0-452-28344-2.
Owen, David. Hidden Evidence: Forty True Crimes and How Forensic Science Helped Solve Them. Firefly. 2000. $24.95. ISBN 1-55209-483-9.
Palmer, Chris. Streetball: All the Ballers, Moves, Slams, and Shine. HarperInformation. 2004. $16.95. ISBN 0-06-072444-7.
Roach, Mary. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. Norton. 2004. $13.95. ISBN 0-3933-2482-6.
Rothbart, Davy. Found: The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from around the World. Fireside. 2004. $14. ISBN 0-7432-5114-8.
Runyon, Brent. The Burn Journals. Vintage. 2005. $12.95. ISBN 1-4000-9642-1.
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. vol. 1. Pantheon. 2004. $11.95. ISBN 0-375-71457-X.
Sebold, Alice. Lucky. Back Bay. 2002. $11.95. ISBN 0-316-09619-9.
Shaw, Maria. Maria Shaw’s Star Gazer: Your Soul Searching, Dream Seeking, Make Something Happen Guide to the Future. Llewellyn. 2003. $17.95. ISBN 0-7387-0422-9.
Silverstein, Ken. The Radioactive Boy Scout: The Frightening True Story of a Whiz Kid and His Homemade Nuclear Reactor. Villard. 2005. $13.95. ISBN 0-8129-6660-0.
Szpirglas, Jeff. Gross Universe: Your Guide to All Disgusting Things Under the Sun. Maple Tree. $9.95. ISBN 1-897066-39-2.
Zailckas, Koren. Smashed. Penguin. $14. ISBN 0-14-303647-5.
Zimmerman, Keith & Kent Zimmerman. MythBusters: The Explosive Truth Behind 30 of the Most Perplexing Urban Legends of All Time. Simon Spotlight. 2005. $15.95. ISBN 1-4169-0929-X.

Religion: Relationship with the Divine

Abrams, Judith Z. The Secret World of Kabbalah. Kar-Ben. $9.95. ISBN 1-58013-224-3.
Adelman, Penina, Ali Feldman, & Shulamit Reinharz. The JGirl’s Guide: The Young Jewish Woman’s Handbook for Coming of Age. Jewish Lights. 2005. $14.99. ISBN 1-58023-215-9.
Bardi, Abby. The Book of Fred. Washington Square. 2002. $13. ISBN 0-7434-1194-3.
Beale, Fleur. I Am Not Esther. Hyperion. 2004. $6.99. ISBN 0-7868-1673-2.
Carlson, Melody. Finding Alice. Waterbrook. 2003. $19.99. ISBN 1-57856-773-4.
Cooper, Ilene. Sam I Am. Scholastic. $5.99. ISBN 0-439-43968-X.
Dayton, Anne & May Vanderbilt. Emily Ever After. Broadway. 2005. $11.95. ISBN 0-385-51463-8.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Leaving Fishers. Simon Pulse. 1999. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-86793-X.
Hautman, Pete. Godless. Simon Pulse. 2005. $7.99. ISBN 1-4169-0816-1.
Heuston, Kimberley. The Shakeress. Puffin. $6.99. ISBN 0-14-240054-8.
Jacobson, Jennifer Richard. Stained. Simon Pulse. $6.99. ISBN 1-4169-1337-8.
Kass, Pnina Moed. Real Time. Graphia. $7.99. ISBN 0-618-69174-X.
Koja, Kathe. Buddha Boy. Puffin. 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240209-5.
Littman, Sarah Darer. Confessions of a Closet Catholic. Puffin. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240597-3.
Nolan, Han. When We Were Saints. Harcourt. 2005. $6.95. ISBN 0-15-205322-0.
Ravenwolf, Silver. Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation. Llewellyn. 1998. $12.95. ISBN 1-56718-725-0.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Staircase. Harcourt. 2002. $6. ISBN 0-15-216788-9.
Roth, Matthue. Never Mind the Goldbergs. Scholastic/PUSH. 2005. $7.99. ISBN 0-385-51463-8.
Rylant, Cynthia. God Went to Beauty School. HarperTempest. $4.99. ISBN 0-06-009435-4.
Stolarz, Laurie Faria. Blue Is for Nightmares. Llewellyn. 2003. $8.95. ISBN 0-738-70391-5.
Tezuka, Osamu. Buddha: Kapilavastu. vol. 1. illus. by author. Vertical. $14.95. ISBN 1-932234-56-X.
Turnbull, Ann. No Shame, No Fear. Candlewick. $8.99. ISBN 0-7636-3190-6.
Wiesel, Elie. Night. Hill and Wang. $9. ISBN 0-374-50001-0.

What’s So Funny?

Allen, Will. Swords for Hire. Centerpunch. 2003. $6.95. ISBN 0-9724882-0-0.
Azuma, Kiyohiko. Yotsuba&! vol. 1. illus. by author. A. D. Vision. 2005. $9.99. ISBN 1-4139-0317-7.
Bauer, Joan. Thwonk. Penguin. 2005. $7.99. ISBN 0-14-240429-2.
Douglas, Lola. True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet. Razorbill. $6.99. ISBN 1-59514-093-X.
Gaiman, Neil & Terry Pratchett. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. HarperTorch. $7.99. ISBN 0-06-085398-0.
Goldschmidt, Judy. The Secret Blog of Raisin Rodriguez. Penguin. $5.99. ISBN 1-59514-071-9.
Groening, Matt. Simpsons Comics Barn Burner. HarperCollins. 2005. $14.95. ISBN 0-06-074818-4.
Jones, Diana Wynne. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Puffin. $9.99. ISBN 0-14-240722-4.
Korman, Gordon. No More Dead Dogs. Hyperion. 2000. $5.99. ISBN 0-7868-1601-5.
––––. Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle. Hyperion. 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-7868-0919-1.
Limb, Sue. Girl, 15, Charming but Insane. Delacorte. 2005. $8.95. ISBN 0-385-73215-5.
Martinez, A. Lee. Gil’s All Fright Diner. Tor. 2005. $6.99. ISBN 0-7653-5001-7.
Moore, Christopher. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story. HarperCollins. 1995. $12.95. ISBN 0-06-073541-4.
Parel, David. Bat Boy Lives! The Weekly World News Guide to Politics, Culture, Celebrities, Alien Abductions, and the Mutant Freaks That Shape Our World. Sterling. 2005. $12.95. ISBN 1-4027-2823-9.
Payne, C. D. Frisco Pigeon Mambo. Aivia. 2000. $12.95. ISBN 1-882647-24-6.
Rallison, Janette. Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws. Walker. $6.95. ISBN 0-8027-8898-X.
Rees, Douglas. Vampire High. Laurel-Leaf. 2005. $5. ISBN 0-440-23834-X.
Riley, Andy. The Book of Bunny Suicides. illus. by author. Penguin. 2003. $10. ISBN 0-452-28518-6.
Shusterman, Neil. The Schwa Was Here. Puffin. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240577-9.
Smith, Jeff. Out from Boneville. Graphix. 2005. $9.99. ISBN 0-439-70640-8.
Vizzini, Ned. Be More Chill. Miramax. 2005. $7.99. ISBN 0-7868-0996-5.
Watterson, Bill. The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book. illus. by author. Andrews McMeel. 1995. $16.95. ISBN 0-8362-0438-7.
Wilson, Daniel H. How to Survive a Robot Uprising. Bloomsbury. 2005. $12.95. ISBN 1-58234-592-9.