VOYA's Five-Foot Bookshelf: Essential Books for Professionals Who Serve Teens 2000 to 2012

The books listed in these volumes are meant to be among the best of their respective genres. That a title was worthy of being included in annual the Five-Foot bookshelf, or merited the highest possible rating awarded by a VOYA reviewer, signified that it was a book that should be included automatically in library collections. Perfect Tens indicates when a title has won an award or been included on an ALA selection list, and as with all VOYA reviews, includes a synopsis and whether the book is more appropriate for a middle, junior, or senior high school audience. What should be noted, however, is that while there are indeed some titles in both volumes that have proven to have staying power, it is unlikely that books published up to a dozen years ago would be purchased now. It is also questionable to see several titles in a series obtain a perfect rating, especially when the original review suggests that a title doesn't stand on its own. These books may be of use for larger libraries or academic settings, where reader's advisory, or the art of the review, is of interest.—Betsy Fraser, Calgary Public Library, Canada