YALSA’S 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults

Each year, YALSA presents the Best Fiction for Young Adults list after ALA's Midwinter Meeting. The books, recommended for ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, including contemporary realistic fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction and novels in verse. In addition to the full list, the Best Fiction for Young Adults committee also created a Top Ten list of titles from the final list, denoted here by an asterisk.

Abel-Fattah, Randa. Where the Streets had a Name. Scholastic Incorporated/Scholastic Press, 2010; ISBN 13: 978-0545172929; $17.99.

Aguirre, Ann. Enclave. Feiwel & Friends, 2011; 978-0312650087; $16.99.

Almond, David. My Name is Mina. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press, 2011; 978-0385740739; $15.99.

Altebrando, Tara. Dreamland Social Club. Penguin Group/Dutton Juvenile, 2011; 978-0525423256; $16.99.

Bauer, Joan. Close to Famous. Penguin Group/Viking Juvenile, 2011; 978-0670012824; $16.99.

Beam, Chris. I am J. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316053617; $16.99.

Billingsley, Franny. Chime. Penguin Group/Dial Books, 2011; 978-0803735521; $17.99.

Black, Holly. Red Glove. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing /Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011; 978-14424033980; $17.99.

Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. Thomas Doherty Associates/Tor Teen, 2011; 978-0765328656; $17.99.

Blundell, Judy. Strings Attached. Scholastic Incorporated, 2011; 978-0545221269; $17.99.

Bondoux, Anne-Laure. A Time of Miracles. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2010; 978-0385739221; $17.99.

Booth, Coe. Bronxwood. Scholastic Incorporated/Push, 2011; 978-0439925341; $17.99.

Bray, Libba. Beauty Queens. Scholastic Incorporated, 2011; 978-0439895972; $18.99.

Brezenoff, Steve. Brooklyn, Burning. Lerner Publishing Group/Carolrhoda Lab, 2011; 978-0761375265; $17.95.

Brooks, Martha. Queen of Hearts. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011; 978-0374342296; $17.99.

Brown, Jennifer. Bitter End. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316086950; $17.99.

Bunce, Elizabeth C.  Liar’s Moon. Scholastic Incorporated /Arthur A. Levine, 2011; 978-0545136082; $17.99.

Caletti, Deb. Stay. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Simon Pulse, 2011; 978-1442403734; $16.99.

*Carson, Rae. The Girl of Fire and Thorns. HarperCollins Publishers/Greenwillow Books, 2011; 978-0062026484; $17.99.

Castle, Jennifer. The Beginning of After. HarperCollins Publishers/HarperTeen, 2011; 978-0061985799; $17.99.

Chayil, Eishes. Hush. Walker and Company, 2010; 978-0802720887; $16.99.

Chow, Cara. Bitter Melon. Egmont USA, 2011; 978-1606841266; $16.99.

Clement-Moore, Rosemary. Texas Gothic. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press, 2011; 978-03853736930; $17.99.

*Cohen, Joshua C. Leverage. Penguin Group USA/Dutton Juvenile, 2011; 978-0525423065; $17.99.

Cooper, Michelle. The FitzOsbornes in Exile. Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf, 2011; 978-0375858659; $17.99.

Cross, Gillian. Where I Belong. Holiday House, 2011; 978-08234323323; $17.95.

de la Pena, Matt. I Will Save You. Random House Children's Books/Delacorte, 2010; 978-0385738279; $16.99.

Dessen, Sarah. What Happened to Goodbye. Penguin Group/ Viking Juvenile, 2011; 978-0670012947; $19.99.

DeStafano, Lauren. Wither. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2011; 978-1442409057; $17.99.

Deuker, Carl. Payback Time. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010; 978-0547279817; $16.00.

Dixon, Heather. Entwined. HarperCollins Publishers/Greenwillow Books, 2011; 978-0062001030; $17.99.

Dowell, Frances O'Roark. Ten Miles Past Normal. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing /Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-1416995852; $16.99.

Downham, Jenny. You Against Me. Random House Children's Books/David Fickling Books, 2011; 978-0385751605; $16.99.

Edwardson, Debby Dahl. My Name is Not Easy. Marshall Cavendish, 2011; 978-0376147598054; $17.99.

Fisher, Catherine. The Dark City. Penguin Group/Dial Books, 2011; 978-0803736733; $16.99.

Forman, Gayle. Where She Went. Penguin Group/Dutton Juvenile, 2011; 978-0525422945; $16.99.

Freitas, Donna. The Survival Kit. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011; 978-0373399177; $16.99.

Friesner, Esther. Threads and Flames. Penguin Group/Viking Juvenile, 2010; 978-0670012459; $17.99.

Gantos, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011; 978-0374379933; $15.99.

Gier, Kerstin. Ruby Red. Henry Holt & Company, 2011; 978-0805092523; $16.99.

Goldberg Sloan, Holly. I’ll Be There. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316122795; $17.99.

Goodman, Shawn. Something Like Hope. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2010; 978-0385739399; $16.99.

Handler, Daniel; Why We Broke Up. Illus. by Maira Kalman. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316127257; $19.99.

Hautman, Pete. The Big Crunch. Scholastic Incorporated/Scholastic Press. 2011; 978-0545240758; $17.99.

Herback, Geoff. Stupid Fast. Sourcebooks/Sourcebooks Fire, 2011; 978-1402256301; $9.99.

Johnson, Maureen. The Last Little Blue Envelope. HarperCollins Publishers /HarperTeen, 2011; 978-0061976797; $16.99.

Johnson, Maureen. The Name of the Star. Penguin Group/Putnam Juvenile, 2011; 978-0399256608; $16.99.

*King, A.S.  Everybody Sees the Ants. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316129282; $17.99.

Kirby, Matthew J. Icefall. Scholastic Incorporated/Scholastic Press, 2011; 978-0545274241; $17.99.

Kittredge, Caitlin.  The Iron Thorn. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press, 2011; 978-0385738293; $17.99.

Knowles, Jo.  Pearl.  Henry Holt & Company, 2011; 978-08050892073; $16.99.

Leavitt, Lindsey. Sean Griswold’s Head. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011; 978-1599904986; $16.99.

Lo, Malinda. Huntress. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316040075; $17.99.

Lu, Marie. Legend. Penguin Group/Putnam Juvenile, 2011; 978-0399256752; $17.99.

Marchetta, Melina. The Piper’s Son. Candlewick Press, 2011; 978-0763647582; $17.99.|

Marcus, Kimberly. Exposed. Random House Children’s Books, 2011; 978-0375966954; $16.99.

Martinez, Jessica. Virtuosity. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon Pulse, 2011; 978-1442420526; $16.99.

*McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. Under the Mesquite. Lee & Low Books, 2011; 978-1600604294; $17.95.

McMann, Lisa. Cryer's Cross. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Simon Pulse, 2011; 978-1416994817; $16.99.

Meloy, Maile. The Apothecary. Penguin Group/Putnam Juvenile, 2011; 978-0399256271; $16.99.

Mullin, Mike. Ashfall. Tanglewood, 2011; 978-1933718552; $16.95.

*Myracle, Lauren. Shine. Abrams/Amulet Books, 2011; 978-0810984172; $16.95.

Nelson, Blake.  Recovery Road. Scholastic Incorporated/Scholastic Press, 2011; 978-0545107297; $17.99.

*Ness, Patrick.  A Monster Calls. Illus. by Jim Kay. Candlewick Press, 2011; 978-0763655594; $16.99.

Neumeier, Rachel. The Floating Islands. Random House Children’s Books/Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0375847059; $16.99.

O’Brien, Caragh. Prized. Roaring Brook Press, 2011; 978-1596435704; $16.99.

O’Neal, Eilis. The False Princess. Egmont, 2011; 978-1606840795; $16.99.

Ockler, Sarah. Fixing Delilah. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2010; 978-0316052092; $16.99.

Okorafor, Nnedi.  Akata Witch. Penguin Group/Viking, 2011; 978-0670011964; $17.99.

Oliver, Lauren. Delirium. HarperCollins Publishers, 2011; 978-0061726828; $17.99.

Oppel, Kenneth.  This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-1442403154; $17.99.

Ostlere, Cathy.  Karma, A Novel in Verse. Penguin Group/RazorBill, 2011. 978-1595143389; $18.99.

Perera, Anna. Guantanamo Boy. Albert Whitman & Company, 2011; 978-0807530771; $17.99.

Pérez, Ashley Hope. What Can(t) Wait. Lerner Publishing Group/CarolrhodaLAB, 2011; 978-0761361558; $17.95.

Perkins, Stephanie. Anna and the French Kiss. Penguin Group/Dutton Juvenile, 2010; 978-0525423270; $16.99.

Perkins, Stephanie. Lola and the Boy Next Door. Penguin Group/Dutton Juvenile, 2011; 978-0525423287; $16.99.

Porter, Tracey. Lark. HarperCollins Publishers/HarperTeen, 2011; 978-0061122873; $15.99.

Powers, J. L. This Thing Called the Future. Cinco Puntos Press, 2011; 978-1933693958; $16.95.

Price, Charlie. Desert Angel. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011; 978-0374317751; $15.99.

Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Quirk Books, 2011; 978-1594744761; $17.99.

Reedy, Trent. Words in the Dust. Scholastic Incorporated/Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011; 978-0545261258; $17.99.

Reeve, Philip.  A Web of Air. Scholastic Incorporated, 2011; 978-0545222167; $17.99.|

Resau, Laura & Maria Virginia Farinango.  Queen of Water. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0385738972; $16.99.

Riordan, Rick. The Lost Hero. Disney Book Group/Hyperion Press, 2010; 978-1423113393; $18.99.

Roth, Veronica. Divergent. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, 2011; 978-0062024022; $17.99.

Sales, Leila. Past Perfect. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon Pulse, 2011; 978-1442406827; $16.99.

Schmidt, Gary. Okay for Now. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books, 2011; 978-0547152608; $16.99.

Sedgwick, Marcus. White Crow. Roaring Brook Press, 2011; 978-1596435940; $15.99.

Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck. Scholastic Incorporated /Scholastic Press, 2011; 978-054527892; $29.99.

*Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. Penguin Group/Philomel Books, 2011; 978-0399254123; $17.99.

Sharenow, Robert. The Berlin Boxing Club. HarperCollins Publishers /HarperTeen, 2011; 978-0061579684; $17.99.

Silvey, Craig. Jasper Jones. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2011; 978-0375866661; $16.99.

Smith, Andrew. Stick. Feiwel and Friends, 2011; 978-0312613419; $17.99.

Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races. Scholastic Incorporated/Scholastic Press, 2011; 978-0545224901; $17.99.

*Taylor, Laini. Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Little, Brown, Books for Young Readers, 2011. 978-0316134026; $18.99.

Thompson, Holly. Orchards. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press, 2011; 978-0385739771; $17.99.

Valente, Catherynne M. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. Feiwel & Friends, 2011; 978-0312649616; $16.99.

Van Allsberg, Chris, ed. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011; 978-0547548104; $24.99.

Van Draanen, Wendelin. The Running Dream. Random House Children’s Books/Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0375866678; $16.99.

Venkatraman, Padma. Island’s End. Penguin Group/Putnam Juvenile, 2011; 978-0399250996; $16.99.

Vernick, Shirley Reva. The Blood Lie. Cinco Puntos Press, 2011; 978-1933693842; $15.95.

Wallace, Jason. Out of Shadows. Holiday House, 2011; 978-0823423422; $17.95.

Warman, Jessica. Between. Walker & Company, 2011; 978-0802721822; $17.99.

Whaley, John Corey. Where Things Come Back. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-1442413337; $16.99.

Williams, Carol Lynch. Miles from Ordinary. St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011; 978-0312555122; $16.99.

Williams, Michael. Now is the Time for Running. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316077903; $17.99.

Wolf, Allan. The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic. Candlewick Press, 2011; 978-0763637033; $21.99.

Wynne-Jones, Tim. Blink and Caution. Candlewick Press, 2011; 978-0763639839; $16.99.

Yee, Lisa. Warp Speed. Scholastic Incorporated/Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011; 978-0545122764; $16.99.

Young, Moira. Blood Red Road. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011; 978-1442429987; $17.99.

Yovanoff, Brenna. The Space Between. Penguin Group/Razorbill, 2011; 978-1595143396; $17.99.

*Zarr, Sara. How to Save a Life. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011; 978-0316036061; $17.99.