Wednesday, January 27, 2010

2010 Printz

Every year a group of nine members of the Young Adult Librarian Association spend their entire year reading the best YA books published that year. In January they announce the Printz Award recipients for books that best "exemplif[y] literary excellence in young adult literature."

Here are the five best teen books of 2009:




Going Bovine
by Libba Bray

In Going Bovine, Cameron, a sixteen-year-old slacker, sets off on a madcap road trip along with a punk angel, a dwarf sidekick, a yard gnome and a mad scientist to save the world and perhaps his own life.

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith
by Deborah Heiligman

Once Charles Darwin sets his rational mind to marry the religious Emma Wedgeworth, they both must take a leap of faith in order to build a life together.

As a side note, risking whatever flimsy cred I've built with you all, have you seen this? I heart Paul Bettany, and find it kind of hilarious that Creation will be in the theaters at the same time as Legion, which he also stars in.

The Monstrumologist
by Rick Yancey

Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a monstrumologist, races against time to save his town (and himself) from the anthropophagi, a pod of monstrous creatures who prey on humans.


Punkzilla
by Adam Rapp

Fourteen-year-old runaway Jamie, homeless and strung out, embarks on a harrowing journey to reach his dying brother.


Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973
by John Barnes

Karl Shoemaker wants to begin his senior year with a new identity separate from his counseling group, his alcoholic mother and the legacy of his dead father."


Reserve these, or other recipients at your local library.

Full list of Printz winners and honorees from the entire ten years of this award.

What do you guys think? Have you read any of these? What are your favorite books from last year?

It's award season for books, so expect more great lists soon!