Fall Picks: Need to Know YA Releases Part 1

I love, love, love, the reader's advisory aspect of teen services. (For those not familiar with library jargon, reader's advisory is the process of finding and suggesting the right book for the right reader at the right time.) So for the past year and a half, I've made "Sarah's Picks" list for my co-workers. I format these lists with information that staff need to know (at least that I think they should know anyway) as well as suggestions of what else they can look for if the book the patron is interested isn't on the shelf. These are based on what I think is going to be checked out and asked for at my library and I had to limit myself so it wouldn't go crazy long, so this list is in no way all the books coming out in Fall or everything you should know or a prediction of what will be the next big bestseller. It also doesn't include all August releases, as I had some included on a previous list. Mr. GreenBeanSexyMan suggested I share my list here and hopefully you find it helpful! (Also, I'd love any additional "what if it's not in" suggestions for any of the titles listed!)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: December 2, 2010

Need to Know: A new addition to the popular YA romance, this one has a girl shipped off to boarding school in Paris. Lots of authors are promoting this one and author Stephanie Perkins has a large online fan base.

What if it’s not in?: Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti, Sea by Heidi Kling, Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald, The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott, The S.A.S.S. series by various authors will appeal to readers looking for tales of romance overseas

Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Release Date: 2007

Need to Know: Meg Cabot’s getting another Disney makeover, this time with her popular Arthurian legend re-telling. The made for TV movie is set to air on Disney channel sometime in the Fall, so expect a new tween following for the book, ala The Princess Diaries.

What if it’s not in: The Revenge of the Shadow King by Derek Benz, The Avalon High Graphic Novels by Meg Cabot, The Squire’s Quest by Gerald Morris, Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve, Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell, I Am Morgan le Fay by Nancy Springer

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill
Release Date: August 24, 2010

Need to Know: YA Science Fiction/Dystopian seems to be taking off, and with a blurb from Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) this one is sure to find a readership. The story is about a group living on Mars and early reviews are calling it “action packed and fast paced.” (Starred Review, Booklist)

What if it’s not in?: Spacer and Rat by Margaret Bechard, The Softwire by P.J. Haarsma, Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson, The Doom Machine by Mark Teague


Bright Young Things by Anna Gobersen
Release Date: October 12, 2010

Need to Know: Anna Godbersen (The Luxe) is back, this time with a tale of scandal in the 1920’s. Fans of The Luxe and Gossip Girl-style reads will be eager to pick this one up.

What if it’s not in?: For readers looking for historical fiction try What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell, Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher, A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson, Vixen by Jillian Larkin (out in December), A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
Release Date: August 10, 2010

Need to Know: One of the “Penguin Five” (five big YA books Penguin is marketing together each releasing a different month August-December) and marketed as the “romance” title. Kirsten Miller has a fanbase from her Kiki Strike books, but this title is older and has more a paranormal storyline.

What if it’s not in: Evernight by Claudia Grey, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel, Raven by Allison van Diepen

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
Release Date: September 7, 2010

Need to Know: Nancy Werlin’s first paranormal title, Impossible, was marketed to YA and adults and has good crossover appeal. Extraordinary marks her second paranormal outing, this time with faeries.

What if it’s not in: Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog, Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater, The Tree Shepherd’s Daughter by Gillian Summers, The New Policeman by Kate Thompson


Firelight by Sophie Jordan
Release Date: September 7, 2010

Need to Know: Debut author featuring a fantasy star crossed romance about a girl descended from dragons and a boy who is a dragon hunter.

What if it’s not in: Graceling and Fire by Kristen Cashore, The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima, The Soul Screamers Series by Rachel Vincent, The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

Glee: The Beginning by Sophia Lowell
Release Date: August 3, 2010

Need to Know: Following the success of Glee’s first season comes the Glee prequel which tells the story of the shows characters before the Glee club started. A second novel, Glee: Foreign Exchange is out in February.

What if it’s not in: Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford, My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger, No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman (it’s my go-to Glee read-alike!), Dramarama by E. Lockhart, The Drama! Series by Paul Ruditis,

Grace by Elizabeth Scott
Release Date: September 16, 2010

Need to Know: Elizabeth Scott is continually surprising readers and she can write anything. This is her first outing into a dystopian novel, although Grace is quieter than other popular dystopian lit and takes a thoughtful look at the power of one.

What if it’s not in: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Declaration by Gemma Malley, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien

Part two and three to come!