The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has announced its list of 113 books, drawn from 211 official nominations, at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Canadian children’s authors Martha Brooks, Kenneth Oppel, Cathy Ostlere, Tim Wynne-Jones and Moira Young are among the honourees. 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, science fiction and novels in verse.

Queen of Hearts
Written by Martha Brooks
Farrar Straus Giroux | Published in Canada by Groundwood Books

Marie-Claire, a young Canadian woman, along with several of her family members, are diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to a sanatorium in 1940.

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein
Written by Kenneth Oppel
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | Published in Canada by HarperCollins Publishers
Fifteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein stops at nothing to save his ailing twin, helping create the Elixir of Life from a formula found in a hidden library of forbidden texts.

Karma
Written by Cathy Ostlere
Penguin Group/RazorBill | Published in Canada by Puffin Canada
While taking her mother’s ashes back to India, Maya gets separated from her father during an uprising and must find her way back to him.

Blink and Caution
Written by Tim Wynne-Jones
Candlewick Press
Homeless teens Blink and Caution become entangled in a blackmail scheme gone wrong and their survival depends on confronting both current threats and the painful secrets of their pasts.

Blood Red Road
Written by Moira Young
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Margaret K. McElderry Books | Published in Canada by Doubleday Canada
As a pit fighter, Saba must constantly fight to save herself, and seeks allies to help rescue her pesky little sister and her twin brother.

For the complete list of selections click here.