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Reading Suggestions for Teens

Seal of the State of Illinois

Read for a Lifetime List – Sponsored by Alexi Giannoulias, Secretary of State and State Librarian, and the Illinois Center for the Book.


Lincoln Award Logo

Abraham Lincoln Award: Illinois Grades 9-12 Choice Award – The Lincoln Award is given to the book from that year’s master list that earns the highest number of student votes. Each year, a panel of high school librarians, teachers, public librarians and students determines the final master list of twenty titles.


Printz Award Seal

The Printz Award – The Michael L. Printz Award annually honors the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit, each year. In addition, the Printz Committee names up to four honor books, which also represent the best writing in young adult literature. Winners and Honor Books


YALSA Logo

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Teen Book Finder App and Database – A free app to help teens, parents, librarians and library staff, educators, and anyone who loves YA literature access to the past three years’ of YALSA’s awards and lists on their smartphone. 

YALSA Teens’ Top Ten – The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country.


Epic Reads Logo

Epic Reads is a strong and mighty community of book nerds, authors, librarians, book bloggers, bookstagrammers and book tubers around the world.  While they are part of the HarperCollins family, they believe in talking about and getting excited for ALL of the YA books!