The List as a Beginning

This is a list of the pile of the books that surrounds me while I type and gives me anxiety attacks. So I pulled it apart and organized it.

In general, I'm trying to get away from these massive lists at the beginning of each month. However, in this case, I think it illustrates the challenge I face with the reading. Notice that there are 71 books on my YA list but only a handful -less than 10- on the other two lists. There's a couple of reasons for this. First, I'm doing a lot of buying for my classroom library and I choose those titles based on a couple of guidelines, but primarily because they look good or because someone has asked for them. Obviously, I therefore want to read them.

The other thing going on here is that there are several books on the YA list that I'm not sure are really YA. I've placed them there because the publisher either calls them YA or because they are published under an imprint that caters to teens. I think though that because YA can be such a lucrative area of publishing, the publishers are pushing the definition somewhat and putting things in there that might otherwise appeal to a fully adult audience.

Now, I do have plenty of non-YA on other stacks, but it is heavily weighted towards fantasy and science fiction. I'll find things to read, never fear. I just find it perturbing the absolute glut of YA I am swimming through.

Adult & Mainstream Fiction

1. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
2. Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
3.  Wizards: Magical Tales From the Masters of Modern Fantasy edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois 
4. The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
5.  Fantasy Stories Edited by Diana Wynne Jones
6.  Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales edited by Melissa Marr & Tim Pratt

Nonfiction & Professional Reading

1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 
2. "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys" by Michael Smith & Jeffry Wilhelm (Professional Library)
3. "You Gotta Be the Book" by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm (Professional Library)

YA shelf of DOOM!

1. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
2. Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
3. Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
4. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
5. Stand Tall by Joan Bauer 
6. Tithe by Holly Black
7. Valiant by Holly Black
8. Ironside by Holly Black 
9. Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
10. Roses & Bones by Francesca Lia Block
11. Story Time by Edward Bloor
12. Bad Unicorn by Platte F. Clark (Sasha)
13. Fade by Robert Cormier
14. The Secret Country by Pamela Dean
15. The Hidden Land by Pamela Dean
16.  The Riddle of the Wren by Charles De Lint
17. Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles De Lint 
18. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
19. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
20. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
21. Runner Carl Deuker
22. Gym Candy by Carl Deuker (Library) 
23. The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
24. Girls Like Us by Gail Giles
25. Twerp by Mark Goldblatt
26. Paper Towns by John Green (Library)
27. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad (Library)
28. The Returning by Christine Hinwood 
29. Green Angel by Alice Hoffman (published in collection as Green Heart)
30. Green Witch by Alice Hoffman (published in collection as Green Heart)
31. The Summer Prince by Alay Dawn Johnson
32. Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
33. The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore (Student Waiting)
34. The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore (Student Waiting)
35. The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore (Student Waiting)
36. The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore (Student Waiting)
37. United as One by Pittacus Lore (Student Waiting)
38. Legend by Marie Lu
39. Sold by Patricia McCormick (Jessica)
40. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
41. A Step From Heaven by An Na 
42. Bound by Donna Jo Napoli
43. Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli
44. I'll Give you the Sun by Jandy Nelson (Library)
45. Shade's Children by Garth Nix
46. The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien
47. Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce (Jessica)
48. Tricksters Queen by Tamora Pierce (Jessica)
49. Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
50. Black City by Elizabeth Richards 
51. Story Thieves by James Riley
52. There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
53. Downsiders by Neal Shusterman
54. Everlost by Neal Shusterman
55. EverWild by Neal Shusterman
56. Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman 
57. UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
58. Elephant Run by Roland Smith
59. Tentacles by Roland Smith
60. Zach's Lie by Roland Smith
61. Fly Girl by Sherri L. Smith
62. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
63. Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
64. The Swan Maiden by Heather Tomlinson
65. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
66. The Final Four by Paul Volponi
67. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
68. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
69. So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld
70. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (poetry)
71. Every Thing, Every Thing by Nicola Yoon (Bella)