2011Alex Award Winners

• The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To by DC Pierson, published by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York (ISBN 9780307474612)
• Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray, published by Hyperion (ISBN 9780786868919)
• Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, published by Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. (ISBN 9781594487569)
• The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni, published by Amy Einhorn Books, an imprint of G.P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of the Penguin Group (ISBN 9780399156090)
• The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton, published by Thomas Dunne Books for Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press (ISBN 9780312380427)
• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: A Novel by Aimee Bender, published by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc., New York (ISBN 9780385501125)
• The Radleys by Matt Haig, published by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. (ISBN 9781439194010)
• The Reapers Are the Angels: A Novel by Alden Bell, published by Holt Paperbacks, a division of Henry Holt and Company, LLC (ISBN 9780805092431)
• Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue, published by Little, Brown and Company a division of Hatchette Book Group, Inc. (ISBN 9780316098335)
• The Vanishing of Katharina Linden: A Novel by Helen Grant, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group,  division of Random House, Inc., New York (ISBN 9780385344173)
• 2011 Non-Fiction

• They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  Bartoletti provides readers with an in-depth look at the formation  of the KKK and its subsequent evolution into a violent organization.  With  primary source material, she details  the horrific history of the Ku Klux Klan and the people who fell victim to its reign of terror.

  Spies of Mississippi:  The True Story of the Spy Network that Tried to Destroy the Civil Rights Movement by Rick Bowers, published by National Geographic Society

  In 1958, the state of Mississippi began an undercover operation, The Sovereignty Commission, to spy on and potentially squelch the Civil Rights movement.  Bowers' expose of this unknown organization reveals the extent to which some were willing to go to see segregation remain the law of the state. 

  The Dark Game: True Spy Stories  by Paul Janeczko, published by Candlewick Press

  This compilation of different spies carries readers from the Revolutionary War through the infamous Cold War era.   Delve into stories about the Choctaw Code Talkers of WWI, Soviet moles, Mata Hari and more as you uncover just how they changed the course of history.

  Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions, and Debates by Jill Rubalcaba and Peter Robertshaw, published by Charlesbridge

  Through fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and scientific debate, the bones of Turkana Boy, Lapede Child, Kennewick Man and Iceman are used to tell the fascinating stories of four member of the human family tree.  Maps, photographs, and news headlines add to our understanding of archeology's cutting edge science.

• 2011 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

  Along with the full  Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list, the committee selected the following titles as the Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

  Amason, Jessica and Richard Blakeley. This is Why You're Fat: Where Dreams Become Heart Attacks. HarperCollins/Harper Studio, 2009. $9.99. 978-0061936630.
  A bacon cheeseburger on a Krispy Creme® bun along with deep fried Coke® on the side.

  Brereton, Catherine, Philip Steele, and Hannah Wilson. Warriors Versus Warriors: Ten Fighters, Five Battles, ONE WINNER. Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Kingfisher, 2009. $19.99. 978-0753419168.
  Aztec to Zulu, who will dominate?
  

  Elkeles, Simone. Rules of Attraction: A Perfect Chemistry Novel. Bloomsbury/Walker. 2010. $16.99. 978-0802720856. 
  Opposites attract.

  Hasler, Nikol. Sex: A Book for Teens: An Uncensored Guide to Your Body, Sex and Safety. Zest/Orange Avenue Publishing, 2010. $16.95. 978-0981973326.
  “It teaches you the steps, and to be safe.” ~ Oscar, age 14.
  

  Keplinger, Kody. The D.U.F.F. (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Poppy, 2010. $16.99. 978-0316084239.
  Could enemies-with-benefits become friends?

  Neri, G. and Randy DuBurke. Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty. Lee & Low, 2010. $16.95. 978-1584302674.
   Eleven-years-old and wanted for murder.
  

  Rainfield, Cheryl. Scars. Westside Books, 2010. $16.95. 978-1934813324.
  Cutting to forget.

  Summers, Courtney. Some Girls Are. St. Martin's Griffin. 2010. $9.99. 978-0312573805.
  Mean girl smackdown.
  

  Volponi, Paul. Rikers High. Penguin Group/Viking, 2010. $16.99. 978-0670011070.
  Revenge...or redemption?
  

  Von D, Kat with Sandra Bark. The Tattoo Chronicles. HarperCollins/Collins Design, 2010. $29.99. 978-0061953361.
  A year in the life.
  

  2011 Top Ten Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

  In addition to the full list, the 2011 Popular Paperbacks committee selected the following as top ten titles:

  Anderson, M.T. Burger Wuss. Candlewick, 2008. $7.99. 978-0763631789.
  One O'Dermott's burger, and order of fries, soda, and a side of revenge, supersized.

  Ishihara, Yoko. The Manga Cookbook. Illus. by Chihiro Hattori. Manga University, 2007. $14.95. 9784921205072.
  Dust off your chopstick skills and chow down on manga-inspired Japanese cuisine.

  Kincy, Karen. Other. Flux, 2010. $9.95. 9780738719191.
  Pookas, dryads and werewolves… no Other is safe with hunters on the loose.

  The Manga University Culinary Institute.  The Manga Cookbook . Illus. by Chihiro Hattori. Manga University, 2007. $14.95. 9784921205072.
  Dust off your chopstick skills and chow down on manga-inspired Japanese cuisine.

  Mecum, Ryan. Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry for Your…Brains. How, 2008. $9.99. 978-1600610707.
  Who knew zombies could be so poetic?

  Ross, Campbell. Shadoweyes. Illus. by Campbell Ross. SLG, 2010. $14.95. 978-1593621896.
  A newborn vigilante takes justice into her own eyes.

  Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. Simon & Schuster, 2009. $8.99. 978-1416912057.
  It's a race to keep your organs.

  Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Tantalize. Candlewick, 2008. $8.99. 978-1406315608.
  Blood sausage is just one of the many specialties at this vampire-friendly restaurant.

  Weingarten, Lynn.  Wherever Nina Lies. Point, 2010. $9.99. 978-0-545-06633-4.$8.99
  Why is Ellie searching for her dead sister?

  Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan. Illus. by Keith Thompson. Simon Pulse, 2010. $9.99. 9781416971740.
  This isn't the history you studied.

  Wooding, Chris.  Malice.  Illus. by Dan Chernett. Scholastic, 2009. $9.99. 978-0-545-16044-5.
  Trust me, this comic’s a killer!