Over at Vector, they've been talking about the 20 Essential SF books of the past twenty years and the 20 Essential Fantasy books of the past twenty years.
My friend HBS Steve (who sent me the first link) asked what my picks would be for YA. Which, of course, got me thinking. Feed, definitely. No doubts on that one. It would be on the list for sure. Inexcusable, How I Live Now, Dead Girls Don't Write Letters. Peeps, Magic and Madness, Story of a Girl, Sabriel, The Book Thief, Ironman. The Giver, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, The White Darkness, a John Green title but I can't decide which one. Boy Meets Boy, Saving Francesca, What My Mother Doesn't Know. Sorcery and Cecelia. The Golden Compass and Hard Love.
Also, I'm tempted to stick Graceling in there somewhere even though it isn't out yet... I loved it THAT MUCH. When, oh when, will October be here so that I can nominate it for the Cybils?
Looking at this list (which I made off the top of my head, so I'm sure there are some major omissions), I notice that it is heavy on recent titles and heavy on fantasy, which I seem to have read a lot of over the last few years. Also, while I started with good intentions, it might have just turned into a list of my favorites.
Which titles would you remove and what would you replace them with? Or, if you disagree with all of 'em, what would your picks be? And how would this sort of list differ from a list of iconic YA books from the past twenty years? I mean, if we were making that sort of list, I'd put Weetzie Bat on it in a second even though I (to put it mildly) have never been a fan.
Lists are so much fun. Have at it.
I'm with you on a lot of those, Leila - I wouldn't be able to pick one John Green book either (and I haven't even read "Paper Towns" yet but am DYING to), "Absolutely true..." is 100% awesome, "The Book thief" slayed me, and "The golden compass" is beyond words. I'd put one or two graphic novels in there though, perhaps "American Born Chinese," "Blankets," "Persepolis," or "Maus."
Personally, since I haven't read a few on your list, I'd have "Life as we knew it" by Pfeffer, "Thirteen reasons why" by Asher, "Nick and Norah's infinite playlist" by Cohn and Levithan, and "Sold" by McCormick.
Just my two cents! I'm excited to see what everyone else thinks. :)
Posted by: Rebecca | 27 August 2008 at 09:16 AM
Good choices! It's interesting to think about what's the best of the past twenty years--especially with the way YA has changed so much in that time period.
If I was making a list like this, I'd definitely have the Uglies quartet by Scott Westerfeld, Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan and Joss Whedon, and the soon-to-be-published Impossible by Nancy Werlin.
Posted by: Melissa | 27 August 2008 at 09:40 AM
I second the Nick & Norah nomination. As for the John Green book: An Abundance of Katherines, hands down. And I would add The Changeover to the list (as it has become my favorite YA of all time--yes, I am committing to that!) and maybe also Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater Dude, which never seems to get much attention despite being a really excellent book. Oh, and Geography Club, and...crap, this would take too long.
Posted by: Elizabeth | 27 August 2008 at 09:55 AM
I still haven't read American Born Chinese, Blankets, OR Persepolis. Pathetic, right? I thought about Maus, but it doesn't fit in the 20 year span. You're totally right about Nick & Norah, though I don't know which title I'd bump to make room!
I've been meaning to start Runaways for ages now -- guess I'll have to get to it! Same goes for Impossible.
Changeover came out over twenty years ago -- 1983 or 1984, I think. Geography Club just barely missed the list. I do love that one. I haven't read Skater Dude, so I'll have to add it to my GoodReads list.
And I can't believe I forgot about Heavy Metal and You until just now! I MUST find a way of fitting it in! ARG!!
Posted by: Leila | 27 August 2008 at 10:30 AM
If I were making a list Nancy Farmer's House of the Scorpion would be on it.
Posted by: Alysa | 27 August 2008 at 12:01 PM
I would advocate for a Robin McKinley book on your list.
Posted by: Emily | 27 August 2008 at 12:24 PM
Not a 'Weetzie Bat' fan? Gasp! I adored those books in high school. Another essential for me would be 'Feeling Sorry for Celia' by Jaclyn Moriarty, which is probably the funniest, most honest book about high school I've read.
Posted by: annie | 27 August 2008 at 01:21 PM
It took me a couple tries to get into Weetzie Bat, and even now, I have to be in a very particular mood.
Hmm. I might add The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs by Jack Gantos, which I know has had some category issues. I also think E. Lockhart's Fly on the Wall is brilliant.
Ooh, and Monster by Walter Dean Myers.
Not sure which ones I'd remove from your (excellent) list, except the couple I haven't read.
Posted by: Sarah Marie | 27 August 2008 at 03:01 PM
I forgot Whale Talk. I'd totally put Whale Talk on there. And Goats by Mark Jude Poirier. My husband says it's not YA but I say it is.
Posted by: Elizabeth | 27 August 2008 at 04:30 PM
i'd have to add 'Tomorrow when the war began' or something to represent John Marsden's Tomorrow series. Wouldn't mind seeing a Horowitz there too. I might get thinking a bit more about this one...
Posted by: merriwyn | 30 August 2008 at 11:32 AM