Teens can vote for next year’s Teen Read Week theme & see who won the Teens’ Top Ten

CHICAGO – This week, nearly 5,000 libraries across the United States will celebrate Teen Read Week with special events and activities encouraging teens to read for the fun of it. The 2011 Teen Read Week theme is Picture It @ your library, which encourages teens to read graphic novels and other illustrated materials, seek out creative books or imagine the world through literature.

“Libraries provide a free community center, a place for teens to spend their free time and find fun, engaging activities to participate in and interesting materials to read for fun,” said YALSA president Sarah Flowers. “Teen Read Week is a good opportunity for educators, librarians, parents and caregivers and teens to spend time at their library and demonstrate the importance of funding libraries and teen services.”

Each year during Teen Read Week™, YALSA announces the Teens’ Top Ten, a booklist in which teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. This year, the ten books were announced via video on Oct. 17, with a special acceptance from winner Cassandra Clare, author of “Clockwork Angel.” Nearly 10,000 teens voted on this year’s list.

During Teen Read Week, teens can also vote for the 2012 Teen Read Week theme. The options are: Devour a Book @ your library®, It Was a Dark and Stormy Night @ your library® and It Came from the Library!

Teen Read Week also kicks off the WrestleMania Reading Challenge, sponsored by World Wrestling Entertainment and YALSA. More than 1,800 libraries signed up for the project, in which teens and tweens in grades 5-12 can win a trip to WrestleMania XXVII in Miami and $2,000 for their sponsoring libraries.

Since its inception in 1998, Teen Read Week (www.ala.org/teenread), sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA) has encouraged teens to visit their public and school libraries, select their own reading material and read for the fun of it.

Teen Read Week 2011 Promotional Partners include: ALA Graphics, Candlewick Press, Chafie Press, Chronicle Books, Carolrhoda Lab, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Galaxy Press, Lerner Publishing Group and Penguin Books for Young Readers. Nonprofit supporters include AdLit.org, American Association of School Administrators (AASA), American Booksellers Association (ABA), Cable in the Classroom (CIC), International Reading Association, Kids Care, KIDSNET, Los Angeles Young Adult Authors (LAYAs), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Education Association, National School Boards Association (NSBA), readergirlz, SmartGirl, Speak UP Press, Swept Away TV/The Rock Star Stories and TeenInk.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists.

To comment, share, or see related resources and images, go here.