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TAYSHAS takes its name from the Caddo Indian word meaning “friends or allies.” Written as texas, texios, tejas, teyas or tayshas, the Spanish in eastern Texas applied the word to the Caddos, whom they regarded as friends and allies against the Apaches.
The TAYSHAS reading list aims to motivate young adults to become lifelong readers and participate in the community of readers in Texas. Students in grades 9 – 12 are encouraged to read books for pleasure from the list, which includes fiction and nonfiction titles.
Collection Development Statement
The TAYSHAS Reading List is not designed to support any particular curriculum. Librarians are not required or expected to purchase every book on the list. Due to the diversity in age range and topics, librarians should follow their local collection development policies and guidelines when considering which titles to purchase for their library.
2026 Tayshas List
2026 Tayshas List Canva Presentation
To learn more about nomination criteria, please click here.
Thank you to all who volunteered! Please visit the Young Adult Round Table webpage and community on Engage to learn about new sub-committee members and officers.
Ready to take your love of reading young adult books to the next level? Volunteering for one of YART’s reading committee lists allows you to help curate a diverse list of books that meet the needs of all young adults in Texas. You can also volunteer for one of YART’s executive board positions to help advocate for YA reading, publicize reading lists, work with publishers, and plan conferences.
To learn more about the YARI Award, email YART.
Young Adult Reading Incentive Award
TLA’s monthly June 2026 member spotlight features Yasmeen Harris-Youngblood, Librarian at Hexter Elementary, Dallas ISD.
TLA is now accepting session proposals for our 2027 Annual Conference; submit your ideas by June 24 to share practical insights with colleagues across Texas.
