2022 was quite the year in publishing. We are so lucky to have more inclusive and broader range of perspectives represented in literature. Thinking back to my year in reading, here are my highest rated chapter books that I recommend for children, teens and adults:
Early Readers (ages 5-9)Slug Days - realistic fiction, autism, school, friendship
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey - realistic fiction, overcoming fears, friendship, family
Surely Surely Marisol Rainey - realistic fiction, school, self-confidence, friendship
The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat and a Casserole - fantasy, mystery, humor, sisters
Bee & Flea and the Compost Caper - science, biology, humor
Ada Twist and the Perilous Plants - science, inquiry
Pet That Cat! - nonfiction, cat care, cat behavior
Middle Grade (ages 9-14)
Fantasy Cress Watercress - fantasy, animals, grief, humor, adventure, community
The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez - fantasy, military families, bullying, mystery, Cuban folklore
The Ogress and the Orphans - fantasy, community, family, social commentary
Too Bright to See - paranormal, mystery, grief, ghosts, identity, LGBTQ, family, friendship
The Last Mapmaker - fantasy, family, mystery, adventure, humor, dragons
Lalani of the Distant Sea - fantasy, Filipino folklore, adventure, monsters
LoterÃa - magical realism, Mexico, mortality, fate
Scary Stories for Young Foxes: The City - fantasy, suspense, scary, animal adventure, sequel to Scary Stories for Young Foxes
The Silver Arrow - fantasy, train travel, family, friendship, mystery, humor
The Marvellers - fantasy, action, family secrets, magic school
Pony - supernatural, historical fiction, 1860s, U.S., horses, grief, sons, fathers, horses, bandits
Snapdragon - fantasy, graphic novel, friendship, LGBTQ, mystery
Zatanna and the House of Secrets - fantasy, magic, graphic novel, family secrets, mystery
Scritch Scratch - paranormal, Chicago, tragedies, family, friendship
The Year I Flew Away - fantasy, historical fiction, 1980s New York City, Haitian folklore, immigrants in the U.S.
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, Book 1 - fantasy, humor, adventure, grandfathers, magic, clumsiness
Frances and the Monster - fantasy, adventure, humor
Historical Fiction
The Other Side of the River - historical fiction, Mexican revolution, immigrants in the U.S., identity, sequel to The Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna
The Door of No Return - historical fiction, Africa, slavery, family
The Blackbird Girls - historical fiction, 1980s Chernobyl Explosion, Russia, family, friendship, religion
Red, White and Whole - historical fiction, 1980s, Indian, immigrants the U.S., ill parent, family, identity
My Own Lightning - historical fiction, 1940s Pennsylvania, mystery, sequel to Wolf Hollow
Long Road to the Circus - historical fiction, 1900s, U.S. farms, gender roles, family
Starting from Seneca Falls - historical fiction, 1800s, U.S., women's rights, child abuse
Moonwalking - historical fiction, 1980s New York City, novel in verse, art, autism, friendship, ill parent, bullying, race
By the Light of the Fireflies - historical fiction, American Revolution, child hero, family
Being Clem - historical fiction, 1940s Chicago, grief, race, family, friendship, class
The Legend of Auntie Po - historical fiction, graphic novel, 1880s NW U.S., LGBTQ, Chinese voices, logging history
A Place to Hang the Moon - historical fiction, WWII, England, siblings, orphans, community
Nonfiction
Alias Anna - biography, WWII, novel in verse, music, family
While I Was Away - memoir, immigrants in the U.S., Japanese, friendship, family, grandparents
Short Stories
Beyond the Stars - short stories, Irish authors, emotional
Hope Wins - short stories, inspiring, overcoming challenges
Realistic Fiction
Stuntboy, in the Meantime - realistic fiction, graphic novel, anxiety, bullying, community, family
Out of My Heart - realistic fiction, disability POV, friendship, sequel to Out of My Mind
The Best Liars in Riverview - realistic fiction, mystery, LGBTQ, friendship, bullying
Maizy Chen's Last Chance - realistic fiction, identity, racism, immigrants in the U.S., Asian, family, community
Efrén Divided - realistic fiction, immigrants in the U.S., Mexico, deportation, friendship, family
Worser - realistic fiction, school, friendship, family, ill parent, autism, bullying, community activism
Golden Girl - realistic fiction, novel in verse, Pakistani immigrants in the U.S., family, kleptomaniac
Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence - realistic fiction, friendship, pets, inspiring
New From Here - realistic fiction, COVID lockdown, Asian, racism, community, family, ADHD
Tune it Out - realistic fiction, homelessness, sensory processing disorder, family, friendship
Turtle Boy - realistic fiction, identity, friendship, grief, religion, death
Brave Like That - realistic fiction, adoption, identity, friendship
Five Things About Ava Andrews - realistic fiction, friendship, social anxiety, community activism
96 Miles - realistic fiction, family, survival, friendship, mystery, suspense
This Last Adventure - realistic fiction, grandparents, Alzheimers, friendship
The Amelia Six - realistic fiction, friendship, mystery, gender, humor
Jennifer Chan is Not Alone - realistic fiction, friendship, mystery, identity, bullying, Asian, aliens
Solving for M - realistic fiction, ill parent, friendship, family
Stuck - realistic fiction, learning disabilities, friendship, school, family
Lemon Drop Falls - realistic fiction, grief, OCD, anxiety, family, friendship
Samira Surfs - realistic fiction, novel in verse, Rohingya refugees, gender roles, identity, Bangladesh, surfing
One Time - realistic fiction, school, imagination, friendship, identity
How to Become a Planet - realistic fiction, LGBTQ, anxiety, depression, family, friendship
Violets are Blue - realistic fiction, opioids, divorce, friendship, special FX makeup
Count Me In - realistic fiction, Indian, immigrants in the U.S., racism, community activism, friendship
The Girl Who Stole an Elephant - realistic fiction, adventure, Sri Lanka, friendship, class
Young Adult (ages 14 +)
Nonfiction
Black Birds in the Sky - nonfiction, Tulsa Race Massacre, racism, American history, Oklahoma
From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry - nonfiction, true crime, Asian, justice, American history
Fallout - nonfiction, Cold War, espionage, nuclear war, Soviet Union, United States, communism
Revolution in Our Time - nonfiction, Black Panthers, history, politics
The Woman All Spies Fear - nonfiction, biography, code breaker, heroism
Historical Fiction
Last Night at the Telegraph Club - historical fiction, 1950s San Fransisco, LGTBQ, Chinese immigrants, gender, identity
A Sitting in St. James - historical fiction, 1860s Louisiana, enslaved generation, plantation life, identity, racism, class
I Must Betray You - historical fiction, Romania, Communism, spies, romance, family
Under a Painted Sky - historical fiction, 1849 Oregon Trail, romance, friendship, gender roles
Displacement - historical fiction, graphic novel, Japanese-American Internment Camps, WWII, Asian
Realistic Fiction
All My Rage - realistic fiction, immigrants in the U.S., romance, ill parent, abuse, identity, trauma, Middle Eastern
Firekeeper's Daughter - realistic fiction, Ojibwe, identity, mystery, thriller, family
You Should See Me in a Crown - realistic fiction, LGBTQ, high school, friendship, social pressure
Jagged Little Pill - realistic fiction, sexual assault, multiple narrators, community, friendship
Ain't Burned All the Bright - poetry, COVID, Black voices, social commentary
Blackout - short stories (intertwined), realistic fiction, identity, LGBTQ, relationships, romance
Fantasy
A Snake Falls to Earth - fantasy, Indigenous futurism, family, community, Lipan Apache, supernatural
Me (Moth) - supernatural, romance, grief, identity, spiritualism, Navajo
Gleanings - short stories, dystopian, death, power, part of the Arc of a Scythe trilogy
Poster Girl - dystopian, mystery, power, family
Adult
When Women Were Dragons - fantasy, gender roles, family, mystery, social commentary
Nightcrawling - poverty, crime, realistic fiction, law enforcement
Wrong Place, Wrong Time - organized crime, time travel, family, betrayal
The It Girl - mystery, suspense, murder, Oxford, friendship, romance
Book Lovers - romance, family, book publishing industry
Tracy Flick Can't Win - realistic fiction, dark humor, community, high school, sequel to Election
One Italian Summer - realistic fiction, grief, marriage, mothers, romance
She Come By it Natural - nonfiction, culture, music, feminism
This Tender Land - historical fiction, 1930s ,Great Depression, midwest U.S., epic quest
Compiling this list reflects the genres I gravitate towards and what I need to seek out more. The upcoming year provides the perfect time to read more books that will leave their mark in my psyche. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave them in the comments. 90% of these books I read come from others' recommendations!
I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of book clubs, review groups and other professional learning networks that allow me to discuss the best books. The American Library Association's Youth Media Awards are also a source of my selected books to read in the coming year. The nominees and winning books are announced on January 30, 2023 from 8 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. CENTRAL time. I can't wait!
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