My Top Picks
PICTURE BOOKS
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
A modern-day fairy tale wrapped up in yarn. A celebration of
creativity, kindness, and not needing to explain yourself.
Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O.
Zelinsky
Zebra is staging an alphabet book, but Moose just can’t wait
for his turn. He disrupts letter after letter, and Zebra gets increasingly
exasperated… Fun and funny, with a couple of twists you won’t see coming.
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Seeger helps us look at the color green in so many different
ways, and the cutouts add
to the appeal of this visual poem. The last few pages take us in new directions.
Freedom Song by Sally M. Walker, illustrated by Sean Qualls
Make this a companion book to the perhaps better-known Henry’s
Freedom Box by Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson. This newer version of Henry "Box" Brown’s life and escape to freedom is simply lovely—and I am referring as much
to the words as to the pictures.
POETRY
National Geographic’s Book of Animal Poetry
As I mentioned in my recent review, some genius figured out
that animal photos from the National Geographic archives would make the perfect
accompaniment to an anthology of animal poems. The poems themselves are beautifully
rich and varied—plus there are a lot of them!
MIDDLE GRADE
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
Another madcap adventure in the Florida Everglades from
Hiassen, author of Hoot, Scat, and Flush as well as numerous adult mysteries. I
like how he escalates the absurdity along with the peril.
The Second Life of Abigail Walker by Frances O’Roark Dowell
This is what they call a small gem of a book. You’ll find a
touch of magical realism in Dowell’s story of a sixth grader harassed by
friends and family for being a little overweight. Abby’s world changes when she
stands up to the mean girls, encounters a fox that’s more than meets the eye, and
crosses a creek to discover someone who is worse off than she is. (I've been meaning to
review this, but I loaned it to a friend….)
Goblin Secrets by William Alexander
Recent winner of the National Book Award for Children’s
Literature. Apparently not everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved main character
Rownie; the lyrical, atmospheric storytelling; and the way the world building
just was, without long explications.
Caddy’s World by Hilary McKay (ages 10 and up)
I am a true-blue fan of McKay’s Casson family books. You
really should read the first five books before this one. (And check out her
Exiles books, too!) The parents are artists and bordering on negligent, but the
humor and humanity in these books just can’t be beat.
Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
As the Booklist reviewer said earlier this year, “Regency
romance meets Harry Potter with a strong jolt of twenty-first century feminism”
in Burgis’s Kat Incorrigible series. This is Book 2, and it’s just as much fun
as Book 1.
YOUNG ADULT
Dodger by Terry Pratchett
The brilliant Brit turns his predecessor Dickens’ Artful
Dodger into a determined young hero in this adventure novel. Thoroughly
satisfying and even moving as you cheer for Dodger to overcome his humble
beginnings, solve a mystery, defeat his enemies, and save a damsel in distress
(who is not a total wimp!).
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
In today’s sci-fi/fantasy genre there are endless variations
of worlds where different human-ish species coexist uneasily. But this book
gets it right in terms of character development, court intrigue, and mystery.
Seraphina is partly about prejudice, but mostly about a girl trying to survive
the turmoil in her life.
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Sarah Dessen fans take note: this is a really good read that
works the way Dessen’s books do but is not an imitator. The theme of second
chances takes on a couple of different meanings, and the humor in the book is
counterbalanced by the sorrow—or vice versa!
Cat Girl’s Day Off by Kimberly Pauley
This one's about a version of our world in which some people have
talents like levitation and divination, including Nat’s older sister. Nat’s
talent, on the other hand, is that she can talk to cats. Hilarity ensues,
especially when a film crew comes to town and a mystery is afoot. I hope they
make this into a movie.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Slow-paced, solemn, sinister—so why do I like this so much?
Mostly the characters, not to mention Stiefvater’s ability to build suspense with a supernatural twist bit by bit. Throw in some Welsh legends and a boys’ school for
good measure. Bottom line: The Raven Boys is really, really well written. That
would explain the five starred reviews it got!
Books with Buzz
Now, of course I haven’t read everything, so let’s also take a look at some other recommendations…
What I’ll do is list books that made it to at least two
of the following—the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, the Publisher’s Weekly and
Kirkus best books of the year lists, the New York Times Best Illustrated Books
of 2012, and the Heavy Medal blog’s shortlist (SLJ). I also considered books
that received 4–6 starred reviews as of late June (thanks to ShelfTalker). See also the New York Times list of Notable Children's Books for 2012 (thanks to Charlotte for the link).
PICTURE BOOKS
And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin
Stead
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (5 starred reviews)
A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead
I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by
Kadir Nelson
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O.
Zelinsky (6 starred reviews)
MIDDLE GRADE
Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Son by Lois Lowry
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sarah Pennypacker
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
YOUNG ADULT
Note: Because not all of the YA lists for 2012 are out yet, I am
going to rely mostly on starred reviews and the Publishers Weekly list of best books
for teens.
Ask the Passengers by A.S. King
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (6 starred reviews)
The Diviners by Libba Bray
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (6 starred reviews)
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Lies, Knives, and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge
No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work
of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller by Vaunda Nelson
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
NONFICTION
The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins
Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport
Chuck Close: Face Book
Chuck Close: Face Book
Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by
Phillip Hoose
One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of
the World by Joe McKendry
We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by
Cynthia Levinson
Note: If you've read any of these books and would like to tell us how good they are and why, please leave a comment!
Update 12-4-12: The New York Public Library has published its list of the best books of the year. Thanks to Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 for the link.
Update 12-9-12: Here are the Goodreads Choice Awards for 2012. You'll find many of the books listed above here. See also the Horn Book Fanfare list for 2012, another link I got from Betsy Bird.
Update 12-10-12: The Atlantic Wire has a great list of Y.A./Middle Grade Book Awards for 2012; I really like their categories! Aaaand the Kirkus list, Best Teen Books of 2012, is out! Watch for those duplicates between lists. They tell us a lot.
Update 12-12-12: Also the Amazon lists. I'm not impressed by the picture book list, but the middle grade and teen lists seem to be right on target.
Update 12-4-12: The New York Public Library has published its list of the best books of the year. Thanks to Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 for the link.
Update 12-9-12: Here are the Goodreads Choice Awards for 2012. You'll find many of the books listed above here. See also the Horn Book Fanfare list for 2012, another link I got from Betsy Bird.
Update 12-10-12: The Atlantic Wire has a great list of Y.A./Middle Grade Book Awards for 2012; I really like their categories! Aaaand the Kirkus list, Best Teen Books of 2012, is out! Watch for those duplicates between lists. They tell us a lot.
Update 12-12-12: Also the Amazon lists. I'm not impressed by the picture book list, but the middle grade and teen lists seem to be right on target.
