Thursday, December 2, 2021

Brainstorm 256: Top 10s of 2021 Part 1: Nonfiction Books

It’s time for this year’s Top 10s of 2021! 

For the next 3 weeks I will be sharing with you my favorite reads of the year. If you are looking for a good read for yourself or someone you love, these are some of my top recommendations! 

In general, I’ve put my favorite book(s) on top and then in descending order, but considering many of these books beat out 100s of others in the same category, that’s a minor thing at this point. They are all amazing in my opinion if they’ve made these lists. I’ve set limiters for certain lists to help myself narrow things down, and all of these are books I've read in the past 12 months. I've also limited it to books that are already in our libraries at ICS, or books that are coming soon to our shelves.

You can click on the titles to read my full review of each book.

Here’s the Top 10s of 2021s Schedule for this year:

Dec 3: Nonfiction books

Dec 10: Fiction books

Dec 17: Graphic novels & Asian Lit


Some notes on terms:

Lower Grade (LG) books are aimed at Pre-K-3 grade readers

Middle Grade (MG) books are aimed at 3rd-8th grade readers

Young Adult (YA) books are aimed at teen readers


Top 10 Middle Grade and/or YA Nonfiction

All Thirteen: the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

Gidget the Surfing Dog: Catching Waves with a Small But Mighty Pug by Elizabeth Rusch

While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown

Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid by Mikaila Ulmer

A Thousand Sisters: the Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II by Elizabeth Wein

The Light of Days: the Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos Young Readers’ Edition by Judy Batalion

The Impossible First Young Readers’ Edition by Colin O’Brady

Games of Deception: the True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Germany by Andrew Maraniss

How We Got to the Moon: the People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco

This Is Your Time by Ruby Bridges


Top 10 Adult Nonfiction

An Elephant in My Kitchen: What the Herd Taught Me about Love, Courage and Survival by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Katja Willemsen

The Queens of Animation: the Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History by Nathalia Holt

Becoming by Michelle Obama

The Sakura Obsession: the Incredible Story of the Plant Hunter Who Saved Japan’s Cherry Blossoms by Naoko Abe

New on Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild by Suzi Eszterhas

The House of Yan: a Family at the Heart of a Century of Chinese History by Lan Yan, translated by Sam Taylor

A Village with My Name: a Family History of China’s Opening to the World by Scott Tong

The Riddle of the Labyrinth: the Quest to Crack an Ancient Code by Margalit Fox

The Perfect Predator: a Scientist’s Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: a Memoir by Steffanie Strathdee & Thomas Patterson

The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens by Christopher Skaife


Top 10 MG, YA, or Adult Christian Nonfiction

How (Not) to Save the World: the Truth about Revealing God’s Love to the People Right Next to You by Hosanna Wong

When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace by Ruth Chou Simmons

Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit by Hannah Anderson, ill. by Nathan Anderson

The Powerful Purpose of Introverts: Why the World Needs You to Be You by Holly Gerth

Gentle and Lowly: the Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. Ortlund

How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment, and Unmet Expectations by Max Lucado

A Kid’s Guide to the Names of Jesus (A Kid’s Guide to) by Tony Evans

Sacred Endurance: Finding Grace and Strength for a Lasting Faith by Trillia J. Newbell

Singing in the Dark: Finding Hope in the Songs of Scripture by Ginny Owens

Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N.T. Wright


Top 10 Christian Picture Books 

(Mostly nonfiction books, though the last 2 are fiction. Christian leveled readers in the leveled reader list.)

The Bright Light and the Super Scary Darkness by Dan DeWitt, ill. by Rhea Zai

Jesus and the Lions’ Den: a True Story about How Daniel Points Us to Jesus (Tales That Tell the Truth) by Alison Mitchell, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

Go and Do Likewise!: the Parables and Wisdom of Jesus by John Hendrix

The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song: a True Story about How God Uses People to Save People (Tales That Tell the Truth) by Bob Hartman, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

Christmas Is Coming! by Tama Fortner, ill. by Wazza Pink

The God Contest: a True Story of Elijah, Jesus, and the Greatest Victory (Tales That Tell the Truth) by Carl Laferton, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

Near: Psalm 139 by Sally Lloyd-Jones, ill. by Jago

Goodbye to Goodbyes: a True Story about Jesus, Lazarus, and an Empty Tomb (Tales That Tell the Truth) by Lauren Chandler, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

A Hero’s Prayer by Sheri Rose Shepherd, ill. by Jennifer Zivoin

Sophie and the Heidelberg Cat by Andrew Wilson, ill. by Helena Perez Garcia


Top 10 Lower Grade Nonfiction 

(Limited to 1 per author; picture book biographies in their own category.)

The Brain Is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk

Swish!: the Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globe Trotters by Suzanne Slade, ill. by Don Tate

Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis

Do You Know Dewey?: Exploring the Dewey Decimal System by Brian P. Cleary, ill. by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Play in the Wild: How Baby Animals Like to Have Fun by Lita Judge

Red Rover: Curiosity on Mars by Richard Ho, ill. by Katherine Roy

Solar Story: How One Community Lives Alongside the World’s Biggest Solar Plant by Allan Drummond

You’re Invited to a Moth Ball: a Nighttime Insect Celebration by Loree Griffin Burns, photos by Ellen Harasimowicz

Follow the Recipe: Poems about Imagination, Celebration, & Cake by Marilyn Singer, ill. by Marjorie Priceman

The Frog Book by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page


Top 10 Picture Book Biographies

(Leveled reader picture book biographies excluded and in leveled reader list.)

The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang, ill. by Khoa Le

Monument Maker: Daniel Chester French and the Lincoln Memorial by Linda Booth Sweeney, ill. by Shawn Fields

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford, ill. by Frank Morrison

Flight for Freedom: the Wetzel Family’s Daring Escape from East Germany by Kristen Fulton, ill. by Torben Kuhlmann

The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha, ill. by Yuko Shimizu

The Polio Pioneer: Dr. Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine by Linda Elovitz Marshall, ill. by Lisa Anchin

Thank You, Sarah: the Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson, ill. by Matt Faulkner

Just Like Rube Goldberg: the Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines by Sarah Aronson, ill. by Robert Neubecker

Cézanne’s Parrot by Amy Guglielmo, ill. by Brett Helquist

Anna & Samia: the True Story of Saving a Black Rhino by Paul Meisel


Top 10 Nonfiction Leveled Readers/Beginning Readers

(An * indicates a Christian title.)

A Pony with Her Writer: the Story of Marguerite Henry and Misty (Tails from History) by Thea Feldman, ill. by Rachel Sanson

All about Bears by Jennifer Szymanski

A Zebra’s Day by Aubre Andrus

Forest Friends by Mary Hassinger*

Where We Live by Brenda Stones & Thea Feldman

Jesus Saves the World by Kelly Pulley*

Lucy Maud Montgomery by Sarah Howden, ill. by Nick Craine

Animals That Change Color by Libby Romero

The Bravest Cat: the True Story of Scarlett by Laura Driscoll, ill. by DyAnne DiSalvo

Animal Survivors by Clive Gifford, ill. by Sarah Horne


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