Welcome to week 2 of the Top 10s of 2022! This week primarily highlights my favorite contemporary and historical fiction reads of the year (published any year, just read for the first time this year). I’m also including my favorite Asian fiction reads this week. Working at a school in Asia, I’m always on the hunt for great reads for our students that reflect the cultures they know and/or are a part of. The books in the Asian fiction lists I’m sharing today are all written by authors of Asian descent and feature characters of Asian descent.
All of the books my Top 10s lists beat out hundreds of others (see my reading goal in the lower right), so in general, consider all of these in a big tie for top spot in each category. I do put my absolute favorites more towards the top of the lists, but for most of these I’d be hard pressed to pick my tippy top read out of most of these categories. Deciding which books to include in these lists was quite hard at times. I found myself wishing I'd made this thing the top 20s instead of top 10s. 😉 There is one book in today’s lists that gets a special shoutout, though. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron was one of the first books I read in 2022 and it has continued to stand out as one of the best reads of the year. It is also one of the books I’ve recommended the most this year, and every single reader has come back saying how amazing they thought it was. That is definitely an indication of standout storytelling. Clicking on the titles of each book will take you to my full summary and review plus any content notes/trigger warnings. The lists are organized by reading interest level today starting with middle grade, moving up to YA and adult, and then ending with picture books and lower grade fiction.
Here’s the Top 10s of 2022s Schedule for this year:
Dec 9: Top 10s in Contemporary & Historical Fiction (all levels + graphic novels), and Asian Fiction (any genre)
Dec 16: Nonfiction Books (all levels + graphic novels + leveled readers)
Dec 23: Guest Post: Mrs. Nat’s Top 10s
Top 10 Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction
(Limited to 1 per series)
The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish (The Vanderbeekers, #5) by Karina Yan Glaser
Forbidden City (City Spies, #3) by James Ponti
A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser
Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green
The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
Out of My Heart (Out of My Mind, #2) by Sharon M. Draper
Spy School Project X (Spy School, #10) by Stuart Gibbs
The Crown Heist (Lost Art Mysteries, #3) by Deron R. Hicks
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling
Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence
Top 10 Middle Grade Historical Fiction
(Limited to 1 per series)
In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna (Petra Luna, #1) by Alda P. Dobbs
The Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant
The Dead Man in the Garden (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen, #3) by Marthe Jocelyn
Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird, ill. by David Small
Hunger Winter by Rob Currie
Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle, #3) by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game (Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, #0) by Chris Grabenstein
Unbound by Ann E. Burg
I am Defiance by Jenni L. Walsh
Top 10 Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction Middle Grade Graphic Novels/Comics/Manga
(Limited to 1 per series)
My Life Is a Joke (Jacky Ha-Ha graphic novels, #2) by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein, adapted by Adam Rau, ill. by Betty C. Tang
Sunny Makes a Splash (Sunny, #4) by Jenny L. Holm, ill. by Matthew Holm
Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo
Spy School: the graphic novel (Spy School graphic novels, #1) by Stuart Gibbs, ill. by Anjan Sarkar
Stuntboy in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds, ill. by Raúl the Third
Yuzu the Pet Vet, Vol. 6 (Yuzu the Pet Vet, #6) by Mingo Ito, translated by Julie Goniwich
Besties Work It Out (World of Click, #1) by Kayla Miller & Jeffrey Canino, ill. by Kristina Luu
Katie and the Cupcake Cure: the graphic novel (Cupcake Diaries graphic novels, #1) by Coco Simon, ill. by Glass House Graphics
I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967: the graphic novel by Lauren Tarshis, adapted by Georgia Ball, ill. by Berat Pekmezci
Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega, ill. by Rose Bousamra
Top 10 Asian Middle Grade/Young Adult/Adult Fiction Books
(About a character of Asian descent, written by an author of Asian descent, any fiction genre, limited to 1 per series & 1 per author)
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality (Pandava, #5) by Roshani Chokshi
A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser
Cat + Gamer Vol. 2 (Cat + Gamer, #2) by Wataru Nadatani, translated by Zack Davisson
The Last Fallen Star (Gifted Clans, #1) by Graci Kim
The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
Brothers & Sisters (Shang-Chi, #1) by Gene Luen Yang, ill. by Dike Ruan & Phillip Tan
Fatal Fried Rice (Noodle Shop Mystery, #7) by Vivien Chien
The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
Top 10 Young Adult Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction
(Limited to 1 per author)
Bluebird by Sharon Cameron
Hunting November (Killing November, #2) by Adriana Mather
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas by Tiffany Schmidt
Playing with Fire by April Henry
Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal by Margarita Engle
Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino
The Secret Life of Kitty Granger by G.D. Falksen
Top 10 Adult Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction
(Limited to 1 per series)
A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson
Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin
Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin
Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal
To Write a Wrong (The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency, #2) by Jen Turano
The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson
The Paris Betrayal by James R. Hannibal
Killer Kung Pao (Noodle Shop Mystery, #6) by Vivien Chien
All That Is Secret (Annalee Spain Mystery, #1) by Patricia Raybon
In Search of a Prince (In Search of a Prince, #1) by Toni Shiloh
Top 10 Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction/Realistic Animal Fiction Picture Books
When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling, ill. by Aaron Asis
I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne, ill. by Julia Kuo
Words to Make a Friend: a Story in Japanese and English by Donna Jo Napoli, ill. by Naoko Stoop
I’ll Go and Come Back by Rajani LaRocca, ill. by Sara Palacios
Are You Eating Candy without Me? by Draga Jenny Malesevic, ill. by Charlotte Bruijin
Wombat Underground: a Wildlife Survival Story by Sarah L. Thomson, ill. by Charles Santoso
What We’ll Build: Plans for Our Future Together by Oliver Jeffers
Hope at Sea: an Adventure Story by Daniel Miyares
Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias, ill. by Tracy Subisak
Welcoming Elijah: a Passover Tale with a Tail by Lesléa Newman, ill. by Susan Gal
Top 10 Lower Grade Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction
(Limited to 2 per series)
Mindy Kim and the Trip to Korea (Mindy Kim, #5) by Lyla Lee, ill. by Dung Ho
Anne’s Kindred Spirits (Anne Chapter Book, #2) based on the books by L.M. Montgomery, adapted by Kallie George, ill. by Abigail Halpin
Mindy Kim and the Big Pizza Challenge (Mindy Kim, #6) by Lyla Lee, ill. by Dung Ho
Anne’s School Days (Anne Chapter Book, #3) based on the books by L.M. Montgomery, adapted by Kallie George, ill. by Abigail Halpin
The Case of the Missing Cheetah (Secret Spy Society, #1) by Veronica Mang
Mr. Summerling’s Secret Code (The Treasure Troop, #1) by Dori Hillestad Butler, ill. by Tim Budgen
The Used-to-be Best Friend (Jo Jo Makoons, #1) by Dawn Quigley, ill. by Tara Audibert
Franklin Endicott and the Third Key (Tales from Deckawoo Drive, #6) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Chris Van Dusen
The Case of the Curious Scouts (Secret Spy Society, #2) by Veronica Mang
The Final Treasure (The Treasure Troop, #4) by Dori Hillestad Butler, ill. by Tim Budgen
Top 10 Asian Fiction Picture Books/Lower Grade Fiction Chapter Books
(About a character of Asian descent, written by an author of Asian descent, any genre, limited to 1 per author)
When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling, ill. by Aaron Asis
I’ll Go and Come Back by Rajani LaRocca, ill. by Sara Palacios
Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias, ill. by Tracy Subisak
Mindy Kim and the Trip to Korea (Mindy Kim, #5) by Lyla Lee, ill. by Dung Ho
I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne, ill. by Julia Kuo
The Star Festival by Moni Ritchie Hadley, ill. by Mizuho Fujisawa
When the Sakura Bloom by Narisa Togo, English adaptation by Michael Sedunary
Friends are Friends Forever by Dane Liu, ill. by Lynn Scurfield
Snow Angel, Sand Angel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka, ill. by Ashley Lukashevesky
Eyes That Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho, ill. by Dung Ho
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