Brainstorm 163: Top 10s of 2018, Part 3

In this third installment of the Top 10s of 2018 we’ll look at some of my favorite biographies, juvenile nonfiction, graphic novels for MG and LG, and a new category this year, top creators of Asian descent.
The school I work at is in Asia and the elementary librarian and I are constantly on the lookout for books which feature authors, illustrators, settings, and characters that will resonate with our students from Thai, Indian, Korean, Taiwanese, Singaporean, etc backgrounds. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones on such a hunt. So this year I thought it would be great to share my favorite reads of the year featuring creators and characters of Asian descent. The new top 10s in this week’s lists are for creators of Asian descent organized with the students’ absolute favorite ones on top. Next week we’ll look at my top 10 characters of Asian descent from this year.
The books that appear in these lists may have been published in any year unless I needed to narrow down my choice. In that case, I stated the limiters I used by the heading (and the publication year indicates 1st English publication anywhere in the world). My favorite choices (or mine and the students’) are listed first and then it kinda sorta trickles down in descending order, but many of them I'd have trouble choosing between so it is more like some absolute favorites at the top and a 6-8 place tie for runners up. Click on the titles of the books to read my reviews and see any content notes. Enjoy!

Brainstorm 161: Top Adult Fiction, Top YA & Adult Nonfiction, Top YA & Adult Graphic Novels, Top Picture Book Biographies, Top Leveled Readers, Top Christian Nonfiction
Brainstorm 162: Guest Post: Ms Sarah Foit’s Top 10s of 2018
This Week: Top Biographies, Top LG/MG Nonfiction, Top LG/MG Graphic Novels, Top LG Fiction, Top Creators of Asian Descent
Dec 28 (Postponed to Jan 4): Top YA Fiction, Top MG Fiction, Top Fiction Picture Books, Top Asian Characters

Clarification of terms: Lower Grade (LG) refers to Kindergarten-2nd Grade interest level books typically but I'm including Preschool in this division too, Middle Grade (MG) refers to 3rd-8th grade interest level books, and Young Adult (YA) refers to teenage interest level books. Some books will appeal to multiple divisions. For those books I picked the age division I felt it most appealed to.

Top Juvenile, YA & Adult Biography, Autobiography, Memoirs 

(limited to those published in 2016-2018)

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix

MI5 and Me: a Coronet among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham

Short & Skinny by Mark Tatulli

House of Dreams: the Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg, ill. by Julie Morstad

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

Lafayette!: a Revolutionary War Tale (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, #8) by Nathan Hale

Maria Sibylla Merian: Artist, Scientist, Adventurer by Sarah B. Pomeroy & Jeyaraney Kathirithamby

Hidden Figures: the Untold True Story of Four African-American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation into Space by Margot Lee Shetterly

Photographic: the Life of Graciela Iturbide by Isabela Quintero, ill. by Zeke Peña

The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century by Sarah Miller

Top Juvenile (LG & MG) Nonfiction 

(limited to those published in 2017 & 2018)

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, ill. by Shawn Harris

Trash Revolution: Breaking the Waste Cycle by Erica Fyvie, ill. by Bill Slavin

Cute as an Axolotl: Discovering the World’s Most Adorable Animals by Jess Keating, ill. by David DeGrand

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs by Melissa Stewart, ill. by Stephanie Laberis

I Know Numbers! by Taro Gomi

A House in the Sky by Steve Jenkins, ill. by Robbin Gourley

This Bridge Will Not Be Gray by Dave Eggers, ill. by Tucker Nichols

On Our Street: Our First Talk about Poverty by Jillian Roberts and Jaime Casap, ill. by Jane Heinrichs

The Search for Olinguito: Discovering a New Species by Sandra Markle

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid by Dylan Thuras & Rosemary Mosco, ill. by Joy Ang

Top Middle Grade Fictional Graphic Novels, Comics, & Manga 

(limited to those published in 2018, and only 1 book per series allowed)

Ozy and Millie by Dana Simpson

The Time Museum (The Time Museum, #1) by Matthew Loux

The Divided Earth (The Nameless City, #3) by Erin Faith Hicks

Unicorn of Many Hats (Phoebe and Her Unicorn, #7) by Dana Simpson

The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott, ill. by Robin Robinson

Monsters Beware! (Chronicles of Claudette, #3) by Jorge Aguirre, ill. by Rafael Rosado

The League of Lasers (Star Scouts, #2) by Mike Lawrence

Monsters & Modules (Secret Coders, #6) by Gene Luen Yang, ill. by Mike Holmes

Friends and Foes (Red’s Planet, #2) by Eddie Pittman

Gordon: Bark to the Future (P.U.R.S.T., #2) by Ashley Spires

Top Lower Grade Graphic Novels 

(limited to 1 per series)

Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim

Kitten Construction Company: Meet the House Kittens (Kitten Construction Company, #1) by John Patrick Green

Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin

Tiger vs. Nightmare by Emily Tetri

Brobots and the Mecha Melarkey! (Brobots, #2) by J. Torres, ill. by Sean Dove

Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx (Brownstone’s Mythical Collection, #2) by Joe Todd-Stanton

Bad Kitty Camp Daze (Bad Kitty, #11) by Nick Bruel

I’m Silly (My First Comics) by Jennifer L. Holm, ill. by Matthew Holm

Andrew the Seeker (Game for Adventure) by Lee Nordling & Scott Roberts

Intergalactic Gas (The Bad Guys, #5) by Aaron Blabey

Top Lower Grade Fiction 

(only 1 book per series)

Jasmine Toguchi, Drummer Girl (Jasmine Toguchi, #3) by Debbi Michiko Florence, ill. by Elizabet Vukovic

Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy (Charlie & Mouse, #2) by Laurel Snyder, ill. by Emily Hughes

Something Wonky This Way Comes (Mercy Watson, #6) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Chris Van Dusen

Hello, Nebulon! (Galaxy Zack, #1) by Ray O’Ryan, ill. by Colin Jack

The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, ill. by LeUyen Pham

Claude on the Slopes (Claude, #6) by Alex T. Smith

Tapir All at Sea (Mango & Bambang, #2) by Polly Faber, ill. by Clara Vulliamy

Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexplained Package (Tales from Deckawoo Drive, #4) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Chris Van Dusen

Charge of the Lightning Bugs (The Notebook of Doom, #8) by Troy Cummings

A Boy Called Bat (A Boy Called Bat, #1) by Elana K. Arnold, ill. by Charles Santoso

Top Authors/Illustrators of Asian Heritage Who Create for Middle Grades on up 

(limited to creators who have books published in 2017 & 2018, 

the creator of Asian descent being highlighted will be in bold)

Supernova (Amulet, #8) by Kazu Kibuishi
Kibuishi is fantastic at creating books kids cannot get enough of.

Chi’s Sweet Adventures, Vol. 1 created by Kanata Konami, adapted by Kinoko Natsume
This Japanese illustrator has created one of the most popular characters among the students I work with.

Giant Spider & Me, Vol. 2 by Kikori Morino
Kikori Morino's books have enticed several kids to read who don't normally pick up books.

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
This memoir is one of our most checked out books. (Note: I have used a sharpie on our copy to make some of the pages a little cleaner for MG eyes.)

Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet, #1) by Roshani Chokshi
Chokshi has introduced classic Hindu mythology into both YA and MG.

Monsters & Modules (Secret Coders, #6) by Gene Luen Yang, ill. by Mike Holmes
Yang has created so many books our students love, but Secret Coders is by far the most popular.

Loading Penguin Hugs: Heartwarming Comics from Chibird by Jacqueline Chen
This book is still on order, but I know Chen's adorable and encouraging comics will find a fast fanbase here.

The Serpent’s Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond, #1) by Sayantani DasGupta
DasGupta has created a very fun fantasy adventure with Indian folklore that our students are eating up.

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon
Menon writes the oh so popular contemporary fiction romance with main characters of Indian descent.

Rebel Seoul (Rebel Seoul, #1) by Axie Oh
Oh writes a high octane futuristic thriller that contains an infusing of Korean culture.

Top Authors/Illustrators of Asian Heritage Who Create for Lower Grades 

(limited to creators who have books published in 2017 & 2018, 

the creator of Asian descent being highlighted will be in bold)

Drawn Together by Minh Lê, ill. by Dan Santat
I'm cheating with this one and featuring 2 creators of Asian descent who have made some of our students' favorite books. I highly recommend their article about making this book and how it echoes their own experiences with family, language, and culture.

The Itchy Book by LeUyen Pham & Mo Willems
Pham is a prolific and amazing illustrator; most will recognize her best as the illustrator for the amazingly popular Princess in Black books.

Jasmine Toguchi, Super Sleuth by Debbi Mochiko Florence, ill. by Elizabet Vukovic
Debbi Mochiko Florence writes fantastic contemporary fiction stories about a little Japanese American girl who has quickly won many fans at our school.

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Grace Lin is an amazing author and illustrator who has contributed so many great books featuring Asian traditions, characters, and settings. This is her latest.

Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim
Julie Kim's work will satisfy a craving for a nice little dose of Korean culture.

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson, ill. by Qin Leng
Qin Leng is an illustrator on the rise this year with several books in her adorable style.

I Know Numbers! by Taro Gomi
Gomi is a prolific Japanese author and his latest book that's been translated into English is a fascinating look at something we often tend to overlook.

The First Journey by Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huỳnh Kim Liên
I'm cheating again. Quang and Liên have created one of the most beautiful books I've seen this year, and it is about a Southeast Asian boy too. I'm keeping a lookout for more from these two.

Lines by Suzy Lee
This Korean artist is so creative and able to do so much with just illustrations.

How to Fly Like an Elephant by Kyoko Nemoto
Kyoko Nemoto is a newcomer who has created a great STEAM story featuring enchanting, persevering elephants.

Brainstorm 162: Top 10s of 2018, Part 2

This week in the Top 10s of 2018 we have a guest post from Ms. Sarah Foit, the fantastic Elementary librarian I have the pleasure of working with at the International Community School of Bangkok. She teaches K4-5th grade library and is sharing with us her Top 10 Reads of 2018 in several categories. Books may have been published in any year, but she read them sometime in the last 12 months. Ms Sarah reads hundreds of books each year, so for a book to make it to these lists is quite impressive. Click on the titles to read Ms. Sarah’s reviews of these books (or in the rare case she did not have a review, to my review).

Part 1, Last Week: Top Adult Fiction, Top YA & Adult Nonfiction, Top YA & Adult Graphic Novels, Top Picture Book Biographies, Top Leveled Readers, Top Christian Nonfiction
Part 2, This Week: Guest Post: Ms Sarah Foit’s Top 10s of 2018
Part 3, Dec 21: Top Biographies, Top LG/MG Nonfiction, Top LG/MG Graphic Novels, Top LG Fiction, Top Creators of Asian Descent
Part 4, Dec 28: Top YA Fiction, Top MG Fiction, Top Fiction Picture Books, Top Asian Characters

Clarification of terms: Easy Books are picture books and tend to be in the lower range of LG books, Lower Grade (LG) refers to Kindergarten-2nd Grade interest level books typically but we've included Preschool in this division too, Middle Grade (MG) refers to 3rd-8th grade interest level books

Top 10 Easy Fiction Picture Books

Mama's Belly by Kate Hosford, ill. by Abigail Halpin

On a Magical Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna, translated by Jill Davis

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming, ill. by Stacey Dressen-McQueen

The First Journey by Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên

Time for Bed, Miyuki by Roxanne Marie Galliez, ill. by Seng Soun Ratanvanh

The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack by Crix Sheridan

Ten Cents a Pound by Nhung N. Tran-Davies, ill. by Josée Bisaillon

Chocolate Cake by Michael Rosen, ill. by Kevin Waldron

A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano, ill. by Lane Smith

Escargot by Dashka Slater, ill. by Sydney Hanson

Top 10 Easy Nonfiction Picture Books

Free as a Bird: The Story of Malala by Lina Maslo

On Our Street: Our First Talk about Poverty by Jillian Roberts & Jaime Casap, ill. by Jane Heinrichs

I Spy: An Alphabet in Art devised & selected by Lucy Micklethwait

Who Counts?: 100 Sheep, 10 Coins, and 2 Sons by Amy-Jill Levine & Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, ill. by Margaux Meganck

Lightship by Brian Floca

The World Is Not a Rectangle: a Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter

ABC Color: Apricot, Burgundy & Chartreuse 26 Brand New Colors Are on the Loose ill. by Ingela P. Arrhenius

A Brave Big Sister: a Bible Story about Miriam by Rachel Spier Weaver & Anna Haggard, ill. by Eric Elwell

The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross by Carl Laferton, ill. by Catalina Echeverri

Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking by Elin Kelsey, ill. by Soyeon Kim

Top 10 Lower Grade Fiction Books

Chavo the Invisible by Lee Nordling, ill. by Flávio Silva

The Fran That Time Forgot (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, #4) by Jim Benton

Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx by Joe Todd-Stanton

Squishy McFluff Meets Mad Nana Dot (Squishy McFluff, #3) by Pip Jones, ill. by Ella Okstad

The Mermaid's Purse by Patricia Polacco

Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package (Tales from Deckawoo Drive, #4) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Chris Van Dusen

The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare (The Princess in Black, #6) by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, ill. by LeUyen Pham

Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy (Charlie & Mouse, #2) by Laurel Snyder, ill. by Emily Hughes

Claude on Holiday (Claude, #2) by Alex T. Smith

Fergus and Zeke (Fergus & Zeke, #1) by Kate Messner, ill. by Heather Ross

Top 10 Lower Grade Nonfiction Books

Just Being Jackie by Margaret Cardillo, ill. by Julia Denos

Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real by Marc Tyler Nobleman, ill. by Eliza Wheeler

Hidden Figures: the True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly with Winifred Conkling, ill. by Laura Freeman

Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask about Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw, photos by Matt Carr

Sequoyah: the Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing by James Rumford, translated by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby

The Language of Angels: the Reinvention of Hebrew by Richard Michelson, ill. by Karla Gudeon

Dangerous Jane by Suzanne Slade, ill. by Alice Ratterree

Manfish: a Story of Jaques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne, ill. by Éric Puybaret

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson, ill. by Qin Leng

Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome, ill. by James E. Ransome

Top 10 Middle Grade Fiction Books

The Case of the Case of the Mistaken Identity (The Brixton Brothers, #1) by Mac Barnett, ill. by Adam Rex

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Bob by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, ill. by Nicholas Gannon

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

Refugee by Alan Gratz

The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais, translated by Jeremy Melloul

The Nameless City (The Nameless City, #1) by Faith Erin Hicks

Friends and Foes (Red's Planet, #2) by Eddie Pittman

The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain & Philip Stead, ill. by Erin Stead

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Middle Grade Nonfiction Books

What a Wonderful Word by Nicola Edwards, ill. by Luisa Uribe

Trick of the Eye: Art and Illusion by Silke Vry

The Incredible Cabinet of Wonders (Lonely Planet Kids) by Joe Fullman

The Inker's Shadow by Allen Say

This Side of Wild: Mutts, Mares, and Laughing Dinosaurs by Gary Paulsen

The Tarantula in My Purse: and 172 Other Wild Pets by Jean Craighead George

A Charm of Goldfinches and Other Wild Gatherings: Quirky Collective Nouns of the Animal Kingdom by Matt Sewell

The Great and Only Barnum: the Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum by Candace Fleming, ill. by Ray Fenwick

Hedy's Journey: the True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust by Michelle Bisson, ill. by El primo Ramón

Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion by Chris Barton, ill. by Victo Ngai

Brainstorm 161: Top 10s of 2018, Part 1

It's hard to believe, but it is that time of year again! Time for some Top 10s of the Reading Year! All the Fridays of December I will be sharing the top books I've read in the past year (with one guest post from the Elementary librarian I work with). I’ve been doing lots of reading, and I know many others don’t have a chance to read several hundred books in a year. So from the crazy reader to the mildly crazy reader or the downright mellow reader, my Christmas gift to you is some of my favorite reads of the year, ones you may find worth hunting down in the reading time you do have. Sorting through hundreds of books read in the past twelve months is a long, laborious and grueling process. So many hard choices! But if it helps others find good reads, it is worth it. The books that appear in these lists may have been published in any year unless I needed to narrow down my choice. In that case, I stated the limiters I used by the heading (and the publication year indicates 1st English publication anywhere in the world). My favorite choices are listed first and then it kinda sorta trickles down in descending order, but many of them I'd have trouble choosing between so it is more like some absolute favorites at the top and a 6-8 place tie for runners up. Click on the titles of the books to read my reviews and see any content notes. Enjoy!

This Week: Top Adult Fiction, Top YA & Adult Nonfiction, Top YA & Adult Graphic Novels, Top Picture Book Biographies, Top Leveled Readers, Top Christian Nonfiction
Dec 14: Guest Post: Ms Sarah Foit’s Top 10s of 2018
Dec 21: Top Biographies, Top LG/MG Nonfiction, Top LG/MG Graphic Novels, Top LG Fiction, Top Creators of Asian Descent
Dec 28: Top YA Fiction, Top MG Fiction, Top Fiction Picture Books, Top Asian Characters

Clarification of terms: Lower Grade (LG) refers to Kindergarten-2nd Grade interest level books typically but I'm including Preschool in this division too, Middle Grade (MG) refers to 3rd-8th grade interest level books, and Young Adult (YA) refers to teenage interest level books. Some books will appeal to multiple divisions. For those books I picked the age division I felt it most appealed to.

Top 2018 & 2017 Adult Fiction

(limited to books originally published in 2018 or 2017)

Where We Belong by Lynn Austin

Silent Days, Holy Night by Phyllis Clark Nichols

The Lost Plot (Invisible Library, #4) by Genevieve Cogman

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) by Martha Wells

The Ghost Ship (Space Drifters, #3) by Paul Regnier

The Lost Castle (Lost Castle, #1) by Kristy Cambron

Terminal Alliance (Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse) by Jim C. Hines

Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries, #2) by Martha Wells

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

Snapshot by Brandon Sanderson

Top 2016 or Older Adult Fiction 

(limited to books originally published 2016 or before)

Soul Music (DEATH, #3, Discworld #16) by Terry Pratchett

Sirius by Jonathan Crown

Hogfather (DEATH, #4; Discworld, #20) by Terry Pratchett

The Emerald Enigma (Space Drifters, #1) by Paul Regnier

The Iron Gauntlet (Space Drifters, #2) by Paul Regnier

Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot

Weekend at Thrackley by Alan Melville

Shivering World by Kathy Tyers

Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull

Bats in the Belfry by E.C.R. Lorac

Top YA/Adult Graphic Novels, Comics, & Manga 

(both fiction and nonfiction)

White Sand, Vol. 2 by Brandon Sanderson, adapted by Rik Hoskin, ill. by Julius Gopez & Julius Otha

Giant Spider & Me: a Post-Apocalyptic Tale, Vol. 1 by Kikori Morino

Giant Spider & Me: a Post-Apocalyptic Tale, Vol. 2 by Kikori Morino

Hermes: Tales of the Trickster (Olympians, #10) by George O’Connor

Gone Rogue (Wires and Nerve, #2) by Marissa Meyer, ill. by Stephen Gilpin & Douglas Holgate

A Sea of Love by Wilfrid Lupano, ill. by Grégory Panaccione

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

Trees: Kings of the Forest (Science Comics) by Andy Hirsch

The Inker’s Shadow by Allen Say

Cat vs Human Fairy Tails by Yasmine Surovec

Top YA & Adult Nonfiction

Killers of the Flower Moon: the Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

Ain’t Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson

In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri, translated by Ann Goldstein

The Culture Code: the Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson

Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston

Life on Surtsey: Iceland’s Upstart Island (Scientists in the Field) by Loree Griffin Burns

The Last Castle: the Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home by Denise Kiernan

Eye of the Storm: NASA, Drones, and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code (Scientists in the Field) by Amy Cherrix

Birds of the Photo Ark photographs by Joel Sartore, text by Noah Strycker

Top Leveled Readers

Louise Loves Bake Sales (Louise Readers; I Can Read! Level 1) by Kelly Light

Ride Otto Ride (The Adventures of Otto; Ready to Read Pre-Level One) by David Milgrim

Pizza Pig (Step into Reading, Step 2) by Diana Murray, ill. by Maria Karipidou

Hello, Penguin! (National Geographic Kids Readers, Pre-Reader) by Kathryn Williams

Chicken in Mittens (I Can Read! Level 1) by Adam Lehrhaupt, ill. by Shahar Kober

Living in…South Korea (Living in…; Ready to Read, Level Two) by Chloe Perkins, ill. by Tom Woolley

Beans Baker’s Best Shot (Step into Reading, Step 3) by Richard Torrey

We Need More Nuts (Penguin Young Readers, Level 2) by Jonathan Fenske

Animal Armor (National Geographic Kids Readers, Level 1) by Laura Marsh

Robot, Go Bot!: a Comic Reader (Step into Reading, Step 1) by Dana Meachen Rau, ill. by Wook Jin Jung

Top 2018 Picture Book Biographies, Autobiographies, Memoirs

(limited to books originally published in 2018)

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson, ill. by Qin Leng

How Sweet the Sound: the Story of Amazing Grace by Carole Boston Weatherford, ill. by Frank Morrison

Up in the Leaves: the True Story of the Central Park Treehouses by Shira Boss, ill. by Jamey Cristoph

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: a True Story about an Accidental Invention (Really!) by Barry Wittenstein, ill. by Chris Hsu

Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real by Marc Tyler Nobleman, ill. by Eliza Wheeler

The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs: the Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Reef Foundation by Kate Messner, ill. by Matthew Forsythe

Just Being Jackie (Just Being) by Margaret Cardillo, ill. by Julia Denos

She Persisted around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History (She Persisted) by Chelsea Clinton, ill. by Alexandra Boiger

Lucy Maud Montgomery (Little People, Big Dreams) by Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara, ill. by Anuska Allepuz

Hidden Figures: the True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly and Winifred Conkling, ill. by Laura Freeman

Top 2017 or Older Picture Book Biographies, Autobiographies, or Memoirs

(limited to books originally published in 2017 or before)

Manjhi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin, ill. by Danny Popovici

Dangerous Jane by Suzanne Slade, ill. by Alice Ratterree

Before She Was Harriet by Lisa Cline-Ransome, ill. by James E. Ransome

A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: the Story of E.B. White by Barbara Herkert, ill. by Lauren Castillo

Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask about Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw, photos by Matt Carr

Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling from Beijing to Cambridge by Carrie Clickard, ill. by Katy Wu

Manfish: a Story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne, ill. by Éric Puybaret

Balloons over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines: Designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial by Jeanne Walker Harvey, ill. by Dow Phumrik

Mrs Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter, ill. by Melissa Sweet

Top Christian Nonfiction

The Case for Miracles: a Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural by Lee Strobel

Love Does for Kids by Bob Goff & Lindsay Goff Vidicich, ill. by Michael Lauritano

In the Land of Blue Burqas by Kate McCord

Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef with Ron Brackin

Made Like Martha: Good News for the Woman Who Gets Things Done by Katie M. Reid

An Extraordinary Teacher: a Bible Story about Priscilla by Rachel Spier Weaver and Anna Haggard, ill. by Eric Elwell

The Kid Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews, ill. by Philip Hurst

Present over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist

Healing Our Broken Humanity by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Hill

A Kid’s Guide to the Power of Words (A Kid’s Guide To) by Tony Evans

Brainstorm 160: 12 Christmas Reads for Anyone

It’s the last day of November, and before I launch into my yearly Top 10s of the year for December, it’s time for 12 lesser-known reads for Christmas. Everyone knows that Scrooge is available to hang out this time of year in Dickens’ classic book, and Dr. Seuss’s Grinch gets his fair amount of page time, and if you need a cozy who done it for the holidays Poirot has several cases to choose from. But what about some of those other books that get set out on holiday displays? They’re more of a gamble. Here’s 12 that are good for anyone’s Christmas reading.

Picture Books

The 12 Days of Christmas by Greg Pizzoli
Watch the mother elephant as her little elephant receives ALL the things outlined in the traditional Christmas carol.

Target Readers:

• Humor Fans/Christmas Carol Fans/Elephant Lovers: This is "The 12 Days of Christmas" as if it really happened. And oh boy, am I glad I don't live in that house! A funny and very memorable illustrated version of the Christmas song. 

Itsy Bitsy Christmas: You’re Never Too Little for His Love by Max Lucado, ill. by Bruno Merz
Itsy and Bitsy are two mice who live in Bethlehem. There's lots and lots of people coming into the small town to be counted, and they hear that one of the people is a king. A king coming to little ol' Bethlehem, it is hard to believe. They scramble around the village trying to find the king and almost miss him in their own stable home.

Target Readers:

• Those Looking for Biblical-Related Christmas Stories/Cute Christmas Story Fans: A cute perspective on the Christmas story that provides a little of the Old Testament prophecies' sense of expectation and wonder about a king being born in Bethlehem.

Santa Rex by Molly Idle
The characters from Tea with Rex prepare for Christmas together. They make decorations, decorate the house, bake Christmas cookies, and go to sleep early on Christmas night anticipating the surprises in store on Christmas day, but also just enjoying their time together.

Target Readers:

• Idle’s Rex Book Fans: Those who enjoy Rex’s other adventures at tea and the sea should enjoy watching Rex and gang get ready for Christmas.
• Christmas Decorating Mood/Christmas Activity Prep Fans: I like that all of the activities are things young readers could really do to help prepare for Christmas, from making paper chains to helping bake Christmas cookies and decorate a tree. A very fun holiday read for kids excited about preparing for Christmas.
• Fans of Books Where Illustrations + Text=More: Just read the text and imagine what is going on, and then look at the pictures. You might be surprised to see what the “helpful” dinosaurs are getting up to. This book definitely capitalizes on making the most of the comedy of the words plus the illustrations combined.

Lower Grade Fiction

A Green Christmas (Galaxy Zack, #6) by Ray O’Ryan, ill. by Colin Jack
Zack and his family are excited about going back to spend Christmas on Earth in Vermont with extended family. In the meantime, they are marveling at the different ways Christmas is celebrated on Nebulon while finishing up their shopping and decorating their house. But when a huge storm heads to Nebulon, it looks like their Christmas is not going to be so great after all.

Target Readers:

• Making the Best of Holiday Plans Gone Awry: Anyone who has grown up in an area with regular snow in the winter has probably at some time experienced messed up Christmas travel plans. It can be devastating to psyched up kids and make a lasting impression. But it is something I really haven't seen in that many books. I like that O'Ryan put such a situation in this book. The storm is a creative way to make it happen on a distant planet. And I liked the way Zack's family made the best of things.
• SciFi Fans/Friendship Story Fans: Galaxy Zack is an approachable scifi series for lower grades that has some fun ideas and good friendship experiences.
• Cross-Cultural Christmas Fun/TCKs: I liked the way Zack's family adopts a few Nebulon decorating ideas while also sharing what's important to them. It is a very realistic look at how expat kids would find Christmas in a foreign land. A fun Christmas story that many TCKs will identify with.

Santa Claude (Claude, #9) by Alex T. Smith
Claude and Sir Bobblysock helped PC Ann Cuffs out of a tricky situation during the day on Christmas Eve so she gave Claude a pair of handcuffs and now that their busy day of helping out around the city is done, Claude is inspired to curl up with a book on cops and robbers after his owners leave for a Christmas party. When Claude hears someone in the next room, he and Sir Bobblysock pluck up some courage and capture the invader, handcuffing him to a chair. When they turn on the lights to find out who snuck into the house on Christmas Eve night...they then realize they may have a bit of a problem on their hands, especially when Claude can't find the keys to the handcuffs.

Target Readers:

• Humor Fans/Reluctant Readers/Dog Lovers: Claude’s antics are absolutely hilarious. The prevalence of illustrations and the imaginative adventures are sure to lure in even the most reluctant of readers with this wild Christmas tale.

Middle Grade Fiction

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
With just days till Christmas, the Vanderbeekers' reclusive and grumpy landlord Mr. Beiderman has given them notice that he's not renewing their lease next year and they need to find a new home by January 1. The five Vanderbeeker children are heartbroken. They love their home, they know everyone in the neighborhood, and some of the other residents in their brownstone are more like family than just friends. How can they leave the place they've grown up in the past six years? Something must be done. So the kids start brainstorming how they can convince a man they really don't know and have practically never seen to let them stay.

Target Readers:

• Feel Good Christmas Story Fans/Great Families in Lit Fans/Cozy Community Story Fans: This has all the makings of a feel good Christmas story. Glaser manages to develop all five of the kids' unique personalities as the story unfolds as well as show you how many ties they have in their little neighborhood. They aren't perfect, but they have clearly become an important part of the community from the way the littlest Vanderbeeker brings joy to the elderly couple upstairs on a daily basis, to how second youngest makes dog biscuits for the mailman to share around. The mystery of why Mr. Beiderman never leaves his apartment at the top of the house and why he wants the Vanderbeekers to leave slowly unfolds and was a definite part of the moving conclusion. A cozy holiday tale, with a heartwarming ending, and would make a fantastic family or class read aloud in December. 

Young Adult & Adult Fiction

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Every year an organization called Project Scrooge spends a year identifying a Scrooge, figuring out all the people in their lives that parallel the characters in Dickens’ story, and preparing for the Scrooge to have the full Christmas Carol experience on Christmas Eve. Holly Chase, daughter of a movie director and actress, was the Scrooge a few years ago. She laughed off all the warnings of Christmas Eve trying to get her to reform and melt her heart, and walked right into a car after going to yoga on Christmas morning. As a dead, failed Scrooge, Holly is now working as the Ghost of Christmas Past for Project Scrooge. She has a living body for the job, but it resets every day so she hasn't aged in the five years she's worked on the project. She does her job, but still doesn't get all the Merry Christmas stuff. But this year is a little different. Boz has given her an assistant this year, a girl named Stephanie who is bubbly and joyful. The chosen Scrooge is not your typical middle age guy, he's another seventeen year old, Ethan Winters III, and he is rather pleasing on the eyes. But instead of being a normal work assignment, Holly finds herself getting rather more invested in her work this year, even breaking some big rules to meet the Scrooge in person. Can Holly and Project Scrooge reform Ethan, or is he just as doomed as she was?
Note: Some kissing, deaths mentioned but nothing gory.

Target Readers:

• Classic Rewrite Fans/Dickens Fans: I absolutely loved what Cynthia Hand did. She created a plot that honors Dickens and the heart of his story, but is also fresh and new. Dickens fans will love how the crew hunts for the various Christmas Carol characters. And will also likely find it amusing that Holly's boss, Boz, insists on giving everyone working at Project Scrooge a Dickens name. Holly is Havesham, Stephanie is Little Dorrit, etc. And there are Dickens quotes from multiple books all throughout.
• Light Fantasy Fans/Romance Fans/Feel Good Story Fans: Most of the story feels like a contemporary YA read and there are just fantasy elements occasionally. Holly grows on you through the book (you aren’t supposed to really like her at first). But she has a great supporting cast with plenty of other characters to entertain and enjoy until Holly gets more palatable. There is a little twist in the plot but there are some big hints so I think you're supposed to see it coming. It doesn't make it any less good. I really enjoyed this holiday read. Recommended to anyone who likes warm-hearted holiday stories, feel good stories, character growth stories, and contemporary romance with some light fantasy. 

Saving Red by Sonya Sones
Molly is finishing up her freshman service hours by helping with the homeless count in Santa Monica when she first sees Red, a teenager sleeping on a bluff above the beach. Molly can't get Red out of her head, and during an amazing moment on the ferris wheel the next day when she meets Cristo (quite possibly the most amazing guy ever - and he seems to like her!) they see Red dancing in another car. Molly gets the idea that she should try to help Red get reconnected with her family for Christmas, and shares her plan with Cristo. He's 100% behind the plan, but off to New York City with his family that night for the holidays. So it's just Molly, and her faithful dog Pixel, to carry out Operation Red. The truth is, though, that Molly has other reasons she wants to - needs to - help Red, reasons she's not willing to admit to herself.

Target Readers:

• Those Who Read to Build Empathy: This does a fantastic job of portraying homelessness and people with mental illness incredibly authentically and respectfully, and there are loads of further resources in the back of the book.
• Contemporary Fiction Fans/Novel in Verse Fans/Quick Read Fans: As a novel in verse this is a pretty quick read, but that doesn’t lessen the power of the read. It’s heartwarming. There’s also a sweet, clean little romance side plot for those who want a little Christmas love story.

Silent Days, Holy Night by Phyllis Clark Nichols
Julia is getting ready for a Christmas gala at a big mansion in West Virginia. And as she gets ready, she reminisces about how she came to this point. It all started 16 years ago when she was 10 and she first met the owner of this mansion. Mr. Lafferty was nothing more than a town legend when she met him. Rumors were he was an ogre who lived in a haunted house or something similar. So Julia is shocked to learn that her father is Mr. Lafferty II’s attorney, as her grandfather was attorney to Mr. Lafferty I. Julia does not meet an ogre when she has to accompany her father to the house because of the family’s car schedules. This girl with endless questions meets a man who is deaf and confined to a wheelchair but secretly has been the town’s greatest benefactor for years. Through Julia’s father he keeps tabs on who in town needs help and makes it happen, all anonymously. He also makes amazing bird sculptures and he is thrilled when Julia plays the piano because he can feel it if he touches the instrument. And it evidently brings back happy memories. Julia decides then and there she wants to get to know Mr. Lafferty more and find a way to thank him for all he has done for others without spilling the beans about his secret generosity. As older Julia continues to prepare for the party, she walks through memories about how that initial meeting with Mr. Lafferty, the months immediately following, and the first Christmas soon after changed many lives dramatically.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Target Readers:

• Anyone…No Really, Anyone: I’m not even sure whether to call it an adult novel or middle grade novel. About 3/4 of the story is told from 10 year old Julia’s perspective and the other ¼ is told from 26 year old Julia’s perspective. 10 year old Julia is quite smart and precocious though, so adults shouldn’t find her sections childish. And adult Julia is not so mature or adult-ish to preclude middle grade readers from finding her parts accessible and relatable. We’ll call it an any age story. Which seems fitting since the book is about a 10 year old befriending a kind but lonely 50 year old. It is truly an intergenerational novel. 
• Feel Good Christmas Story Fans/Non-Romantic Christmas Story Fans: This isn’t a romance at all. It is a story about love and kindness changing lives. Mr. Lafferty teaches Julia how to be still and calm (a minor miracle to her parents) in addition to sign language and wood carving. And by his actions he teaches her about giving to be kind and loving without wanting anything out of it, to focus on the good rather than the bad, and unconditional kindness and forgiveness. Julia teaches Mr. Lafferty to laugh and smile again, brings vibrancy and friendship to his life…and, well, I can’t spoil her Christmas surprise for him, but it is a very, very good one. And to see where they both end up 16 years after they first met is very touching (and cleverly done because the author lets us see both of them in the present without spoiling any of the reveals of how that Christmas affected their futures until she wants us to know). This one is sadly still on order for our library, but if you can find it where you are it is a great read and I couldn't resist sharing about it.

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul
On the out of the way Sage Street, two co-workers who have never talked before bump into each other at a small book store. Unbeknownst to either one, each of them gets a ticket to the Wizards Ball with their purchase. Cora is wary of this ball and is determined not to go. Simon would definitely not be going, except his beloved sister Sandy sees the ticket and gets it in her mind that they are going. Sandy has Down syndrome and is very special to her brother, so now Simon has to find another ticket. But there's no information on the Ball's website about where to get more tickets. In fact, there's not much information of any kind about the ball except for pictures of past events. If that weren't strange enough, the next day Simon can't even find the street the bookstore was on, let alone the book store. The answer to his dilemma comes in the form of a car accident for Cora and a mixed up phone call. Simon ends up getting the call that Cora's car is ready at the shop, and he gives her a ride there. In the process they get talking about the ball and Cora offers him her ticket for Sandy. Cora also ends up being the answer for Simon's second Sandy dilemma. Sandy's gotten it in her head that all she wants for Christmas is a kitten. It just so happens that Cora's cat surprises her with a litter of kittens. Once Sandy meets Cora, they hit it off so well she decides that Cora should go to the ball with them. Cora is well-trained by her trying family in resisting manipulation, but she finds herself wanting to spend more time with Simon, and Sandy too. With the help of some interesting dress-makers, they find a third ticket and all is set for the three of them to go to the ball. But then Cora's sister Zee sweeps into town and threatens to disrupt the ball plans and whatever might be building between Cora and Simon.

Target Readers:

• Cinderella Re-Write Fans: There are definite parallels to Cinderella in this story, though the fantasy is kept very, very light (and able to be explained away if you so desire). It didn't feel overly done. The story is its own, just with a touch of Cinderella sprinkles on top.
• Down Syndrome Character Fans: In my opinion, Sandy absolutely stole the show here. She was adorable and I loved every moment of page time with her.
• Clean Christmas Romance Fans/Christian Fiction Fans: This is a light, fairly quick, sweet Christian Christmas read. It is always one of the most checked out Christmas reads in our library.

Nonfiction

Christmas Poems selected and edited by John Hollander & J.D. McCarthy
A collection of poems including Christmas carols, humorous Christmas poems, and more contemplative Christmas poems.

Target Readers:

• Busy Readers/Poetry Fans/Christmas Carol Fans: If you just have time for a little bit of reading between your holiday activities or if you like more sophisticated Christmas reading, this poetry collection may be just the ticket.

Truce: the Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy presents a rather different focus on WWI from the norm. He looks at how the war was potentially avoidable, but pride and other things got in the way of peace. He then outlines some of the initial battles, but focuses on how slow and futile much of the battle tactics and fighting in this war were. This leads up to the Christmas of 1914. The men were tired of the fruitless battles and life in the trenches, and little tendrils of peaceful actions between the fighting forces leading up to Christmas day led to numerous regiments disregarding orders and declaring a truce for the holiday, mingling with the "enemy" and celebrating together.
Note: Some historic violence related.

Target Readers:

• Peacemakers/Holiday History Buffs/WWI Buffs: Beyond being a little slice of Christmas history, it really makes you stop and wonder if WWI could have been avoided and/or settled peacefully. Obviously, there were people on both sides willing to find common ground and see the other side as real people and potential friends. I picked this up for a non-fiction Christmassy read, and it is a powerful example of peace being enacted on Earth. It brings up some very heavy but important things to think through.