Friday, December 8, 2023

Brainstorm 307: Top 10s of 2023 Part 2: Contemporary & Historical Fiction

Welcome to part 2 of the Top 10s of 2023! This week I am sharing my favorite contemporary and historical fiction reads of the year as well as my favorite leveled readers I read this year. I'm post-poning sharing my favorite Asian books of the year until next week. Everything featured in today's Brainstorm is a book I first read in the past 12 months, but could have been published in any year. To read my full summary and review for each book and see any content notes/trigger warnings click on the book's title. 

Part 1: Nonfiction Books (all levels + graphic novels) 

Part 2 (today): Top 10s in Contemporary & Historical Fiction (all levels + graphic novels), Leveled Readers (any genre)

Dec 15: Part 3: Top 10s in Scifi/Fantasy Fiction, Lower Grade Fiction Graphic Novels (any genre), YA & Adult Fiction Graphic Novels (any genre), and Asian Books (any genre)

Dec 21: Guest Post: Mrs. Nat’s Top 10s



Top 10 Contemporary/Historical/Realistic Animal Fiction Picture Books

Brown is Beautiful by Supriya Kelkar, ill. by Noor Sofi

Big Truck, Little Island by Chris Van Dusen

I am Golden by Eva Chen, ill. by Sophie Diao

Nana, Nenek & Nina by Liza Ferneyhough

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett

Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld

Hot Dog by Doug Salati

Playing with Lanterns by Wang Yage, ill. by Zhu Chengliang, translated by Helen Wang

I am the Subway by Kim Hyo-eun, translated by Deborah Smith

Mommy’s Hometown by Hope Lim, ill. by Jaime Kim


Top 10 Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction Books

City of the Dead (City Spies, #4) by James Ponti

Eddie Whatever by Lois Ruby

The Vanderbeekers on the Road (Vanderbeekers, #6) by Karina Yan Glaser

Erik vs Everything by Christina Uss

The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei (Holly-Mei, #1) by Christina Matula

New from Here by Kelly Yang

Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

On Air with Zoe Washington (Zoe Washington, #2) by Janae Marks

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas (Addison Cooke, #1) by Jonathan W. Stokes

When Life Gives You Lemons Make Peach Pie (The Great Peach Experiment, #1) by Erin Soderberg Downing


Top 10 Middle Grade Historical Fiction Books

Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The Lost Year by Katharine Marsh

In Myrtle Peril (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries, #4) by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Across the Minefields (Great Escapes, #6) by Pamela D. Toler

Soul Lanterns by Shaw Kuzki, translated by Emily Balistrieri

Flamingo Boy by Michael Morpurgo

Fumiko and a Tokyo Tragedy: a Great Kanto Earthquake Survival Story (Girls Survive) by Susan Griner, ill. by Wendy Tan Shiau Wei

The Magical Imperfect by Chris Baron

Safe (Flight, #2) by Vanessa Harbour

Sequins & Secrets by Lucy Ivison


Top 10 Middle Grade Contemporary/Historical Fiction Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics 

(limited to 1 per series)

Jessi’s Secret Language (Baby-Sitter’s Club Graphic Novels, #12) based on the novel by Ann M. Martin, adapted by Chan Chau

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, ill. by Gabriela Epstein

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee, ill. by Molly Brooks

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd, ill. by Michelle Mee Nutter

Spy Camp the graphic novel (Spy School graphic novels, #2) by Stuart Gibbs, ill. by Anjan Sarkar

Yuzu the Pet Vet 7 (Yuzu the Pet Vet, #7) by Mingo Ito, translated by Julie Goniwich

Crunch (Click, #5) by Kayla Miller

I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005: the graphic novel (I Survived Graphic Novels, #6) based on the book by Lauren Tarshis, adapted by by Georgia Ball, ill. by Alvin Epps ; colors by Chi Ngo

Living with Viola by Rosena Fung


Top 10 Young Adult Contemporary/Historical Fiction Books

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

The Red Palace by June Hur

Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter

Eyes of the Forest by April Henry

The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith

Thieves’ Gambit (Thieves’ Gambit, #1) by Kayvion Lewis

Places We’ve Never Been by Kasie West

To Catch a Killer (Erin Blake, #1) by Sheryl Scarborough

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

Escape from East Berlin by Andy Marino


Top 10 Adult Contemporary/Historical Fiction Books 

(limited to 1 per series)

Chasing the White Lion (Talia Inger, #2) by James R. Hannibal

All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

A Match in the Making (The Matchmakers, #1) by Jen Turano

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White

Death in Castle Dark (A Dinner and a Murder Mystery, #1) by Veronica Bond

To Win a Prince (In Search of a Prince, #2) by Toni Shiloh

A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh

A Death in Tokyo (Detective Kaga, #3) by Keigo Higashino, translated by Giles Murray

Long Way Home by Lynn Austin


Top 10 Leveled Readers 

(includes graphic novels, limited to 1 per series)

Owl & Penguin (Owl and Penguin, #1) by Vikram Madan

Geraldine Pu and Her Lunchbox, Too! (Geraldine Pu, #1) by Maggie P. Chang

Stuck with You (Unicorn and Yeti, #7) by Heather Ayris Burnell, ill. by Hazel Quintanilla

Gigi and Ojiji (Gigi and Ojiji, #1) by Melissa Iwai

Click, Clack Rainy Day (A Click Clack Book) by Doreen Cronin, ill. by Betsy Lewin

A Backyard Pet (The Chicken Squad Readers) by Doreen Cronin, ill. by Stephen Gilpin

Party Time, Crabby! (A Crabby Book, #6) by Jonathan Fenske

Swim, Mo, Swim! (Mo Jackson) by David A. Adler, ill. by Sam Ricks

The Best in the World (Croc and Ally) by Derek Anderson

Harry’s Squirrel Trouble (Harry the Dog) by Laura Driscoll, ill. by Saba Joshaghani, in the styles of Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham


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