Brainstorm 328: Top 10s of 2024 Part 2: Contemporary & Historical Fiction

Welcome to the Top 10s of 2024 Week 2!

This week was a little bit busier than expected, thus the delay in this posting. But we're finally here with my favorite contemporary fiction, historical fiction, lower grade fiction, and YA/Adult Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics reads of the year. They could have been published in any year, I just read them for the first time in the past 12 months. Click on the title to see my full summary and review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.

Nov 29 – Nonfiction, Leveled Readers, and Artwork

Dec 6 7 – Contemporary & Historical Fiction, Lower Grade, YA & Adult Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics

Dec 13 – Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asian

Dec 20 – Guest post

Top 10 Contemporary/Historical/Realistic Animal Fiction Picture Books 

(limited to 1 per series)

Built to Last by Minh Lê, ill. by Dan Santat

Building a Dream: How the Boys of Koh Panyee Became Champions by Darshana Khiani, ill. by Dow Phumiruk

Jesus and the Gift of Friendship by Trillia Newbell, ill. by Kristen & Kevin Howdeshell

Summer Is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca, ill. by Abhi Alwar

Bad Drawer by Seth Fishman (and friends)

Flora and Friends ABC (Flora) by Molly Idle

Tiny Barbarian (Tiny Barbarian, #1) by Ame Dyckman, ill. by Ashley Spires

Dear Stray by Kirsten Hubbard, ill. by Susan Gal

Spicy Spicy Hot! by Lenny Wen

The Words We Share by Jack Wong

Top 10 Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction Books 

(limited to 1 per series)

The Vanderbeekers Ever After (Vanderbeekers, #7) by Karina Yan Glaser

Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

Mission Manhattan (City Spies, #5) by James Ponti

A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits, #1) by Lisa Yee, ill. by Dan Santat

The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry by Chad Morris & Shelly Brown

Truly, Madly, Sheeply (Pumpkin Falls, #4) by Heather Vogel Frederick

Frozen Peaches (The Great Peach Experiment, #3) by Erin Soderberg Downing

The Liars Society (The Liars Society, #) by Alyson Gerber

Pippa Park Raises Her Game (Pippa Park, #1) by Erin Yun

Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark

Top 10 Middle Grade Historical Fiction Books

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries, #5) Elizabeth C. Bunce

The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by Lucille Abendanon

The Plot to Kill a Queen by Deborah Hopkinson

In the Tunnel by Julie Lee

Land of Broken Promises (In the Beautiful Country, #2) by Jane Kuo

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson

Wildoak by C.C. Harrington

Maribel Versus the Volcano: a Mount St. Helen’s Survival Story (Girls Survive) by Sarah Hannah Gómez, ill. by Jane Pica

A Horse Named Sky by Rosanne Parry, ill. by Kirbi Fagan

When Clouds Touch Us (Inside Out and Back Again, #2) by Thanhhà Lại

Top 10 Young Adult Contemporary/Historical Fiction Books 

(limited to 1 per series)

Only the Good Spy Young (Gallagher Girls, #4) by Ally Carter

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown: Adapted for Young Readers by Heather B. Moore & Allison Hong Merrill

Gold Mountain by Betty G. Yee

Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud

A Crane among Wolves by June Hur

The Island by Natasha Preston

Nightshade (Alex Rider, #13) by Anthony Horowitz

The Night Raven (The Moonwind Mysteries, #1) by Johan Rundberg, translated by A.A. Prime

Artifice by Sharon Cameron

Heroes by Alan Gratz, ill. by Judit Tondora

Top 10 Adult Contemporary/Historical Fiction Books

(limited to 1 per series and 1 per author)

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

To Spark a Match (The Matchmakers, #2) by Jen Turano

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Cold Pursuit (Ryland & St. Clair, #1) by Nancy Mehl

Once upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson

A Deadly Inside Scoop (Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, #1) by Abby Collette

Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

Mrs Porter Calling (The Emmy Lake Chronicles, #3) by A.J. Pearce

Arsenic and Old Books (Cat in the Stacks Mystery, #6) by Miranda James

Top 10 Lower Grade Fiction Books

(limited to 1 per series, includes graphic novels)

Burt the Beetle Lives Here (Burt the Beetle, #2) by Ashley Spires

Anne Dares (Anne Chapter Book, #5) by Kallie George, adapted from the novels by L.M. Montgomery, ill. by Abigail Halpin

Mindy Kim and the Mid-Autumn Festival (Mindy Kim, #10) by Lyla Lee, ill. by Dung Ho

Cosmic Blackout (Galaxy Zack, #16) by Ryan O’Ryan, ill. by Jason Kraft

The Beginning (The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls, #1) by M.J. Thomas

Best Friends Fur-Ever (Waffles and Pancake, #4) by Drew Brockington

Call the Puffins (Call the Puffins, #1) by Cath Howe, ill. by Ella Okstad

Under the Weather (The Adventures of Sophie S. Mouse, #20) by Poppy Green, ill. by Jennifer A. Bell

Henry Heckelbeck and the High-Dive Dare (Henry Heckelbeck, #12) by Wanda Coven, ill. by Priscilla Burris

Welcome to Sparklegrove (Unicorn Diaries, #8) by Rebecca Elliott

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

(limited to 1 per series)

The Great Pencil Quest (Wallace the Brave, #5) by Will Henry

Sunny Makes Her Case (Sunny, #5) by Jennifer L. Holm, ill. by Matthew Holm

The Silver City (Student Ambassador, #2) by Ryan Estrada, ill. by Axur Eneas & Alejandra Zuñiga

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library: the Graphic Novel by Chris Grabenstein, ill. by Douglas Holgate

Gabby Gets It Together (Paws, #1) by by Nathan Fairbairn, ill. by Michele Assarasakorn

Cat out of Water (Cat & Cat, #2) by Christophe Cazanove & Hervé Richez, ill. by Yrgane Ramon, translated by Joe Johnson

Evil Spy School: the Graphic Novel (Spy School Graphic Novels, #3) by Stuart Gibbs, ill. by Anjan Sarkar

Stacey’s Mistake: the Graphic Novel (Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels, #14) by Ann M. Martin, ill. by Ellen T. Crenshaw

I Survived the American Revolution, 1776: the Graphic Novel (I Survived Graphic Novels, #8) by Georgia Ball, adapted from the novel by Lauren Tarshis, ill. by Leo Trinidad

Alexis and the Perfect Recipe: the Graphic Novel (Cupcake Diaries Graphic Novels, #4) by Coco Simon, ill. by Giulia Campobello

Top 10 YA & Adult Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics that are Stand Alones or from New to Me Series 

(limited to 1 per series)

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, ill. by LeUyen Pham

Skip and Loafer 1 (Skip & Loafer, #1) by Misaki Takamatsu, translated by Nicole Frasik

A Cat from Our World and the Forgotten Witch 1 (A Cat from Our World and the Forgotten Witch, #1) by Hiro Hashiwaba, translated by Kathryn Henzler

Witch Hat Atelier 2 (Witch Hat Atelier, #2) by Kamome Shirahama, translated by Stephen Kohler

Even Dogs Go to Other Worlds: Life in Another World with My Beloved Hound Manga 1 (Even Dogs Go to Other Worlds, #1) by Ryuuou, ill. by Hana Ichika, translated by Mario Varo

Batter Royale by Leisl Adams

Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust by Neal Shusterman, ill. by Andrés Vera Martínez

Medalist 1 (Medalist, #1) by Tsurumaikada

Watership Down: the Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, adapted by James Sturm, ill. by Joe Sutphin

Top 10 YA & Adult Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics from Continuing Series 

(limited to 1 per series)

Space Boy 16 (Space Boy, #16) by Stephen McCranie

Spy x Family 11 (Spy x Family, #11) by Tatsuya Endo, translated by Casey Loe

Beyond the Clouds: the Girl Who Fell from the Sky 05 (Beyond the Clouds, #5) by Nicke, translated by Stephen Paul

Lovely Muco!: The Happy Daily Life of Muco and Mr. Komatsu 4 (Lovely Muco, #4) by Takayuki Mizushina, translated by Casey Lee

Yokai Cats 6 (Yokai Cats, #6) by Pandania, translated by Minna Lin

Cat + Gamer 4 (Cat + Gamer, #4) by Wataru Nadatani, translated by Zack Davisson

Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten 4 (Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten, #4) by Riddle Kamimura, translated by Avery Hutley

Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear 7 (Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Manga, #7) by Kumanano, ill. by Sergei, translated by Amanda Haley

Touring after the Apocalypse 4 (Touring after the Apocalypse, #4) by Sakae Saito, translated by Amanda Haley

Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits 9 (Kakuriyo Manga, #9) by Waco Ioka, translated & adapted by Tomo Kimura