The Brainstorm Plus: Brainstorm 349: Top 10s of 2025 Part 2

Welcome back to the Brainstorm’s Top 10s of 2025!

In the top 10s I share my favorite reads of the year. The books may have been published in any year, I just read them for the first time since the last set of Top 10s in 2024. Click on the links to see my full summaries/reviews of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.

Part 1 : Dec 5 – Nonfiction books, Contemporary & Historical Fiction books, and Leveled readers

Part 2: Dec 12– Artwork, Lower Grade Fiction, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Fiction Graphic Novels

Instead of doing a separate list for Christian nonfiction and fiction this year, I will just put an asterisk beside those books included in other lists. So * indicates a book that has strong Christian themes.

Also, instead of doing separate best Asian reads (by creators of Asian descent featuring characters of Asian descent) I’m putting a superscript A after such books, like this ᴬ.

Top 10 Fantasy & Science Fiction Picture Book Reads

Will the Pigeon Graduate? (Pigeon) by Mo Willems

The Bakery Dragon (The Bakery Dragon, #1) by Devin Elle Kurtz

Tiny T-Rex and the Impossible Hug (Tiny T-Rex, #1) by Jonathan Stutzman, ill. by Jay Fleck

The Truth about Dragons by Julie Leung, ill. by Hanna Chaᴬ

God’s Gift of Christmas by Abigail Gehring, ill. by Estelle Corke*

You Are Not Sleepy! by Mark Teague

A Moving Story by Beth Ferry & Tom Litchfield, ill. by Tom Booth

Bruce Saves the Planet (Mother Bruce, #9) by Ryan T. Higgins

The Spaceman by Randy Cecil

Unicorns Are the Worst (…Are the Worst, #1) by Alex Willan

Lower Grade Fiction

(any genre, excluding graphic novels, limited to 1 per series)

Anne Dreams (Anne Chapter Book, #6) by Kallie George, ill. by Abigail Halpin

A Long Road on a Short Day by Gary D. Schmidt & Elizabeth Stickney, ill. by Eugene Yelchin

Orris and Timble: the Beginning (Orris and Timble, #1) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Carmen Mok

The Great Raspberry Mix-up (Freddie’s Amazing Bakery, #1) by Harriet Whitehorn, ill. by Alex G. Griffiths

Gnomes and Sneezes (Zoey and Sassafras, #10) by Asia Citro, ill. by Marion Lindsay

Geeger the Robot Goes to School (Geeger the Robot, #1) by Jarrett Lerner, ill. by Serge Seidlitz

The Birthday Castle (Fort Builders Inc., #1) by Dee Romito, ill. by Marta Kissi

Tiny’s Brave Rescue (Call the Puffins, #2) by Cath Howe, ill. by Ella Okstad

Hide and Go Beak (The Great Mathemachicken, #1) by Nancy E. Krulik, ill. by Charlie Alder

Race to the Ark (The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls, #2) by M.J. Thomas*

Top 10 Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction Reads

(limited to 1 per series)

Return of the Vengeful Queen (Rise of the Vicious Princess, #2) by C.J. Redwine

Isle of Blood and Stone (Tower of Winds, #1) by Makiia Lucier

Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games, #0.5) by Suzanne Collins

Embergold by Rachelle Nelson*

Rip Tide (Oceans of Time, #2) by Lisa T. Bergren*

The Chaos Grid (The Chaos Grid, #1) by Lyndsey Llewellen*

Enemy of Talionis (Talionis, #3) by C.J. Milacci*

Lion Warrior (Lightraider Academy, #3) by James R. Hannibal*

Disclose (Verify, #2) by Joelle Charbonneau

Drake Hall (The Secrets of Ormdale, #2) by Christina Baehr

Top 10 Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction Reads

(limited to 1 per series)

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell *

The Time Door (The Eternities, #1) by Shannon McDermott *

Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5) by Brandon Sanderson

Crimes and Covers (Magical Bookshop Mystery, #5) by Amanda Flower

The Spellshop (Spellshop, #1) by Sarah Beth Durst

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (Emily Wilde, #3) by Heather Fawcett

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #4) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselotᴬ

The Truth (Discworld, #25; Discworld: Industrial Revolution, #2) by Terry Pratchett

Monster Therapist and the Warlock’s Citadel by Paul Regnier

Top 10 Middle Grade Fiction Graphic Novels/Comics/Manga Reads

(any genre, limited to 1 per series)

Unicorn Time Machine (Phoebe and Her Unicorn, #20) by Dana Simpson

Spider-Man, Cosmic Chaos! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up, #3) by Mike Maihack

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia, ill. by Brittney Williams

Sue & Tai-chan 5 by Konami Kanata, translated by Jennifer Wardᴬ

The Purrfect Plan (Katie the Catsitter, #4) by Colleen A.F. Venable, ill. by Stephanie Yue

Priya Puts Herself First (PAWS, #4) by Michele Assarasakorn & Nathan Fairbairnᴬ

Timid by Jonathan Todd

Heidi: a Graphic Novel based on the novel by Johanna Spyri, adapted by Mariah Marsden, ill. by Ofride

Kristy and the Walking Disaster: a Graphic Novel (The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels, #16) based on the novel by Ann M. Martin, adapted by Ellen T. Crenshaw

Spy Ski School: the Graphic Novel (Spy School Graphic Novels, #4) by Stuart Gibbs, ill. by Anjan Sarkar

Top 10 Young Adult/Adult Fiction Graphic Novels/Comics/Manga Reads

(any genre, limited to 1 per series & 1 per author)

Spy x Family 14 by Tatsuya Endo, translated by Casey Loeᴬ

Cat + Gamer 7 by Wataru Nadatani, translated by Zack Davissonᴬ

Yokai Cats 9 by Pandania, translated by Minna Linᴬ

Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Manga 9 by Kumanano, ill. by Sergei, character design by 029, translated by Jan Cash, adaptated by M.B. Hareᴬ

Space Boy 20 by Stephen McCranie

Laid-Back Camp 15 by Afro, translated by Amber Tamosaitisᴬ

Even Dogs Go to Other Worlds: Life in Another World with my Beloved Hound Manga 3 art by Hana Ichika, story by Ryuuou, translated by Jan CashIchikaᴬ

Stitch & the Samurai 1 by Hiroto Wada, translated by Jason Muellᴬ

A Cat from Our World and the Forgotten Witch 3 by Hiro Kashiwaba, translated by Kathryn Henzler

Pearl by Sherri L. Smith, ill. by Christine Norrie