Thursday, December 11, 2025

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 5Nonfiction 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 Middle Grade Fantasy Fiction Reads 

(limited to 1 per series)


Majestica by Sarah Tolcser

Lightningborn (Storm Dragons, #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Last Keeper (Dream Keeper Saga, #5) by Kathryn Butler*

The Girl Who Kept the Castle (Faye, #1) by Ryan Graudin

Valor Wings by Sam Subity

Between Flowers and Bones (The Restorationists, #2) by Carolyn Leiloglou, ill. by Vivienne To*

Max in the Land of Lies: a Tale of World War II (Operation Kinderspion, #2) by Adam Gidwitz

My Neighbor Totoro: the Novel original story and art by Hayao Miyazaki, novel by Tusgiko Kuboᴬ

A Little Taste of Poison (Uncommon Magic, #2) by R.J. Anderson

The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

Top 10 Middle Grade Science Fiction Reads 

(limited to 1 per series)


Spineless (Spineless, #1) by Samantha San Miguel

Bite Risk (Bite Risk, #1) by S.J. Wills

The Last Dragon on Mars (The Dragonships, #1) by Scott Reintgen

Happy Town by Greg Van Eekhout

Away (Alone, #2) by Megan E. Freeman


Eyes on the Sky by J. Kasper Kramer


The Sapphire Sword (The Sapphire Saga, #1) by Robert L. Fuller*

Quantum Interstellar Sports League (Quantum Interstellar Sports League, #1) by J. Scott Savage & Brandon Dorman

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)



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


Top 10 Lower Grade Graphic Novel Reads 

(limited to 1 per series)


Badge Quest: A Cheesy Brie-ginning (Badge Quest, #1) by Guy Kopsombut

Pluto Rocket Full Blast (Pluto Rocket, #3) by Paul Gilligan

Eva for President (Owl Diaries, #19) by Rebecca Elliott

Kitten Ninja (Kitten Ninja, #1) by Colleen A.F. Venable & Marcie Colleen, ill. by Ellen Stubbings

Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth (Narwhal and Jelly, #9) by Ben Clanton

Super Game Book! (Press Start, #14) by Thomas Flintham

The Invisible Whale (Crab & Snail, #1) by Beth Ferry, ill. by Jared Chapman

Afternoon on the Amazon: the Graphic Novel (Magic Tree House Graphic Novels, #6) based on the book by Mary Pope Osborne, adapted by Jenny Laird, ill. by Kelly & Nicole Matthews

Fox & Rabbit (Fox & Rabbit, #1) by Beth Ferry, ill. by Gergely Dudas

The King of the World (Tater Tales, #2) by Ben Clanton

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

Top 10 Books for Their Artwork


Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic by Candace Fleming, ill. by Deena So’Oteh

When the Sky Glows by Nell Cross Beckerman, ill. David Litchfield


Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Moᴬ

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


A Pinecone! by Helen Yoonᴬ

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

Aloha Everything by Kaylin Malia George, ill. by Mae Waiteᴬ


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