I read 145 books this year, and I spent a little time looking at some particular categories. For instance, 22 of those were picture books or early chapter books. I love picture books, and I read aloud a lot to my kids and my nephews this summer. Keeping a record of these books is helpful when other parents ask for recommendations or when I need to buy a birthday gift. I also just like remembering all my reading, even the "small books." These were some standouts in that category this year:
1. Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket by Barbara Park
Junie B. always makes us laugh out loud. These books are written from a kindergartner's perspective, which makes them ideal read-alouds for kids older than that because they can understand the humor.
2. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss
I've always had an affinity for this sequel to The Cat in the Hat. I read it to my nephews last night, and I was reminded of an episode of the Read Aloud Revival podcast about poetry when the five-year-old who really didn't want to sit down and listen to a book was immediately and completely captivated by the rhyme and rhythm of Dr. Seuss.
3. Goodnight Darth Vader by Jeffrey Brown
The Force is with this little book. Always.
4. Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk by Jane Sutcliffe
Even though this is a picture book, it's probably more appropriate for older kids because they'll be familiar with a lot of the words and phrases William Shakespeare gave to the English language.
5. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
It's not at all like the movie your kids might have seen, but it's a lovely classic all the same.
6. Autumn Story by Jill Barklem
This little book has beautiful illustrations and a lovely English countryside feel, which some of you might love.
About ten years ago I read a lot of Middle Grade fiction just because I really liked it, and I ended up being so glad I did that because I was ready with recommendations for Ella when she hit the 8-12 year age range. I read 20 books of this type this year. Here were some of my favorites:
1. Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine by Caroline Starr Rose
I gave this one to James for Christmas last year and read it aloud to both kids in January. It's a gold rush adventure story in the Yukon.
2. The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
This is the first in a series about a young woman who gets a job at a new department store in London and uncovers a few mysteries along the way. It has Mr. Selfridge vibes.
3. The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
This is the end of a six-book series about three children raised by wolves and adopted by a wealthy English lord. It combines the genres of children raised in the wild and English governess stories in a creative, well-written way. For some readers, the mystery of the Incorrigible Children may feel like it's unveiled too slowly, but Maryrose Wood is an incredibly good writer, and I think this makes up for that.
4. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton
This book was a funny and delightful surprise. It's a highly creative world, and both E + J enjoyed hearing it read aloud.
I counted up my non-fiction reads because it's a category I don't read as much of either. My favorite non-fiction is usually people's stories written as memoir, but I also love history and books for spiritual growth. I just read these at a much slower rate than novels! This year I read around 16.
1. Notes from a Big Country by Bill Bryson
After two decades living in England Bryson writes about his transition back to American life. I didn't live in England as long as he did, and I haven't transitioned back to American life yet, but there was so much I could relate to in this book of short and funny columns. It also just brought back nostalgia from life in America in the late 90s when it was published.
2. Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson
Sarah writes about the role and importance of books in her life and gives a lot of good book lists.
3. untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
I found this book written by a psychologist with a lot of experience working in girls' schools very commonsense and helpful, which is how I like my psychology. I didn't agree with all of her applications, but it was an overall helpful framework for thinking about the transition from childhood to being an adult.
4. The Shepherd's Life: A Tale of the Lake District by James Rebanks
Rebanks writes of how he embraced the life of a shepherd in the Lake District, a family legacy.
5. Grace for the Good Girl: letting go of the try-hard life by Emily P. Freeman
The title is probably self-explanatory. I always appreciate Emily's kind words of wisdom in my ear.
6. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
This falls into the historical, investigative type of nonfiction. Grann researches and tells the story of the Osage tribe in Oklahoma, moved to a reservation by the United States government, made wealthy by finding oil there, and then several people who were killed by white men who wanted the money and land that made the Osage wealthy.
The last category I counted up was short story collections. Having to keep starting new stories, entering new worlds, and learning new characters is frustrating reading for me, but I've learned this year that short stories can be perfect when I'm traveling and don't have much time to read. The really good short story writers tell a compact story that packs a punch. I read 6 short story collections in 2019.
1. The Cornell Woolrich Omnibus
I picked this up because Woolrich wrote Rear Window, and the Alfred Hitchcock movie is a family favorite. It was interesting to see how Hitchcock expanded the short story into the classic Jimmy Stewart movie. The rest of the short stories were well-written and sucked you right into the story, and the novellas read like episodes of The Twilight Zone. This was actually a really good collection.
2. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and other stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
The "other stories" in this collection were strange and creepy in a 19th century sort of way. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was a novella that I wish had been expanded into a full novel!
3. The Twelve Doctors of Christmas
This short story collection includes a Christmas story for each of the first twelve Doctors. They all captured the essence of each Doctor and are really delightful if you're a fan of the show.
Did you try any books in different genres than you usually read this year?
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