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Booklist (American Library Association)

Booklist Editors' Choice 2007

Booklist (American Library Association)'s Booklist Editors' Choice 2007 names 134 books across 12 categories. 31 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Adult Books for Young Adults: Fiction

  1. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseinisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. AYA by Marguerite Abouetsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Baltimore; or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Mike Mignolasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelissource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoultsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Petropolis by Anya Ulinichsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Swim to Me by Betsy Cartersource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamoresource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Beautiful Miscellaneous by Dominic Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The God of Animals by Aryn Kylesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Silver Ship and the Sea by Brenda Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  13. When We Get There by Shauna Seliysource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books for Young Adults: Nonfiction

  1. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beahsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Babylon’s Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spencesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Child of the Jungle by Sabine Kueglersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Fifteen Candles: 15 Tales of Taffeta, Hairspray, Drunk Uncles, and Other Quinceañera Stories by Adriana Lopezsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam by Ann Marie Flemingsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring by Richard Prestonsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Arts & Literature

  1. Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America by Jonathan Gouldsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. One Drop: A True Story of Family, Race, and Secrets by Bliss Broyardsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Baroque World of Fernando Botero by John Sillevissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Treasures of Islam: Artistic Glories of the Muslim World by Bernard O’Kanesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Vanishing Point: Fifty Years of Photography by David Plowdensource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Biography

  1. African Queen: The Real Life of the Hottentot Venus by Rachel Holmessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Amerigo: The Man Who Gave His Name to America by Felipe Fernandez-Armestosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. An Illuminated Life: Bella da Costa Greene’s Journey from Prejudice to Privilege by Heidi Ardizzonesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammetsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Carlisle vs. Army: Jim Thorpe, Dwight Eisenhower, Pop Warner, and the Forgotten Story of Football’s Greatest Battle by Lars Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Edith Wharton by Hermione Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu by Laurence Bergreensource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Nureyev by Judith Kavanaghsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War by Michael J. Neufeldsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Fiction

  1. A Free Life by Ha Jinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Miracle of Catfish by Larry Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseinisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. By George by Wesley Stacesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Cheating at Canasta by William Trevorsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Divisadero by Michael Ondaatjesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Exit Ghost by Philip Rothsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Falling Man by Don DeLillosource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Foreigners by Caryl Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  11. How the Dead Dream by Lydia Milletsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. In the Driver’s Seat by Helen Simpsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  14. New England White by Stephen L. Cartersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. On Chesil Beach by Ian MacEwansource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Orpheus Lost by Janette Turner Hospitalsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Outcast by Shimon Ballas, translated by Ammiel Alcalaysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Petropolis by Anna Ulinichsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Skylark Farm by Antonia Arslan, translated by Geoffrey Brocksource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Strange as This Weather Has Been by Ann Pancakesource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Big Girls by Susanna Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diazsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Gathering by Anne Enrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Italian Lover by Robert Hellengasource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Maytrees by Annie Dillardsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englandersource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Rebels by Sandor Marai, translated by George Szirtessource (opens in a new tab)
  28. The Seventh Well by Fred Wander, translated by Michael Hofmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  29. The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabonsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: History

  1. American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic by Joseph J. Ellissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts by Clive Jamessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Head and Heart: American Christianities by Garry Willssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. In Europe: Travels through the Twentieth Century by Geert Mak, translated by Sam Garrettsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War by David Halberstamsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Discovery of France: A Historical Biography from the Revolution to the First World War by Graham Robbsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Politics of Heaven: America in Fearful Times by Earl Shorrissource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Zookeeper’s Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackermansource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Poetry

  1. Captivity by Laurie Shecksource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Science

  1. Poincaré’s Prize: The Hundred-Year Quest to Solve One of Math’s Greatest Puzzles by George S. Szpirosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Terra: Our 100-Million-Year-Old Ecosystem and the Threats That Now Put It at Risk by Michael Novaceksource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Social Sciences

  1. Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming by Paul Hawkensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America’s Class War by Joe Bageantsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer by Shannon Brownleesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Age of Abundance: How Prosperity Transformed America’s Politics and Culture by Brink Lindseysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Windows of Brimnes: An American in Iceland by Bill Holmsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Why Marines Fight by James Bradysource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Middle

  1. At Gleason’s Gym by Ted Lewinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Candyfloss by Jacqueline Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonellsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Jack Plank Tells Tales by Natalie Babbittsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Living Color by Steve Jenkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials by Sneed Collardsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Snow Baby: The Arctic Childhood of Robert E. Peary’s Daring Daughter by Katherine Kirkpatricksource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Black Book of Secrets by F. E. Higginssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewartsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Way Down Deep by Ruth Whitesource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Older Readers

  1. Before I Die by Jenny Downhamsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabbsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knoxsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtissource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Every Crooked Pot by Renée Rosensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Frida: Viva la Vida! by Carmen T. Bernier-Grandsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowlingsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Peak by Roland Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Powers by Ursula K. Le Guinsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Re-Gifters by Mike Careysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wellssource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Slam by Nick Hornbysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal by Mal Peetsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakatsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Arrival by Shaun Tansource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Falconer’s Knot by Mary Hoffmansource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmersource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Wall: Growing Up behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Síssource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidtsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughreansource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Useful Fools by C. A. Schmidtsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. What They Found: Love on 145th Street by Walter Dean Myerssource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Who Was First? Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphillsource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Young

  1. A Good Day by Kevin Henkessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Second Is a Hiccup by Hazel Hutchinssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Half a World Away by Libby Gleesonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levinesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Here’s a Little Poem by Jane Yolensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Lightship by Brian Flocasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Max Counts His Chickens by Rosemary Wellssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Nini Here and There by Anita Lobelsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. One City, Two Brothers by Chris Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Pink by Nan Gregorysource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas by Meghan McCarthysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Apple Pie That Papa Baked by Lauren Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harringtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Golden Rule by Ilene Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. What Happens on Wednesdays by Emily Jenkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Where in the Wild by David M. Schwartz and Yael Schysource (opens in a new tab)

About the Booklist Editors' Choice

Booklist's annual Editors' Choice lists, read from Booklist's own feature articles on booklistonline.com (fetched through the site's public JSON API at pub.booklistonline.com, which the client-side page loads). Covers the book lists only: Adult Books, Adult Books for Young Adults, Books for Youth, and Graphic Novels (a separate list from 2023). Audio, Media, Video, and Reference Sources lists are left out; reference titles that Booklist placed inside the Adult Books list are kept. Year is the year in the list's title (the publication year of the books); the list appears in the December 1 or January 1 issue that follows. Category is the list name plus Booklist's own section heading for that year (for example Adult Books: Social Sciences, Books for Youth: Nonfiction, Older Readers), so section names change when Booklist renamed them. Every entry is a Selection; Booklist does not rank them. For edited anthologies the editor is recorded as author. Expected counts are the citations printed under each section of the cited feature.

Organization: Booklist (American Library Association). Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2007