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Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2006

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2006 names 100 books across 13 categories. 34 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Children's Fiction

  1. Clementine by Sara Pennypackersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Fairest by Gail Carson Levinesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Firestorm by David Klasssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Fly by Night by Frances Hardingesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Incantation by Alice Hoffmansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavittsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Saint Iggy by K.L. Goingsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Sold by Patricia McCormicksource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Book Thief by Markus Zusaksource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillosource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Nonfiction

  1. Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini by Sid Fleischmansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Pick Me Up by Jeremy Leslie, David Roberts, Roger Bridgman and Philip Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegelsource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Picture Books

  1. Flotsam by David Wiesnersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Jazz by Walter Dean Myerssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbusource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Greysource (opens in a new tab)

Comics

  1. American Born Chinese by Gene Yangsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Can't Get No by Rick Veitchsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Curses by Kevin Huizengasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Dragon Head Vol. 1 by Minetaro Mochizukisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Fun Home by Alison Bechdelsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ghost of Hoppers by Jaime Hernandezsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Lost Girls by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbiesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Making Comics by Scott McCloudsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness by Bryan Lee O'Malleysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colónsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. A Woman in Jerusalem by A.B. Yehoshuasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Brothers by Da Chensource (opens in a new tab)
  3. End of Story by Peter Abrahamssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Map of Glass by Jane Urquhartsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Now Is the Hour by Tom Spanbauersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Alibi Club by Francine Mathewssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Dead Yard by Adrian McKintysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desaisource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The King of Lies by John Hartsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Lay of the Land by Richard Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Littlest Hitler: Stories by Ryan Boudinotsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Night Gardener by George Pelecanossource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Road by Cormac McCarthysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Unfinished Novel and Other Stories by Valerie Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Theft by Peter Careysource (opens in a new tab)

Lifestyle

  1. Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Beckersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Music Lessons: Guide Your Child to Play a Musical Instrument by Stephanie Stein Creasesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-Be Southerners by Matt Lee and Ted Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Bon Appétit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchildsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. You: On a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Ozsource (opens in a new tab)

Mysteries

  1. A Corpse in the Koryo by James Churchsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Flemingsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Impulse by Frederick Ramsaysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indriasonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Summer Snow by Rebecca Pawelsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Two Time by Chris Knopfsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965—1968 by Taylor Branchsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero by David Maranisssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Cross X: A Turbulent, Triumphant Season with an Inner-City Debate Squad by Joe Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Fiasco by Thomas Rickssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Flaubert: A Biography by Frederick Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Justice for All: Earl Warren and the Nation He Made by Jim Newtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn by William J. Mannsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbricksource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet A. Washingtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'hommesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollansource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Our Town: A Heartland Lynching, a Haunted Town and the Hidden History of White America by Cynthia Carrsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Small Is the New Big and 193 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas by Seth Godinsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Song for My Fathers: A New Orleans Story in Black and White by Tom Sanctonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Echoing Green: The Untold Story of Bobby Thompson, Ralph Branca and the Shot Heard Round the World by Joshua Pragersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood by Rashid Khalidisource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. There Is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greenesource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Unquiet Grave: The FBI and the Struggle for the Soul of Indian Country by Steve Hendrickssource (opens in a new tab)
  21. William James: In the Maelstrom of American Modernism by Robert D. Richardsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Averno by Louise Glücksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Grave of Light: Selected Poems by Alice Notleysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Wind in a Box by Terrance Hayessource (opens in a new tab)

Religion

  1. A Jew Among the Evangelicals: A Guide for the Perplexed by Mark Pinskysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming Faith by Diana Butler Basssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness by Kathryn Greene McGreightsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Essential Torah: A Complete Guide to the Five Books of Moses by George Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Gonzo Judaism: A Fresh Path for an Ancient Faith by Niles Elliot Goldsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. My Life with the Saints by James Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Overcoming Life's Disappointments by Harold S. Kushnersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Peter, Paul & Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend by Bart D. Ehrmansource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yanceysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Rumspringa: To Be or Not to Be Amish by Tom Shachtmansource (opens in a new tab)

Religious Fiction

  1. Dwelling Places by Vinita Hampton Wrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Winter Birds by Jamie Langston Turnersource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. A Gentleman by Any Other Name by Kasey Michaelssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Shadow Touch by Marjorie M. Liusource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Valley of Silence by Nora Robertssource (opens in a new tab)

SF/Fantasy/Horror

  1. Dark Harvest by Norman Partridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. No Present Like Time by Steph Swainstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Pretender by C.J. Cherryhsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Armies of Memory by John Barnessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Empire of Ice Cream by Jeffrey Fordsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Publishers Weekly Best Books

Year is PW's list year, not the publication year. 2009-2025 come from the PW Best Books site, one page per section; category is that page's section name. 2006-2008 come from PW's magazine articles, which list the year's picks by section and have no Top 10, so those years have no Top 10 rows. 2009 has no Romance list (PW added it in 2010). A Top 10 book also appears in its genre section, so it has two rows. Illustrator and photographer credits are dropped; translators are kept.

Organization: Publishers Weekly. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2006