Best Books of the Year
Menu

School Library Journal

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2009

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2009 names 54 books. 18 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

  1. A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems by Deborah Ruddellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold and Alexis Frederick-Frostsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. All the World by Liz Garton Scanlonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures by Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol, translated by Arnold Jsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491 by Charles C. Mannsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Birds by Kevin Henkessource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Camille McPhee Fell Under the Bus... by Kristen Tracysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Charles Darwin and the Beagle Adventure by A. J. Wood and Clint Twistsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligmansource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberleysource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoosesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Creature of the Night by Kate Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Epossumondas Plays Possum by Coleen Salleysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Fire by Kristin Cashoresource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy by Leonard S. Marcussource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Hate List by Jennifer Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricellisource (opens in a new tab)
  18. I Heard God Talking to Me: William Edmondson and His Stone Carvings by Elizabeth Spiressource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenzsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Let’s Do Nothing! by Tony Fucilesource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeldsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Liar by Justine Larbalestiersource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Little Chick by Amy Hestsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myerssource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes by Margie Palatinisource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Lucy Long Ago: Uncovering the Mystery of Where We Came From by Catherine Thimmeshsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Storksource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don’t You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Flocasource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Nic Bishop Butterflies and Moths by Nic Bishopsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. Night Lights by Susan Galsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  33. Pharaoh’s Boat by David Weitzmansource (opens in a new tab)
  34. Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willemssource (opens in a new tab)
  35. Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia by Sy Montgomerysource (opens in a new tab)
  36. Scat by Carl Hiaasensource (opens in a new tab)
  37. Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkneysource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krullsource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloydsource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Bartonsource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr by Judith St. Georgesource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  43. The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkneysource (opens in a new tab)
  44. The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardingesource (opens in a new tab)
  45. The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonellsource (opens in a new tab)
  46. The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connorsource (opens in a new tab)
  47. Thunder-Boomer! by Shutta Crumsource (opens in a new tab)
  48. Tricking the Tallyman by Jacqueline Daviessource (opens in a new tab)
  49. Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphysource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall by Emily Bearnsource (opens in a new tab)
  51. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  52. Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walkersource (opens in a new tab)
  53. Years of Dust: The Story of the Dust Bowl by Albert Marrinsource (opens in a new tab)
  54. Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales by Lucy Cousinssource (opens in a new tab)

About the School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

School Library Journal's annual Best Books list, 2006-2025. Year is the list year (published each November or December). Categories follow the sections SLJ used that year: 2006, 2007 and 2009 were one alphabetical list (category 'Best Books'); 2008 and 2010-2013 used Picture Books, Fiction and Nonfiction; 2014 onward split Fiction into Middle Grade and Young Adult; Chapter Books (SLJ also called it Transitional Chapter Books or Transitional Books) from 2016; Graphic Novels from 2018; Poetry in 2018 and from 2021; Manga (SLJ's Top 10 Manga, linked as a Best Books section) from 2019; Nonfiction split into Nonfiction Elementary and Nonfiction Middle to High School from 2023. A book SLJ placed in two sections appears in both. Excluded: the separately edited Adult Books 4 Teens and Top 10 Graphic Novels lists, and non-book lists (apps, audiobooks, music, DVDs). Sources: slj.com pages; Wayback Machine copies for 2006 (schoollibraryjournal.com), 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016-2017 (slj.com/bestofYYYY microsites), where the live pages no longer carry the list.

Organization: School Library Journal. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2009