Best Books of the Year
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School Library Journal

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2016

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2016 names 66 books across 5 categories. 26 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Chapter Books

  1. A Complicated Case (Detective Gordon) by Ulf Nilssonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Juana and Lucas by Juana Medinasource (opens in a new tab)

Middle Grade

  1. As Brave As You by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Ghost (Track) by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Makoons by Louise Erdrichsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Pax by Sara Pennypackersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillosource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Best Man by Richard Pecksource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhillsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Wild Robot by Peter Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Linsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolfsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America by Gail Jarrowsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths by Marilyn Singersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan by Ashley Bryansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Jason and the Argonauts by Robert Byrdsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgilsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. March: Book Three by John Lewis and Andrew Aydinsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Otters Love to Play by Jonathan Londonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Sabotage: The Mission to Destroy Hitler's Atomic Bomb by Neal Bascombsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela Turnersource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Some Writer: The Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweetsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden & the Trial of the Century by Sarah Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuhsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Tragic Tale of the Greak Auk by Jan Thornhillsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Vietnam: A History of the War by Russell Freedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  18. When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Foglianosource (opens in a new tab)

Picture Books

  1. 1 Big Salad: A Delicious Counting Book by Juana Medinasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Before Morning by Joyce Sidmansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idlesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Frank and Lucky Get Schooled by Lynne Rae Perkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. I Hear a Pickle: and Smell, See, Touch, & Taste It, Too! by Rachel Isadorasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ideas Are All Around by Philip C. Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylantsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Owl Sees Owl by Laura Godwinsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Rudas: Niño’s Horrendous Hermanitas by Yuyi Moralessource (opens in a new tab)
  10. School's First Day of School by Adam Rexsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Journey by Francesca Sannasource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read by Curtis Manleysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevassource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The White Cat and the Monk by Jo Ellen Bogartsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzelsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. This Is Not a Picture Book! by Sergio Ruzziersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. We Found a Hat by Jon Klassensource (opens in a new tab)

Young Adult

  1. Ashes (The Seeds of America Trilogy) by Laurie Halse Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Asking For It by Louise O'Neillsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Burn, Baby, Burn by Meg Medinasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Character, Driven: A Novel by David Lubarsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnissource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaleysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetyssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Scythe (Arc of a Scythe) by Neal Shustermansource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Still Life With Tornado by A.S. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Great American Whatever by Tim Federlesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Lie Tree by Frances Hardingesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berrysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, Book 4) by Maggie Stiefvatersource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Reader (Sea of Ink and Gold) by Traci Cheesource (opens in a new tab)
  15. We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinsonsource (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)

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