Best Books of the Year
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School Library Journal

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2019

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2019 names 102 books across 7 categories. 27 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Chapter Books

  1. Charlie & Mouse: Even Better by Laurel Snydersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Harold & Hog Pretend for Real! by Dan Santatsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Juana & Lucas: Big Problemas by Juana Medinasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. King & Kayla and the Case of Found Fred by Dori Hillestad Butlersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Poof! A Bot! by David Milgrimsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Smell My Foot! by Cece Bellsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Snail and Worm: All Day by Tina Küglersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Who is the Mystery Reader? by Mo Willemssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Yasmin in Charge by Saadia Faruqisource (opens in a new tab)

Graphic Novels

  1. Best Friends by Shannon Halesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Guts by Raina Telgemeiersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamakisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharibsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamakisource (opens in a new tab)
  7. New Kid by Jerry Craftsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Peter and Ernesto: The Lost Sloths by Graham Annablesource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconissource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Stargazing by Jen Wangsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellnersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger and Steven Scottsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. This Place: 150 Years Retold by Kateri Akiwenzie-Dammsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)

Manga

  1. Beastars: Vol. 1 by Paru Itagakisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Become You: Vol. 1 by Ichigo Takanosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey; Vol. 1 by Akiko Higashimurasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits; Vol. 1 by Midori Yumasource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World; Vol. 1 by Keiichi Sigsawasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Komi Can’t Communicate: Vol. 1 by Tomohito Odasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Magus of the Library: Vol. 1 by Mitsu Izumisource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World: Vol. 1 by Asaya Miyanagasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Our Dreams at Dusk: Vol. 1 by Yuhki Kamatanisource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Witch Hat Atelier: Vol. 1 by Kamome Shirahamasource (opens in a new tab)

Middle Grade

  1. A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Raméesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrongsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parrysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. For Black Girls Like Me by Mariama J. Lockingtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. How High the Moon by Karyn Parsonssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. I Can Make This Promise by Christine Daysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Wargasource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Line Tender by Kate Allensource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Moon Within by Aida Salazarsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemenhartsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Place To Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittensteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Queer History of the United States for Young People by Michael Bronskisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortizsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Born To Fly: The First Women’s Air Race Across America by Steve Sheinkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Enemy Child: The Story of Norman Mineta, a Boy Imprisoned in a Japanese American Internment Camp During World War II by Andrea Warrensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portissource (opens in a new tab)
  7. It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thornsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Moth: An Evolution Story by Isabel Thomassource (opens in a new tab)
  9. My Body My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights by Robin Stevensonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington’s Courageous Slave Who Dared To Run Away by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen van Cleevesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denisesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. SHOUT by Laurie Halse Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Soaring Earth: A Companion Memoir to Enchanted Air by Margarita Englesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnettsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexandersource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington by Jacqueline Houtmansource (opens in a new tab)
  17. VIRAL: The Fight Against AIDS in America by Ann Bausumsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World by Malala Yousafzaisource (opens in a new tab)

Picture Books

  1. Another by Christian Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Birdsong by Julie Flettsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Camp Tiger by Susan Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Field Trip to the Moon by John Haresource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillardsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyonssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. How To Read a Book by Kwame Alexandersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Lion and Mouse by Jairo Buitrago, translated by Elisa Amadosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quinterosource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Puppy Truck by Brian Pinkneysource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Saturday by Oge Morasource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Small in the City by Sydney Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Little Guys by Vera Brosgolsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden by Heather Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammadsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzziersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Scarecrow by Beth Ferrysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Thing About Bees by Shabazz Larkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Truman by Jean Reidysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoffsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raúl the Thirdsource (opens in a new tab)

Young Adult

  1. Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America by Ibi Zoboisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dig by A.S. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Frankly in Love by David Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Girls Like Us by Randi Pinksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Heroine by Mindy McGinnissource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barronsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Light It Up by Kekla Magoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Love from A to Z by S.K. Alisource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Pet by Akwaeke Emezisource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Rubysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Watch Us Rise by Ellen Hagan and Renée Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejiasource (opens in a new tab)
  16. White Rose by Kip Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedosource (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 2019