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Booklist (American Library Association)

Booklist Editors' Choice 2016

Booklist (American Library Association)'s Booklist Editors' Choice 2016 names 138 books across 17 categories. 52 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Adult Books for Young Adults: Fiction

  1. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anderssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bite by K. S. Merbethsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Daredevils by Shawn Vestalsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Dodgers by Bill Beverlysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Everything Is Teeth by Evie Wyldsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ballsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrixsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Book of Harlan by Bernice J. McFaddensource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books for Young Adults: Nonfiction

  1. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders by Joshua Foersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noahsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterlysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Saving Alex: When I Was Fifteen I Told My Mormon Parents I Was Gay, and That’s When My Nightmare Began by Alex Cooper and Joanna Brookssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy Westsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Arts & Literature

  1. Bolshoi Confidential: Secrets of the Russian Ballet from the Rule of the Tsars to Today by Simon Morrisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noahsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. I’m Supposed to Protect You from All This by Nadja Spiegelmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies by Ross Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Walk through Walls by Marina Abramovićsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Biography

  1. Black Elk: The Life of an American Visionary by Joe Jacksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon by Larry Tyesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. George Lucas: A Life by Brian Jay Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Kill ’Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul by James McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Of Arms and Artists: The American Revolution through Painters’ Eyes by Paul Staitisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklinsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Firebrand and the First Lady: Pauli Murray, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Struggle for Social Justice by Patricia Bell-Scottsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Fiction

  1. A Hundred Thousand Worlds by Bob Proehlsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Arcadia by Iain Pearssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. As Good as Gone by Larry Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Barren Cove by Ariel S. Wintersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Before the Wind by Jim Lynchsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Bright, Precious Days by Jay McInerneysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Dodgers by Bill Beverlysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Heat & Light by Jennifer Haighsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. How I Became a North Korean by Krys Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. LaRose by Louise Erdrichsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Miss Jane by Brad Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Mister Monkey by Francine Prosesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Moonglow by Michael Chabonsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. News of the World by Paulette Jilessource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Perfume River by Robert Olen Butlersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Small Great Things by Jodi Picoultsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Swing Time by Zadie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047 by Lionel Shriversource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Mothers by Brit Bennettsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeneysource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Nix by Nathan Hillsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Sport of Kings by C. E. Morgansource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukakesource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Virginity of Famous Men by Christine Sneedsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Geography & Travel

  1. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders by Joshua Foersource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Health & Medicine

  1. I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yongsource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: History

  1. Millennium: From Religion to Revolution; How Civilization Has Changed over a Thousand Years by Ian Mortimersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. On Trails: An Exploration by Robert Moorsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Pumpkinflowers by Matti Friedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich, translated by Bela Shayevichsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West by Peter Cozzenssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World by Steven Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. World War II: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection by Spencer C. Tucker and Priscilla Robertssource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Poetry

  1. George Washington by Adam Fitzgeraldsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Time Will Clean the Carcass Bones by Lucia Perillosource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Science & Technology

  1. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterlysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars by Dava Sobelsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Time Travel by James Gleicksource (opens in a new tab)

Adult Books: Social Sciences

  1. Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmondsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland by Dan Barrysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks by Terry Tempest Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter by David Saxsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear . . . and Why by Sady Doylesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother’s Quest—a True Story of the Jim Crow South by Beth Macysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. You Could Look It Up: The Reference Shelf from Ancient Babylon to Wikipedia by Jack Lynchsource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Fiction, Middle Readers

  1. Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon by Torben Kuhlmann, translated by David Henry Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. As Brave as You by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Gertie’s Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasleysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeiersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagarsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumassource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGheesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Best Man by Richard Pecksource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhillsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Inquisitor’s Tale; or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitzsource (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 Wolksource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Fiction, Older Readers

  1. A Small Madness by Dianne Touchellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Alice and the Fly by James Ricesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medinasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Falling over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblicksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Fifteen Lanes by S. J. Laidlawsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Golden Boys by Sonya Hartnettsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Handsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Playing for the Devil’s Fire by Phillippe Diederichsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Steeplejack by A. J. Hartleysource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Still Life with Tornado by A. S. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The End of FUN by Sean McGintysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Lie Tree by Frances Hardingesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berrysource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwabsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Whatever by S. J. Gosleesource (opens in a new tab)
  18. When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemoresource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Fiction, Young Readers

  1. A Small Thing . . . but Big by Tony Johnstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Well-Mannered Young Wolf by Jean Leroysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Before Morning by Joyce Sidmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Bramble and Maggie: Snow Day by Jessie Haassource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellissource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Juana & Lucas by Juana Medinasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Nanette’s Baguette by Mo Willemssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. School’s First Day of School by Adam Rexsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Super Happy Magic Forest by Matty Longsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Journey by Francesca Sannasource (opens in a new tab)
  12. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzelsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. We Found a Hat by Jon Klassensource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Woodpecker Wants a Waffle by Steve Breensource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Nonfiction, Middle Readers

  1. Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko by Misuzu Kaneko, translated by David Jacobson and otherssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Fannie Never Flinched: One Woman’s Courage in the Struggle for American Labor Union Rights by Mary Cronk Farrellsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turnersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweetsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World about Kindness by Donna Janell Bowmansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk by Jan Thornhillsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Under Water, under Earth by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinskisource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Nonfiction, Older Readers

  1. Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallacesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Brown v. Board of Education: A Fight for Simple Justice by Susan Goldman Rubinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Feminism: Reinventing the F-Word by Nadia Abushanab Higginssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives by Kenneth C. Davissource (opens in a new tab)
  5. March: Book Three by John Lewis and Andrew Aydinsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience during World War II by Albert Marrinsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Vietnam: A History of the War by Russell Freedmansource (opens in a new tab)

Books for Youth: Nonfiction, Young Readers

  1. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie: The Complete Book of Nautical Codes by Sara Gillinghamsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levysource (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 2016