Best Books of the Year
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School Library Journal

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2012

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2012 names 65 books across 3 categories. 24 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Fiction

  1. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenzsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Ask the Passengers by A. S. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Weinsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Every Day by David Levithansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Grave Mercy by R. L. LaFeverssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindlsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Liar & Spy by Rebecca Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Little White Duck by Andrés Vera Martínez and Na Liusource (opens in a new tab)
  10. My Name Is Parvana by Deborah Ellissource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormicksource (opens in a new tab)
  12. No Crystal Stair: A Novel in Documents, Based on the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller by Vaunda Micheaux Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s by Barbara O’Connorsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvathsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Seraphina by Rachel Hartmansource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Son by Lois Lowrysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCallsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Diviners by Libba Braysource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Fault in Our Stars by John Greensource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Good Braider by Terry Farishsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforthsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegatesource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvatersource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Spindlers by Lauren Oliversource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coatssource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossisource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Who Could That Be at This Hour? Bk. 1 by Lemony Snicketsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. Wonder by R. J. Palaciosource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Black Hole Is NOT a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofanosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship by Russell Freedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Barnum’s Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World by Tracey Fernsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story by S. D. Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Chuck Close: Face Book by Chuck Closesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Faces from the Past: Forgotten People of North America by James M. Deemsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by Jabari Asimsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr.source (opens in a new tab)
  10. Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chinsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. Nivolasource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Little Rock Girl 1957: How a Photograph Changed the Fight for Integration by Shelley Tougassource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalmansource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoosesource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Nic Bishop Snakes by Nic Bishopsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure by Martin W. Sandlersource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Ruschsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World by Sally M. Walker and Douglas W. Owsleysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Picture Books

  1. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Extra Yarn by Mac Barnettsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems by Mo Willemssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Jimmy the Greatest! by Jairo Buitragosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Mice by Rose Fylemansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Oh, No! by Candace Flemingsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Penny and Her Doll by Kevin Henkessource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hillssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Sadie and Ratz by Sonya Hartnettsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Loguesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Bear in the Book by Kate Bankssource (opens in a new tab)
  12. This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassensource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Colesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Z Is for Moose by Kelly Binghamsource (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 2012