Best Books of the Year
Menu

School Library Journal

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2017

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2017 names 71 books across 5 categories. 32 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Chapter Books

  1. Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt by Ben Clantonsource (opens in a new tab)

Middle Grade

  1. Ashes to Asheville by Sarah Dooleysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garciasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Ohsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. It All Comes Down to This by Karen Englishsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Patina by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Rise of the Jumbies by Tracey Baptistesource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boycesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérezsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain and Philip C. Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Song from Somewhere Else by A.F. Harroldsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbottsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women by Lisa Charleyhorse and Mary Beth Leatherdalesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Time To Act: John F. Kennedy’s Big Speech by Shana Coreysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeldsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransomesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Bravo!: Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Englesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and the Invention of Modern Photojournalism by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhossource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws That Affect Us Today by Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Grand Canyon by Jason Chinsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Her Right Foot by Dave Eggerssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensensource (opens in a new tab)
  11. How To Be an Elephant by Katherine Roysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. I'm Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harrissource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Impact!: Asteroids and the Science of Saving the World. (Scientists in the Field) by Elizabeth Ruschsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal’d by Mary Losuresource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Let’s Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out!: Games, Songs & Stories from an African American Childhood by Patricia McKissacksource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Life on Surtsey: Iceland’s Upstart Island. (Scientists in the Field) by Loree Griffin Burnssource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Martí's Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad by Emma Otheguysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimessource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls by Tonya Boldensource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Real Friends by Shannon Halesource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slatersource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Quilts of Gee’s Bend by Susan Goldman Rubinsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found by Martin W. Sandlersource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Vincent and Theo: The van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligmansource (opens in a new tab)

Picture Books

  1. A Different Pond by Bao Phisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Egg by Kevin Henkessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. In Your Hands by Carole Boston Weatherfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Round by Joyce Sidmansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywaltsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC’s (the Hard Way) by Patrick McDonnellsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet by Carmen Agra Deedysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Jerry Pinkneysource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartzsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Walk with Me by Jairo Buitrago, translated by Elisa Amadosource (opens in a new tab)
  13. When’s My Birthday? by Julie Foglianosource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordellsource (opens in a new tab)

Young Adult

  1. A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardingesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jacksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. American Street by Ibi Zoboisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tonya Boldensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchezsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashoresource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Long Way Down by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Piecing Me Together by Renée Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage. (Book of Dust: Vol. 1) by Philip Pullmansource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomassource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimalinesource (opens in a new tab)
  13. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silverasource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Turtles All the Way Down by John Greensource (opens in a new tab)
  15. What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnoldsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menonsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemoresource (opens in a new tab)
  18. You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkinssource (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 2017