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  • General Recommendations
  • Staff-Created List

Some Favorite Books of 2021

In no particular order. Be sure to check out my lists of Read Harder titles and Picture Books since some of my favorites from this year are on those lists, too!

User from Pima County Public Library

25 items

  • This book gave me so much to think about and appreciate in our world.
    Book, 2013Minneapolis, Minnesota : Milkweed Editions, [2013] — 305.897 K571b 2013
  • Ink and Bone

    the Great Library

    Caine, Rachel
    I inhaled this series early in the year. Great characters you are rooting for, and a strong love of libraries, books, and access to knowledge!
    Book, 2015New York, New York : New American Library, [2015] — Fiction Caine TEEN
  • Winner of the Newbery Medal for 2021, and a real treat of a book.
    Book, 2020New York : Random House, [2020] — Fiction Keller CHILD
  • Absolutely devastating but well worth the read.
    Book, 2020New York, NY : Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2020] — 92 T7257m 2020
  • All Thirteen

    the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team

    Soontornvat, Christina
    I was so sucked into this incredible, real life story. I knew the outcome but was still furiously turning each page in disbelief as I watched the odds stack against the boys. The author did a great job contextualizing just how serious the situation…
    Book, 2020Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, [2020] — 796.52509 So63a 2020 CHILD
  • The Sun Does Shine

    How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

    Hinton, Anthony Ray
    Anthony Ray Hinton was wrongfully incarcerated and spent 30 years on death row for a crime he didn't commit. 30 YEARS. An incredible, hopeful, and infuriating book about injustice and racism and poverty and forgiveness and how much farther we have…
    Book, 2018New York : St. Martin's Press, [2018] — 364.66092 H5971s 2018
  • I love Elly Griffiths' mysteries, especially this new literary-inspired, cozier-feeling series featuring Harbinder Kaur.
    Book, 2019Boston ; New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. — Mystery Griffiths
  • It lived up to the hype for me. Now I've got to read the sequel and check out the movie!
    Book, 2012New York : Harper, c2012. — Fiction Applegate CHILD
  • Finding Chika

    A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family

    Albom, Mitch
    I finished this book at 2am surrounded by a small mountain of tissues.
    eAudiobook, 2019HarperCollins, 2019
  • I was so sad when this book ended-- I would have loved to keep exploring the world and spending more time with Maia. Now I have to pick up The Witness for the Dead!
    Book, 2014New York : Tor, 2014. — Fiction Addison
  • I've read The Odyssey at least 4 times by now, but it was so special to share it with my husband for the first time! This audiobook version is loads of fun.
    Audiobook CD, 2014New York, NY : Macmillan Audiobook, [2014] — 883.01 H7529o 2014 CD
  • I don't normally enjoy graphic novels, but this middle grade book about a boy who wants to be an artist was so well suited to this format!
    Graphic Novel, 2019New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2019] — Fiction Craft CHILD
  • Toni Morrison was a brilliant storyteller. This book floored me and my book club, might be my favorite book by her yet.
    Book, 2004New York : Vintage International, 2004. — Fiction Morrison
  • Alanna

    the First Adventure

    Pierce, Tamora
    The first in another fantasy series that I just could not stop reading!
    Book, 2010New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010. — Fiction Pierce TEEN
  • The Good Neighbor

    The Life and Work of Fred Rogers

    King, Maxwell
    While it could have been more concise, it was a pure delight to listen to my childhood fav Levar Burton read this book about another childhood hero.
    eAudiobook, 2018Oasis Audio, 2018
  • I LOVED this book and made my husband read it immediately after I had finished it. It's best to begin it without any expectations and just let the story wash over you.
    Book, 2020New York : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020. — Fiction Clarke
  • Beautiful, interconnected stories about mothers and daughters, and it's told so masterfully.
    Book, 1989New York : Putnam, c1989. — Fiction Tan
  • The Anthropocene Reviewed

    Essays on a Human-centered Planet

    Green, John, 1977-
    Vulnerable and thought-provoking, this is one of my favorite things I've read by John Green.
    Book, 2021[New York, New York] : Dutton, [2021] — 306 G8234a 2021
  • I love Kaveh Akbar's poetry so, so much. You can check out a sample by reading "The Palace" in The New Yorker.
    Book, 2021Minneapolis, Minnesota : Graywolf Press, [2021] — 811.6 Ak22p 2021