My 14 favroite books of 2014

2014 was a good year for books. There were so many I read this year that stuck with me and touched my heart. This is my narrowed-down list of the 14 books of 2014 that will have a lasting impact on me and that I will remember long after 2014 is over.

Links take you to reviews I have written or someone else who reviewed/talked about the book better than I could.


Favorite Adult Novel

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A love story to books, bookstores, and book people. I can't stress enough that this book is an absolute must-read, even if adult fiction is not your usual fare


Favorite Young Adult Novels

When I was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
A wonderful testament to family, friendship, and counter-narratives. A lovely tribute to Reynolds' neighborhood of Bed Stuy in Brooklyn and the people who live there.


The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner
A perfect, beautiful summer read. But instead of mindless fluff that perhaps most people equate with beach reads, this one has soul. The characters Gae Polisner has created in this book are so loveable despite their flaws. Francesca and Frankie Sky will stay with me for a long time.


Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Despite the ridiculous, somewhat gimmicky premise of this book, it is surprisingly poignant and universally relateable. I'm grateful I was able to hear Whaley talk about this book personally, otherwise I'm not sure I would have ever read it. 


Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
I don't even know how to describe this book. It defies labels. Andrew Smith has created something provocative and discussion-worthy with Grasshopper Jungle. While this is not a book I would have read on my own -- I chose to read it due to the number of people who are talking about it -- I'm really glad I picked it up. You are definitely missing out on a cultural conversation by not reading it. 


Favorite Middle Grade Novels:

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
I've staked my claim that this is the book I will be rooting for to win the Newbery in early February. Newbery or not, A Snicker of Magic will undoubtedly be a children's classic. The link above takes you to my Nerdy Book Club review. I also interviewed Natalie here on the blog.


The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
That sneaky Jenni Holm. She always writes novels that I initially think I'm not going to like and then every time manages to make me fall in love with them. Not only will kids love this book, but there is a lot of worthwhile discussion to have about what it means to grow old and what a privilege it is to do so.


The Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando
This book kind of snuck up on me. I was expecting this to be a light, fluffy read but what I actually discovered is that Tara Altebrando has written a novel about middle school mean girl behavior so spot-on, that it took me back to a place I didn't want to go to. But it is for that reason that books like The Battle of Darcy Lane are important. They show kids and remind adults just how hard it is to survive this time in your life -- and that it does get better.


Favorite Picture Books:

Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison
An ordinary little dog lives at the circus among extraodinary, talented animals, and yet everyone loves Jane just the way she is. The illustrations in Extraordinary Jane are some of the most endearing I have ever laid eyes on and they tell more of the story than the words do. By the time I got to the last page I was weeping. I have such a soft spot for dogs, what can I say, and Hannah Harrison just knows how to illustrate love into her paintings.  


The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
After I finished The Adventures of Beekle, I just had to sit and let it linger for a while before I could do anything else. The illustrations are bright and vibrant and the story will warm your heart and tickle the back of your throat as you choke back a few tears.



Rex Wrecks It! by Ben Clanton
Sometimes wrecking things is fun. Most of the time it will get people mad at you. I think we've all known some Rexes in our lives, which is why this book rings so true despite the fantastical characters contained inside its pages.


Edgar's Second Word by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Priscilla Burris
Hazel can't wait for her baby brother to arrive. She practices reading aloud with her stuffed bunny Rodrigo, anticipating the day when she and her brother can read and discuss books together. When Edgar does finally say his first word, both Hazel and her mother are elated. But they soon find out that Edgar's first word causes more trouble than they anticipated. Lovers of Mo Willems's Knuffle Bunny books will undoubtedly fall in love with Hazel and Edgar.


Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales
This book gave me the feels. Despite not being a true biography of Frida Kahlo's life, this book is so much bigger that. It felt like a living, breathing poem and was simply enchanting. 


Firebird by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers
I know I'm a crier by nature so perhaps telling you that I was tearing up by page one doesn't hold much weight, but I generally don't cry at the beginning of a book. Firebird is the story of a young girl of color who aspires to be a ballerina someday, but sees only the obstacles before her. You get the sense that Copeland is writing this story not only to all the African American girls who dream of being dancers, but also looking back at herself when she first started out.


Narrowing this list down was hard. I probably could have done my 20 favorite books of 2014, but I figured I'd keep it at 14. What were your favorite books this year?

Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads welcomes Ruta Sepetys

Every year the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti district libraries choose one book for a program they call Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads. The purpose of choosing one book is "to promote reading and civic dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing a common book."

This year the committee chose Ruta Sepetys's Between Shades of Gray, which if you know me at all, you know how much I adored this book. And not only did I love it, but despite the fact that historical fiction is a hard sell to students, this book got passed around like a hot potato last year in my classroom (and I'm sure it would this year too if I had a classroom). Kids couldn't read it fast enough to pass it off to the next reader. It was never on my shelf.

I heard Ruta speak in 2012 when Between Shades of Gray won the Amelia Elizabeth Walden honor at the ALAN conference at NCTE in Las Vegas. Her speech moved me to tears then as it did on Tuesday night when she addressed a full auditorium at Washtenaw Community College for almost two hours, talking about how the book came to be, and what it has meant to readers all over the world.

Ruta talked about some of the difficulties she had researching the book and all the emotions that

came along with it, how the voice of one woman she interviewed, Irena, came back to haunt her as her agent was looking for a publisher. One publisher passed on the book because they said, "Well surely if this really happened someone else would have already written about it." Irena's words suddenly rang in her ears: "Ruta, this book will never be published. History has forgotten us."

As Ruta talked about the difficulty of the process of interviewing survivors, eventually she realized she needed to stop asking questions and just ask, "What would you like to share with me?" One man said to her, "I have seen hell and it is white." That's when she discovered she would never get   responses that telling by asking specific questions and just had to let them tell their stories.

Other important takeaways from Ruta's talk:

• "I wrote the book, but it's not my story." Meaning, this story belongs to history and to the people of Lithuania.
• " Together, we're adding a chapter to history books."
• "History divided us, but we're united through reading." Referring to the fact that this book has helped bring conversations among cultures that might not have ever happened before.
• Good fiction has us ask questions but doesn't force answers.

The people in attendance asked such wonderful, thought-provoking questions, such as the man who wanted to know if the book, which is published in 30 languages and 46 countries, is published in Russian. It is not. Rather telling, don't you think?

I know I tend to say this at the end of every author event recap, but I always mean it: if you ever have a chance to hear Ruta speak, please do it. She is a passionate, dynamic speaker who will get you thinking about reading and history in new ways. Despite the fact the Between Shades of Gray is a work of fiction, it has helped bring an era of history out of the dark and into our consciousness.

Read my review of Between Shades of Gray.

Watch Ruta's heartfelt interview: