I escaped into the pages of 676 books this year. Whittling those reads down to my top ten was painful and nearly impossible, but here are the final picks.
For YA:

For Middle Grade:
I finished this on the day that Echo won a literary award.

It’s lyrically written historical fiction with a magical element. This book is a tribute to the power of music and relationships. The complex interweaving of characters and events makes for a powerful read that will stay with you for months afterwards. My entire family still talks about this incredibly moving story of hope and healing!

“Like raindrops on granite.” I say,
because we know that’s how I persist—
drip, drip, drip
until the granite cracks.”
because we know that’s how I persist—
drip, drip, drip
until the granite cracks.”
For Chapter Books:
My six old son loved this book so much, he was a blue super happy party bear for Halloween.

His words: “These are awesome. I love them! They are super fun and funny. Everyone should read them!”
For Graphic Novels:

For Picture Books:

Wow! This book is lyrical and lovely. It touches on death in a peaceful and hopeful way. It’s a great book for evoking discussion of death and friendship. The illustrations add depth and power to the well chosen words. The bond between Ida and Gus is unmistakable and there’s an emotional resonance to this story that stays with you long after you’ve read it.


Written in rhyme, this rollicking book highlights a brilliant little girl who asks what, why and how? She answers her questions with creative experiments. I love the message that girls can and should do science.


To read the rest of this review, go to Writer's Rumpus, here.
What are your favorite books in 2016?
Aww, your son is adorable!!! There are some great books here.
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