It’s that time of the year when the Vancouver Island Regional Library shares its most popular books from the past 12 months, perhaps providing a glimpse into our collective psyche.
According to the data, many spent 2023 entranced by the fictional story of a gifted police detective with a perfect memory (Long Shadows by David Baldacci), the real-life confessions of a media-savvy prince (Spare by Prince Harry), and the Pulitzer Prize-winning tale of Appalachian poverty (Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver).
Here are the titles that Sooke readers enjoyed this year. May they inspire your 2024 reading list.
Adult Fiction
1. Long Shadows by David Baldacci
2. A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
3. A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin
4. Fairy Tale by Stephen King
5. Simply Lies by David Baldacci
Adult Non-Fiction
1. Spare by Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry
2. The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté
3. The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama
4. The Long Road Home: on Blackness and Belonging by Debra E. Thompson
5. How to Bake Anything Gluten-Free: Over 100 Recipes for Everything From Cakes to Cookies, Bread to Festive Bakes, Doughnuts to Desserts by Becky Excell; photography by Hannah Hughes
Juvenile Non-Fiction
1. The Dinosaur Book by Anne Rooney
2. Dinosaurs by Lela Nargi
3. Wild Child: a Journey Through Nature by Dara McAnulty
4. Inside Animals: the Brilliant and Bizarre Bodies of Beasts Big and Small by Barbara Taylor
5. Dinosaurs and Me by Mary Greenwood
Juvenile Fiction & Graphic Novels
1. Kitty Sweet Tooth. Volume 1 by Abby Denson; illustrations by Utomaru
2. Big Nate. Aloha! by Lincoln Peirce
3. Pawcasso by Remy Lai
4. Officer Clawsome. 1, Lobster Cop by Brian Smith; illustrations by Chris Giarrusso
5. Play Like a Girl: a Graphic Memoir by Misty Wilson; illustrations by David Wilson
Juvenile Picture Books
1. Parents’ Day Surprise by Kimberly Dean and James Dean; adapted by Anne Lamb
2. Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 by Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson & Lois Ehlert
3. Geeky Baby’s Guide to Colors by Ruenna Jones; illustrations by Josh Lewis
4. Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham
5. Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale
Young Adult Non-Fiction
1. Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts of Teens: CBT Activities to Reduce Pain, Increase Hope, and Build Meaningful Connections by Jeremy W. Pettit, PhD & Ryan M. Hill, PhD
2. A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson; illustrations by Philippe Lardy
3. When They Call You a Terrorist: a Story of Black Lives Matter and the Power to Change the World by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele; adapted by Benee Knauer; foreword by Angela Davis
4. The Awesome Autistic Go-To Guide: A Practical Handbook for Autistic Teens and Tweens by Yenn Purkis & Tanya Masterman
5. The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire
Young Adult Fiction & Graphic Novels
1. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
2. Fly by Night by Tara O’Connor
3. Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
4. Heartstopper. Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
5. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
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