My newly minted 7 year old has been reading up a storm which is so heartening to see as she was our ‘late reader’! Just proof that whether they begin to read at age 4 or 7, they truly do take off! As my older ones are firmly into middle grade at this point, it was fun to revisit some of the early chapter book series and to discover new ones! I’m often asked what books are perfect for this age group (6-9) and here are our favorites:
So last year I outlined 30 books I wanted to read in 2020….I was working my way through when, like many of you, COVID turned our lives upside down. While I ended up reading 91 books in 2020, only 14 of them were from that original TBR list! Some of it was library queue madness, either all holds came in at the same time and I had to return them before I got to them. Other times I got distracted by new releases or other books floating around the bookstagram ether. In looking back on my 2020 TBR, I nailed the Middle Grade/YA section and On the Lighter Side, did okay on the Fiction front and found myself woefully lagging in Nonfiction. I know this was due to the fact that for months on end I was consuming nonfiction in the form of news, articles, blog posts and my brain had zero free space to take in more facts. However, I’m not letting myself use that as an excuse for 2021. Less op-eds, more books! So you’ll see some of the below as repeats from my 2020 tbr, while others are new to the list. If you follow me on IG you’ll note that I’ve already begun or finished some of these but here’s to the next 11 months of reading! Let me know what’s on your 2021 list!
An Indigenous People's History of the United States: I’ve wanted to read this one since it came out in 2015 and I started it in 2020 but had to give it back before I finished. 2021 will be the year!
Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents: This one seems destined to be required reading and I’m sad that is has to be so, but looking forward to digger deeper into institutional racism by this Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
Dare to Inspire: Sustain the Fire of Inspiration in Work and Life: My friend Allison Holzer is one of the co-authors and she’s been on the forefront of the positive psychology movement and for years has focused on inspiration as it relates to the personal and corporate world. I got halfway through it and then COVID hit and it’s time to tap back into our inspirational sources!
Saints and Scoundrels: The title alone has me intrigued, and thankful for abounding grace!
Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health: I don’t love the sub-title but I am a big believer that we think about does affect us emotionally as well as physically. Looking forward to delving further into this topic.
The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth and Power: I only recently heard about this one but it seems to combine political science, history, geography and anthropology which has to be my favorite mix.
Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book on creativity, specifically as it relates to writing, so I’m particularly excited for this one.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times: Well that title just says it all, wink.
America for Beginners: A Novel: The US through the eyes of an Indian widow and her tour guide. I’ve heard it’s poignant and humorous at the same time which often makes for a stellar combination.
I’d GIve Anything: This is book 4 in the “Love Walked In” series and I love Marisa de Los Santos so am eager for this one.
Little Bee This is from my unread shelf which actually is rather sparse since most of my books come from the library! But a friend gave me this one in 2015 and it’s time to dust it off the shelf and just read it!
Middlemarch: Bookwork Baggins is hosting a buddy read for this classic…I’ve never read it, super intimidated but oddly excited. Join us?
The Bear and the Nightingale: Fantasy honestly isn’t my genre, but I’ve been hearing rave reviews about it and it seems like the perfect hygge winter read so here we go!
The Four Winds: Kristin Hannah has become an author that I’ll just automatically read her next one. Highly anticipating this one set during the Great Depression.
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue: Another one that doesn’t seem to be part of my typical genre but many trusted fellow bookworms have positively reviewed it so I’m willing to venture out of my comfort zone and give it a shot.
The Lost Letter: Inspired by actual resistance workers during WWII in Austria. I read it is a must-read if you loved Lilac Girls, which I did, so adding it the list.
The Lovely War: Just went you think you’ve read every angle of WWII, here comes the version with the Greek mythology twist. I’m intrigued.
The Water Dancer: About a 19th century slave with a mysterious power; I’ve heard it described as bold and ambitious with a touch of magical realism and now I’m eager to see for myself.
There There: Apparently this one follows 12 stories from various Native communities. Last year I made a conscious effort to read more indigenous ‘own voices’ and I’m really looking forward to this one.
This is Chance! The Shaking of an All-American City and the Voice that Held It Together: About a town in Alaska in the 1960s that is met by tragedy and the radio reporter that keeps it together.
Between the World and Me: This is apparently based on letters that Ta-Nehisi Coates writes to his teenage son, it’s apparently very powerful and already a must-read.
Braving It! A Father, A Daughter and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild: It’s interesting to have two books about Alaska in my list but it shows the timeless pull that we have to the last great frontier.
Eat a Peach: I love food writing. I love David Chang. Cannot wait for this one.
Notes from a Young Black Chef: It takes some hubris to write a memoir at age 29 but it seems like Chef Onwuachi has already lived about 9 lives so I’m eager to learn more.
Places and Names: On War, Revolution and Returning: Author Elliot Ackerman was a fellow student at Tufts and a student in a class I taught (yes, one has the option to teach a course at Tufts Ex College as a junior or senior) on political oppression. He’s now a decorated war veteran and an amazing writer. If you haven’t read him yet, start with Waiting For Eden.
Just Like That: I’m at the point where I will read anything by Gary Schmidt. NOT looking forward to what I’m hearing about, the death of a beloved character from a previous novel. Seems like I may have to find out for myself. Sigh.
Save Me a Seat: Multicultural middle grade friendship. Eagerly previewing this one for my boys.
The Three Keys: The follow up to Yang’s ‘Front Desk’ which I loved. Plucky daughter of motel owners, Mia Tang, steals your heart! And now I hear a third is in the works. WOOT.
The Unadoptables: Describes as Hans Christian Andersen and Neil Gaiman. Yes please.
Beach Read: A romance writer and a literary author battle it out on the pages, and in real life. This seems like a fun one that I’m tucking away for my next road trip.
It’s no secret that I love to read, a LOT. I don’t use any sort of fancy tracking for my booklist except a Word document that I’ve been updating since 2010. I know many people who set reading goals each year but I’ve never had the compulsion to do that. For me, I consider healthy reading to be akin to healthy eating: essentially doing so intuitively works the best for me. Sure, there are some books that I seek out more aggressively than others, but most times I’m at the mercy of the library hold list. Wink. I also pay attention to book recommendations from fellow bookworms and I love the booklists that our local independent bookstores put out. I’ve also recognized that some seasons I am able to read more than others (when toddlers were afoot, not much!). All that to say is that I’m not hung up on the actual number; I don’t numerate as I track as I’ve always felt then it would begin to seem like work to me, I just tally them up at the end of the year. This year I did read the most I have since I begun keeping track in 2010: a total of 88 books (last year it was 79). Note that this does include middle grade and young adult fiction, books that I’m able to get through quite quickly. I did not include family read-alouds in that total but I’ve included those, as well as audiobooks that we listened to as a family below. As I work from home I don’t have a commute so the audiobooks that we enjoy on road trips tend to be those that we do as a family. I do note trends in my reading though! Two years ago it was year of non-fiction. Last year it was historical fiction. This year was clearly the year of the memoir. I am realizing I read the least non-fiction this year than any other years but I believe this to be due to the fact that memoirs can toggle the line between non-fiction/autobiography. However, there are some topics I look forward to delving into deeper this year. I will look forward to seeing what 2019 brings!
For years I have done my own literary superlatives, I’ve listed those first but the list in its entirety is below as well. I didn’t include middle grade/YA in the superlatives as I don’t read as many in that genre and the ones that I did read were ALL fabulous. Please comment if you see a favorite or a book you’d like to read. Happy Reading!
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions
Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School
Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence Kayla Aimee
That Kind of Mother Rumaan Alam
Us Against You Fredrik Backman
Lilli De Jong Janet Benton
How to Walk Away Katherine Center
The Great Alone Kristin Hannah
The Cactus Sarah Haywood
Small Country: A Novel Gaël Faye
The Atlas of Love Laurie Frankel
Last Christmas in Paris Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Every Note Played Lisa Genova
An American Marriage Tayari Jones
The Queen of Hearts Kimmery Martin
Happy People Read and Drink Coffee Agnes Martin-Lugand
Still Me JoJo Moyes
Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng
This Must Be the Place Maggie O’Farrell
Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens
Dear Mrs. Bird AJ Pearce
A Spark of Light Jodi Picoult
The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go Amy Reichert
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane Lisa See
Mr. Dickens and His Carol Samantha Silva
Sourdough Robin Sloan
By the Book Julia Sonneborn
The Good Thief Hannah Tinti
The Space Between Us Thrity Umrigar
The Book of Essie Meghan MacLean Weir
My Oxford Year Julia Whelan
Before We Were Yours Lisa Wingate
Something Like Happy Eva Woods
The Map of Salt and Stars Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Gabrielle Zevin
Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening Manal Al-Sharif
The Line Becomes a River Francisco Cantú
Between the Dark and the Daylight: Embracing the Contradictions of Life Joan Chittister
The Middle Place Kelly Corrigan
Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say Kelly Corrigan
The Monk of Mokha Dave Eggers
Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People Bob Goff
At Home in This Life: Finding Peace at the Crossroad of Unraveled Dreams and Beautiful Surprises Jerusalem Jackson Greer
Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of this Wild and Glorious Life Jen Hatmaker
Girl, Wash Your Face Rachel Hollis
Imperfect Courage: Live a Life of Purpose by Leaving Comfort and Going Scared Jessica Honegger
To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regrets Jedidiah Jenkins
The Joy of Doing Nothing Rachel Jonat
From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel Christine Hoover
Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry Katrina Kenison
The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir Katrina Kenison
The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love Kristin Kimball
A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living Emily Ley
Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful Katie Davis Major
Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted Shannan Martin
Come & Eat: A Celebration of Love and Grace Around the Everyday Table Bri McKoy
Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons Dr. Meg Meeker
Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion Sara Miles
The Soul of An Octopus Sy Montgomery
The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood Sy Montgomery
How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals Sy Montgomery
Becoming Michelle Obama
Beauty in the Broken Places: A Memoir of Love, Faith and Resilience Allison Pataki
Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School David and Kelli Pritchard
A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope, and a Restaurant in Rwanda Josh Ruxin
Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith Barbara Brown Taylor
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way Lysa TerKeurst
Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful Sarah Wilson
NON-FICTION
Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior Jonah Berger
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions Valeria Luiselli
The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into a Work of Art Erwin Raphael McManus
YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE
Where the Watermelons Grow Cindy Baldwin
The Wild Robot Peter Brown
The Wild Robot Escapes Peter Brown
The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming J. Anderson Coats
Finding Esme Suzanne Crowley
The Great Hibernation Tara Dairman
The Lifters Dave Eggers
Fortunately, the Milk Neil Gaiman
Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel Kimberly Willis Holt
Bob Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
The Flourishing of Floralie Laurel Fiadhnait Moser
The Book of Boy Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Eleanor & Park Rainbow Rowell
Front Desk Kelly Yang
POETRY
Devotions Mary Oliver
Audiobooks[1]
· Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package
· Who Was? Scientists and Inventors
Family Read Alouds:
[1] Note that the Audiobooks and Family Read Alouds are in the order that we read/listened to them. This doesn’t include the copious amount of picture books we read this year, please visit my the ‘Book Review’ section on this site or visit my IG @livingbythepagewithnatalie to see those titles and reviews.
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