October
31
POLL: Your Favorite 2017 Books
As we stare down November and see only two months left of 2017, we at Nerdy HQ are curious about which kidlit (picture books through YA) titles you have decided are the not-to-miss-books of 2017. Share your Class of 2017 reading recs for us in the comments!
Nerdy Book Club 
Greetings from witness protection by Jake Burt; Beyond the bright sea by Lauren Wolk; Forever or a long long time by Caela Carter
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
Posted by John David Anderson
Things that Surprise You by Jennifer Maschari
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
The Nutcracker Mice by Kristin Kladstrup
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Refugee, Alan Gratz
A Short History of the Girl Next Door, Jared Reck
Beyond the Bright Sea, Lauren Wolk
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, Dusti Bowling
Orphan Island, Laurel Snyder
The Exact Location of Home, Kate Messner
Wishtree, Katherine Applegate
Flying Lesson and Other Stories, Ellen Oh
Goodbye Days, Jeff Zentner
Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai and The Treasure Box by Margaret Wild
I forgot to add Come With Me by Holly M. McGhee
Restart by Gordon Korean (MG), The Indigo Girl by Natalie Boyd (YA), Tangled Lines by Bonnie Doer (MG), Refugee by Alan Gratz (MG), Fuzzy by Tom Angleberger (MG).
Loved Refugee by Alan Gratz
War I Finally Won – Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Suee and the Shadow – Ginger Ly and Molly Park
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Metropolitans by Carol Goodman
Long Way Down
The Hate You Give
Restart -Gordan Korman
The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
Everything Everything – Nicola Yoon
Solo – Kwame Alexander
Wolf Hollow -Lauren Wolk
MIDDLE GRADE:
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
Halfway Normal by Barbara Dee
Things that Surprise You by Jen Maschari
Greetings from Witness Protection by Jake Burt
Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie
Refugee by Alan Gratz
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Van Glaser
Patina by Jason Reynolds
Bubbles by Abby Cooper
Posted by John David Anderson
Speed of Life by Carol Weston
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan
Real Friends by Shannon Hale
Me and Marvin Gardens by AS King
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Loved a lot of these but Refugee by Alan Gratz is my big winner right now!
I’m cheering hard this year for Doug Wechsler’s THE HIDDEN LIFE OF A TOAD. If you haven’t seen it, you can find out more about it here: http://dougwechsler.com/pages/hidden-life-of-a-toad.php
I met Doug many years ago when he was traveling the world as the curator of VIREO at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. His depth and breadth of knowledge is remarkable and we are lucky that he’s choosing to create books like this one for young readers. TOAD is marvelous!!
This looks amazing! I just added it to my library list for today. Thank you!
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate!
High School recs:
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I agree that Scythe was fab; one of my favorites! But it was a 2016 release.
Just left a GIANT YA list that didn’t post – bummer! No time now, but hopefully I’ll get a chance to type it all up again!
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner and Refugee by Alan Gratz!
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Now by Antoinette Portis
The Wolf The Duck and The Mouse by Mac Barnett
Refugee by Alan Gratz
All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Home in the Rain by Bob Graham
On a Magical Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
The Explorer by Katherine Rundell
Sit by Deborah Ellis
Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer
Song of the Wild by Nicola Davies
I could go on … how lucky are we?
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham, an extremely well-crafted YA historical fiction that is flying under the radar for some reason.
Picture book — Love, Triangle by Marcie Colleen
YA — The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
So many good books! I’ll try to keep it to my absolute favs in PB, MG, GN & YA:
PB: Blue Sky White Stars, Claymates, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
MG: Clayton Bird Goes Underground, Beyond the Bright Blue Sea, See you in the Cosmos, Refugee, Patina
GN: Real Friends, Fish Girl, Invisible Emmie
YA: The Long Way Down, The Upside of Unrequited, Solo, The Hate U Give
Undefeated, Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team, by Steve Sheinkin. Don’t be turned off because you don’t understand or follow football (like me)—Sheinkin’s clear writing style pulled me into the fascinating story of the early days of American football when a Native American super athlete and a brilliant coach inspired the winningest team in American sport history. The author reveals how the U.S. Government and American white society treated Native Americans at the beginning of the 20th century. Well-organized with extensive back matter plus historic photos and drawings—another winner by a master storyteller!
I loved this book too and I am not a football fan!
It’s so hard to narrow it down. I know I’ll forget so many, but here goes:
PBs: YOGA BUNNY by Brian Russo; TRAINS DON’T SLEEP by Andria Rosenbaum & Deirdre Gill; GROGGLE’S MONSTER VALENTINE by Diana Murray & Bats Langley; NOT QUITE NARWHAL by Jessie Sima; MAMA AFRICA by Kathy Erskine & Charly Palmer; MAURICE THE UNBEASTLY by Amy Dixon & Karl Mountford.
MG: THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC OF BEING by Kathy Erskine
YA NF: VINCENT AND THEO by Deb Heiligman
MG FICTION
The war I finally won, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A boy named Bat, Elana K. Arnold
Amina’s voice, Hena Khan
Sit, Deborah Ellis
Restart, Gordon Korman
Train I ride, Paul Mosier
Three pennies, Melanie Crowder
Beyond the bright sea, Lauren Wolk
The purloining of Prince Oleomargarine, Mark Twain with Philip & Erin Stead
Clayton Byrd goes underground, Rita Williams-Garcia
Fish girl, Donna Jo Napoli
When my sister started kissing, Helen Frost
Tournament of champions (3rd in Rip & Red series), Phil Bildner
Fiction for Young Readers
Yours sincerely, giraffe, Megum Iwasa
The good for nothing button, Cherise Mericle Harper
Picture Books
A different pond, Bao Phi
The rooster who would not be quiet, Carmen Agra Deedy
Town is by the sea, Joanne Schwarz
YA
Solo, Kwame Alexander
Picture books:
Bunny’s Book Club by Annie Silvestro
Out of Wonder by Kwame Alexander
Blue Sky, White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
I’m Smart by Kate and Jim McMullan
We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
YA
Patina by Jason Reynolds
Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Solo by Kwame Alexander
I have to say that when I got this book and read it, I was hooked. Most of my students hope it wins some award this year. The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Drew Daywalt brings the famous game to life for all readers. My students left the library striking the familiar actions of rock, paper, scissors.
A few our students (grade 5-6) have really enjoyed so far this year include…
A Boy Called Bat – Elana Arnold
Restart – Gordon Korman
The Assassin’s Curse – Kevin Sands
Wishtree – Katherine Applegate
Spy School Secret Service – Stuart Gibbs
The Unbreakable Code – Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Chester and Gus – Cammie McGovern
Refugee – Alan Gratz
The War I Finally Won – Kinberley Brubaker Bradley
Hello, Universe – Erin Entrada Kelly
The Explorer – Katherine Rundell
Picture Book: Blue Sky, White Stars (Naberhaus & Nelson) and Escargot (Slater)
Middle Grade: Orphan Island (Snyder) and Beyond the Bright Sea (Wolk)
Patina by Jason Reynolds
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Refugee by Alan Gratz
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ashes (Seeds of America 3) by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fred Korematsu Speaks Up by Laura Atkins & Stan Yogi
Undefeated: Jim Thorpe & the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell & Shadra Strickland
Alfie, by Thyra Heder. Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package, by Kate DiCamillo. Life, by Cynthia Rylant. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Wild Bird by Wendelyn Van Draanen
Solo by Kwame Alexander
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
Refugee by Alan Gratz and Wishtree by Applegate
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez
Solo by Kwame Alexander
All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria C. Jamieson
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Amina’s Voice by Hena Kahn
Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
American Street by Ibi Aanu Zoboi
Triangle by Mac Barnett
The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson
Grandma’s Tiny House: A Counting Story by JaNay Brown-Wood
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Now by Antoinette Portis
Sam Sorts (One Hundred Favorite Things) by Marthe Jocelyn
Why am I Me? by Paige Britt
Oh, and I can’t leave off One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk and This is How We Do it by Matt Lamothe
I loved SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS by Jack Cheng and loved, loved, loved THE ARSONIST by Stephanie Oakes!
Triangle by Mac Barnett
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt
The Time Museum by Matthew Loux
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith
The Stone Heart by Faith Erin Hicks
The Goat by Anne Fleming
Knife’s Edge by Hope Larson
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds
Patina by Jason Reynolds
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Refugee by Alan Gratz
The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Aliens Get the Sniffles Too! Ahhh-Choo! By Katy S. Duffield, K. G. Campbell, illustrator
YA Fiction and 1 YA Nonfiction
Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia 5/2017
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum 7/2017
Things I Should Have Known by Claire LaZebnik 3/2017
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall 1/2017
The Takedown by Corrie Wang 4/2017
They Both Die at The End by Adam Silvera 9/2017
Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore 10/2017
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy 5/2017
Dear Martin by Nic Stone 10/2017
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas 2/2017
American Street by Iby Zoboi 2/2017
A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck 9/2017
If There’s No Tomorrow by Jennifer Armentrout 9/2017
Windfall by Jennifer E.Smith 5/2017
And Then There Were Four by Nancy Werlin 6/2017
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner 3/2017
Bang! By Barry Lyga 4/2017
If There’s No Tomorrow by Jennifer Armentrout 9/2017
The Border by Steve Schafer 9/2017
Refugee by Alan Gratz 7/2017
Disappeared by Francisco X Stork 9/2017
The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera 2/2017
Shadowhouse Fall by Daniel Jose Older 9/2017
Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore 10/2017
Now I Rise by Kiersten White 6/2017
Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz 4/2017
Into the Bright Unknown by Rae Carson 10/2017
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh 5/2017
Be True to Me by Adele Griffin 5/2017
Solo by Kwame Alexander 8/2017
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare 5/2017
Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab 6/2017
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas 9/2017
I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo 5/2017
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon 5/2017
Nonfiction – How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana, Abigail Pesta 5/2017
Middle Grade
Patina by Jason Reynolds
Slider by Pete Hautman
Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Mighty Jack and the Goblin King by Ben Hatke
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Ditto on Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Very entertaining.
Wishtree- Katherine Applegate
Goodbye Days- Jeff Zentner
Refugee by Alan Gatz
Posted by John David Anderson
Restart by Gordon Korman
After the Fall by Dan Santat
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt
Haven’t read Wishtree yet, but I bet it’ll go on my list!!
Agreed with comment about Scythe (YA)!!
My top 3 favorites are:
Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Jackson Williams
Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry
I waited seventeen years for it, but it was worth it: Philip Pullman’s La Belle Sauvage.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Restart – by Gordon Korman
25+ K-2nd grade classes and I have not failed yet with Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds.
This is the other book I would say should be on this list. I didn’t include it in my original post but this is the best picture book I’ve read to preschoolers this year.
Middle grade:
Midnight Without A Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt
Tumble & Blue by Cassie Beasley
A Crack In The Sea by Heather Bouwman
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by by David Barclay Moore
Refugee by Alan Gratz and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas are two books that Hands down I think every one should read. The both cut so close to the soul I don’t have words to express their impact other than to see I FEEL it.
Now
After the Fall
King & Kayla
Orphan Island
Patina
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow
Fault Lines in the Constitution
La Bell Sauvage
Long Way Down
The 57 Bus
Dear Martin
Jane, Unlimited
War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar
The Explorers: The Door in the Alley by Adrienne Kress
The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero
See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
5 Worlds the Sand Warrior by Mark Siegel
All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
A Boy Called Bat by Elena Arnold
Picture Books
Come with Me by Holly McGhee
Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler
The Wolf, The Duck and The Mouse by Mac Barnett
Draw the Line by Katherine Otoshi
I Have a Balloon by Ariel Bernstein
Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam by Fawzia Gilani-Williams