Librarian of Snark's Best Reads of 2015

So, I'm taking a little pause from the massive review round-ups over the next couple of days to focus on some year-end/year-beginning stuff. Today, I'm going to highlight my favorite reads of the year. I'll also have my posts about my most anticipated reads of next year, my final monthly check-in with totals for the year, and perhaps a separate post about my reading goals and resolutions for 2016.

Normally, I'd do several posts to highlight my favorite reads of the year - usually, broken up into picture books, middle grade, and young adult. This year, since I find myself woefully behind on pretty much everything, I'm just going to put it all here in one post. Links to reviews where possible and short comments included. Additionally, this year, I'm not going to make a distinction between books published this year and books I read this year that were published prior to 2015 - these will just be my favorite reads of the year, regardless of publication date.

Favorite Picture Books Read in 2015

I Don't Like Koala by Sean Ferrell

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry

Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne Lang

How to Surprise a Dad by Jean Reagan

Lloyd Llama by Sarah Jones

Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood

Here Comes the Tooth Fairy Cat by Deborah Underwood

I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson

Sea Rex by Molly Idle

Bear Counts by Karma Wilson

The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton

So, I cheated and picked 12 instead of 10, but, honestly, I probably could have picked several more. I think my absolute favorite was The Princess and the Pony - just an absolute delight. I stopped reviewing picture books on the blog and I don't really miss it. Maybe I'll go back to it in the future; we'll see.

Favorite Middle Grade Books Read in 2015

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson - review

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter - technically not middle grade, but my review here

The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Lockwood

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead - review

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko - review

The Marvels by Brian Selznick - review

Nightborn by Lou Anders - review

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

Dark Life by Kat Falls - review

The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell - review

The Dragon Lantern by Alan Gratz - review

Fork-Tongue Charmers by Paul Durham - review

Once again, I feel like I could pick more here, but I'm trying to limit myself. Brown Girl Dreaming was far and away the best.

Favorite Young Adult Books Read in 2015

Unbound by Neal Shusterman

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King - review

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero - review

Uprooted by Naomi Novik - review

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Cut Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian

Gone (series) by Michael Grant - I read the first one three years ago, but finished the series this year. My review of the last (which will lead to the others)

Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet - review

The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz - review

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman - review

And, again, I could have picked more. It's been a pretty good year for reading.