Year in Review: Reflections

According to GoodReads, I read 668 books in 2017. I trust their math more than my own. But I do have my own way of keeping track. I do track the number of books read each month in various categories. And these--when totaled--present me with a lovely graphic chart.

Here are my categories:

• Board books and picture books
• Early readers and early chapter books
• Contemporary (realistic) fiction
• Speculative fiction
• Historical fiction
• Mysteries
• Classics
• Nonfiction
• Christian fiction
• Christian nonfiction

Here's how I did compared to last year:

In 2016, I read 105 picture books.
In 2017, I read 281 picture books.
In 2016, I read 38 early readers.
In 2017, I read 81 early readers.
In 2016, I read 28 contemporary books.
In 2017, I read 32 contemporary books.
In 2016, I read 71 speculative fiction books.
In 2017, I read 64 speculative fiction books.
In 2016, I read 51 historical fiction novels.
In 2017, I read 49 historical fiction novels.
In 2016, I read 28 mysteries.
In 2017, I read 30 mysteries.
In 2016, I read 47 classics.
In 2017, I read 67 classics.
In 2016, I read 63 nonfiction books.
In 2017, I read 66 nonfiction books.
In 2016, I read 31 Christian fiction novels.
In 2017, I read 39 Christian fiction novels.
In 2016, I read 120 Christian nonfiction books.
In 2017, I read 124 Christian nonfiction books.

I've spent the past few days making best-of lists.

• Year in Review: Best of 2017 Christian
• Year in Review: Top Ten Classics 
• Year in Review: Early Readers and Chapter Books 
• Year in Review: Genre Fiction 
• Year in Review: Nonfiction and Realistic Fiction   
• Year in Review: Picture Books (and Board Books) 

 

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Top 30 Picture Books

Picture Books:

1. Big Cat, Little Cat. Elisha Cooper. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]  
2. Be Quiet! Ryan T. Higgins. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
3. Tea with Oliver. Mika Song. 2017. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Mouse and Hippo. Mike Twohy. 2017. Simon Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library]  
5. The Bossier Baby. Marla Frazee. 2016. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
6. Bunny's Book Club. Annie Silvestro. Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]  
7. This is a Good Story. Adam Lehrhaupt. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
8. Hooray for Books. Brian Won. 2017. HMH. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]   
9. A Perfect Day. Lane Smith. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library] 
10. Bear's House of Books. Poppy Bishop. Illustrated by Alison Egson. 2017. 25 pages. [Source: Library]  
11. Bulldozer Helps Out. Candace Fleming. Illustrated by Eric Rohmann. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
12. Egg. Kevin Henkes. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
13. Here Comes Teacher Cat. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Claudia Rueda. 2017. 88 pages. [Source: Library]  
14. Mother Bruce. Ryan T. Higgins. 2015. Disney-Hyperion. 44 pages. [Source: Library] 
15. Chicken Story Time. Sandy Asher. Illustrated by Mark Fearing. 2016. (Dec) 40 pages. [Source: Library]  
16. The Cat Book. Silvia Borando. 2017. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
17. Mama Cat Has Three Kittens. Denise Fleming. 1998. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
18. Minerva Louise. Janet Morgan Stoeke. 1988. 24 pages. [Source: Library] 
19. We're All Wonders. R.J. Palacio. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]   
20. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Mem Fox. Illustrated by Julie Vivas. 1984/1985. Kane/Miller. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
21. Trains Don't Sleep. Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum. Illustrated by Deidre Gill. 2017. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
22. Counting with Tiny Cat. Viviane Schwarz. 2017. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
23.  Sister Day! Lisa Mantchev. Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library] 
24. Babies Can Sleep Anywhere. Lisa Wheeler. Illustrated by Carolin Buzio. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 32 pages. [Source: Library] 
25. The Plot Chickens. Mary Jane Auch. Illustrated by Herm Auch. 2009. Holiday House. 32 pages. [Source: Library]  
26. Chicken in School. Adam Lehrhaupt. Illustrated by Shahar Kober. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
27. Sleeping Beauty. Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Erin McGuire. 2017. Disney-Hyperion. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
28. Happy Dreamer. Peter H. Reynolds. 2017. Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
29. Baby Goes to Market. Atinuke. Illustrated by Angela Brooksbank. 2017. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
30. Buy My Hats. Dave Horowitz. 2010. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Bonus Category: Board Books:

1. Nighty-Night. Leslie Patricelli. 2017. Candlewick. 26 pages. [Source: Review copy; board book] 
2. Board book: Tinyville Town: I'm A Librarian. Brian Biggs. 2017. Abrams. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
3. Board book: Buildablock. Christopher Franceschelli. Illustrated by Peskimo. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 90 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
4. Board book: Baby Loves Quantum Physics! Ruth Spiro. Illustrated by Irene Chan. 2017. Charlesbridge. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]  

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Nonfiction and Realistic Fiction

Nonfiction:

Picture Books

1. Language of Angels. Richard Michelson. 2017. Charlesbridge. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
2. The Legendary Miss Lena Horne. Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. 2017. 48 pages. [Source: Library] 
3. Freedom in Congo Square. Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. 2016. 34 pages. [Source: Library]  
4. Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life. Ashley Bryan. 2016. 56 pages. [Source: Library]
5. When Jackie Saved Grand Central. Natasha Wing. 2017. HMH. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
6. Penguin Day. Nic Bishop. 2017. Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
7. How Does My Home Work? Chris Butterworth. Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti. 2017. [Oct. 24] Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
8. I am Jim Henson. Brad Meltzer. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
9. This Is How We Do It. Matt LaMothe. 2017. Chronicle. 52 pages. [Source: Library]

MG & YA

1. Ugly. Robert Hoge. 2016. 208 pages. [Source: Library]
2. Some Writer: The Story of E.B. White. 2016. HMH. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

Adult

1. Caught in the Revolution. Helen Rappaport. 2017. 464 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
2. Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer. 2017. 347 pages. [Source: Library]
3. Hidden Figures. Margo Lee Shetterly. 2016. 349 pages. [Source: Borrowed from Friend]
4. Go Down Together. Jeff Guinn. 2008. 468 pages. [Source: Library]

Realistic Fiction:

1. One Last Word. Nikki Grimes. 2017. Bloomsbury. 128 pages. [Source: Library]
2. Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess. Shari Green. 2017. 240 pages. [Source: Library] 
3. Real Friends. Shannon Hale. 2017. 214 pages. [Source: Library] 
4. Wish. Barbara O'Connor. 2016. FSG. 240 pages. [Source: Library] 
5. Train I Ride. Paul Mosier. 2017. HarperCollins. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
6. Giant Pumpkin Suite. Melanie Heuiser Hill. 2017. Candlewick Press. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
7. The Hate U Give. Angie Thomas. 2017. 444 pages. [Source: Library] 
8. Piecing Me Together. Renee Watson. 2017. Bloomsbury. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]
9. Big & Little Questions (According to Wren Jo Byrd). Julie Bowe. 2017. 240 pages. [Source: Library]
10. Far from the Tree. Robin Benway. 2017. HarperCollins. 384 pages. [Source: Library]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Genre Fiction

Best Speculative Fiction

1.  The Wolf Hour. Sara Lewis Holmes. 2017. Scholastic. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2.  Wishtree. Katherine Applegate. 2017. 224 pages. [Source: Library]
3. The Nutcracker Mice. Kristin Kladstrup. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 2017. [October 24] 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]
4. Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales. Emily Jenkins. Illustrated by Daniel Eason. 2017. Candlewick. 104 pages. [Source: Review copy]
5. The Button Girl. Sally Apokedak. 2017. 394 pages. [Source: Review copy provided by author] 
6. Norse Mythology. Neil Gaiman. 2017. Norton. 299 pages. [Source: Library]
7. Orphan Island. Laurel Snyder. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Library]  
8. Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. Frank Cottrell Boyce. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]
9. Your Sins and Mine. Taylor Caldwell. 1955/2017. Open Road Media. 105 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
10. Scythe. Neal Shusterman. 2016. 448 pages. [Source: Library] 

Best Historical Fiction

1. The Librarian of Auschwitz. Antonio Iturbe. Translated by Lilit Thwaites. 2017. 424 pages. [Source: Library]   
2. Hook's Tale: Being the Account of an Unjustly Villainized Pirate Written by Himself. John Leonard Pielmeier. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Library] 
3. Blood Red Snow White. Marcus Sedgwick. 2016. 320 pages. [Source: Library; Audience: YA, Adult]  
4. Projekt 1065. Alan Gratz. 2016. Scholastic. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
5. The War I Finally Won. (The War That Saved My Life #2) Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. 2017. 400 pages. [Source: Library]  
6. Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night. Barbara J. Taylor. 2014. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
7. Mr. Dickens and His Carol. Samantha Silva. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
8. Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers. Deborah Heiligman. 2017. 464 pages. [Source: Library]

Best Mysteries

1. The Wife Between Us. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. 2018. St. Martin's Press. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2. Twelve Angry Men. Reginald Rose. 1954/2006. 79 pages. [Source: Library]  
3. Nate the Great and the Lost List. (Nate the Great #3) Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Illustrated by Marc Simont. 1975. 80 pages. [Source: Library]  
4. The Case of the Lucky Loser. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. Champagne for One. Rex Stout. 1958. 205 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. Headed for Home. Mary Helen Brown. 2016. 178 pages. [Source: Review copy]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Early Readers and Chapter Books

1. Charlie & Mouse. (Charlie & Mouse #1) Laurel Snyder. Illustrated by Emily Hughes. 2017. Chronicle Books. 48 pages. [Source: Library] 
2. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea (Mr. Putter & Tabby #1) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 1994. 44 pages. [Source: Library]
3. The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake. (Wilcox and Griswold #1). Robin Newman. 2015. 40 pages. [Source: Library]  
4. The Case of the Poached Egg. (Wilcox and Griswold #2) Robin Newman. Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. 2017. 48 pages. [Source: Library]
5. Princess Cora and the Crocodile. Laura Amy Schlitz. Illustrated by Brian Floca. 2017. Candlewick. 80 pages. [Source: Review copy]
6. Hippopotamister. John Patrick Green. 2016. 84 pages. [Source: Library] 
7. My Kite Is Stuck and Other Stories. Salina Yoon. 2017. 64 pages. [Source: Review copy]
8. Waylon! One Awesome Thing. Sara Pennypacker. Illustrated by Marla Frazee. 2016. 208 pages. [Source: Library]  
9. Squirrel in the House. Vivian Vande Velde. Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. 2016. Holiday House. 80 pages. [Source: Library]
10. Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel. Charise Mericle Harper. 2017. HMH. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Top Ten Classics

This list is just new-to-me novels, not rereads.

1. The Karamazov Brothers. Fyodor Dostoevsky. Translated by Ignat Avsey. 1880/2008. 1054 pages. [Source: Library]  
2. Great Expectations. Charles Dickens. 1860. 640 pages. [Source: Library]    
3. Twelve Angry Men. Reginald Rose. 1954/2006. 79 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Your Sins and Mine. Taylor Caldwell. 1955/2017. Open Road Media. 105 pages. [Source: Review copy]   
5. Uncle Tom's Cabin. Harriet Beecher Stowe. 1852. 438 pages. [Source: Bought] 
6. Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 1961. 453 pages. [Source: Library]
7. Camille. Alexandre Dumas, fils. 1848. Translated by Edmund Gosse. 254 pages. [Source: Library]
8. Portrait of a Lady. Henry James. 1881. 656 pages. [Source: Bought]
9. The Kellys and the O'Kellys. Anthony Trollope. 1848. 537 pages. [Source: Bought] 
10. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. Jean Lee Latham. 1955. 251 pages. [Source: Bought]

Bonus Category: Favorite Rereads:

1. Barchester Towers. Anthony Trollope. 1857. 418 pages. [Source: Bought]
2. Doctor Thorne. Anthony Trollope. 1858. 639 pages. [Source: Bought] 
3. The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]  
4. Trumpet of the Swan. E.B. White. Illustrated by Fred Marcellino. 1970. 272 pages. [Source: Library]  
5. Mandy. Julie Andrews Edwards. 1971. 320 pages. [Source: Bought]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Non-Victorian Classics

Twentieth-Century Classics

1. We. Yevgeny Zamyatin. Translated by Clarence Brown. 1924/1993. 225 pages. [Source: Bought] 
2. A Canticle for Leibowitz. Walter M. Miller Jr. 1959. 335 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. Out of the Silent Planet. C.S. Lewis. 1938. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]  
4. Hiroshima. John Hersey. 1946/1989. 152 pages. [Source: Bought] 
5. Twelve Angry Men. Reginald Rose. 1954/2006. 79 pages. [Source: Library]
6. Murder in the Cathedral. T.S. Eliot. 1930. 88 pages. [Source: Library]  
7. The Skin of Our Teeth. Thornton Wilder. 1942. 176 pages. [Source: Library] 
8. The Dream Keeper and Other Poems. Langston Hughes. 1996. 96 pages. [Source: Library]  
9. Kolyma Tales. Varlam Shalamov. Translated by John Glad. 1978/1994. 508 pages. [Source: Library]
10. Champagne for One. Rex Stout. 1958. 205 pages. [Source: Bought]  
11. Prisoner's Base. (Nero Wolfe #21) Rex Stout. 1952. 209 pages. [Source: Bought] 
12. Dawn's Early Light. Elswyth Thane. 1934/2017. Chicago Review Press. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]
13. 1984. George Orwell. 1949. 268 pages. [Source: Bought]
14. It Can't Happen Here. Sinclair Lewis. 1935. 400 pages. [Source: Library]
15.  Verdict of Twelve. Raymond Postgate. 1940/2017. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
16. Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 1961. 453 pages. [Source: Library]
17. The Circular Staircase. Mary Roberts Rinehart. 1908. 197 pages. [Source: Bought]
18. The Case of the Fiery Fingers. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1951. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
19. The Case of the Lucky Loser. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
20. The Case of the Gilded Lily. (Perry Mason #50) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1956. 188 pages. [Source: Bought]
21. The Case of the Daring Decoy. (Perry Mason #54) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 198 pages. [Source: Bought]  

Christian Classics

1. The Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan. 1678. 301 pages. [Source: Bought] 
2. Your Sins and Mine. Taylor Caldwell. 1955/2017. Open Road Media. 105 pages. [Source: Review copy]   
3. No One Hears But Him. Taylor Caldwell. 1966/2017. Open Road Media. 212 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Children's Classics

1. The Apple and the Arrow. Mary and Conrad Buff. 1951/2001. HMH. 80 pages. [Source: Bought]  
2. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. Jean Lee Latham. 1955. 251 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. Schoolhouse in the Woods. Rebecca Caudill. Illustrated by Decie Merwin. 1949. 129 pages. [Source: Library] 
4. Up and Down the River (Fairchild Family #3). Rebecca Caudill. Illustrated by Deci Merwin. 1951/2009. 143 pages. [Source: Library]  
5. Schoolroom in the Parlor (Fairchild Family #4) Rebecca Caudill. Illustrated by Decie Merwin. 1959. 145 pages. [Source: Library]
6. Bobbs Merril Third Reader. Edited by Clara Belle Baker and Edna Dean Baker. 1924/30/39. 293 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. Trumpet of the Swan. E.B. White. Illustrated by Fred Marcellino. 1970. 272 pages. [Source: Library] 
8. The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia #6) C.S. Lewis. 1955. 221 pages. [Source: Bought]  
9. The Horse and His Boy. (Chronicles of Narnia #5) C.S. Lewis. 1954. 224 pages. [Source: Library] 
10. The Last Battle. C.S. Lewis. 1956. 224 pages. [Source: Library]  
11. Too Big. Ingri d'Aulaire and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire. 1945/2008. NYR Children's Collection. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
12. Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Louis Sachar. 1978. 144 pages. [Source: Library] 
13. The Sneetches and Other Stories. Dr. Seuss. 1961. Random House. 65 pages. [Source: Library]  
14. Mandy. Julie Andrews Edwards. 1971. 320 pages. [Source: Bought]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Year in Review: Victorian Classics

Novels by Anthony Trollope

1. The Macdermots of Ballycloran. Anthony Trollope. 1847. 636 pages. [Source: Bought]  
2. The Kellys and the O'Kellys. Anthony Trollope. 1848. 537 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. La Vendee. Anthony Trollope. 1850. 512 pages. [Source: Bought]   
4. The Warden. Anthony Trollope. 1855. Oxford World's Classics. 294 pages. [Source: Bought] 
5. Barchester Towers. Anthony Trollope. 1857. 418 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. The Three Clerks. Anthony Trollope. 1858. 648 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. Doctor Thorne. Anthony Trollope. 1858. 639 pages. [Source: Bought] 
8. The Bertrams. Anthony Trollope. 1859. 496 pages. [Source: Bought]  
9. Castle Richmond. Anthony Trollope. 1860. 500 pages. [Source: Bought]

Novels by Henry James

1. Watch and Ward. Henry James. 1871. 128 pages. [Source: Bought] 
2. Roderick Hudson. Henry James. 1875. 398 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. The American. Henry James. 1877. 400 pages. [Source: Bought] 
4. The Europeans. Henry James. 1878. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. Confidence. Henry James. 1879. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]  
6. Washington Square. Henry James. 1880. 288 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. Portrait of a Lady. Henry James. 1881. 656 pages. [Source: Bought]

Novels by Charles Dickens

1. Oliver Twist. Charles Dickens. 1838/1839. 608 pages. [Source: Bought]  
2. A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens. 1843. 96 pages. [Source: Bought]  
3. The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain. Charles Dickens. 1848. 100 pages. [Source: Bought]
4. The Chimes. Charles Dickens. 1844. 116 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. The Cricket on the Hearth. Charles Dickens. 1845. 84 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. The Battle of Life. Charles Dickens. 1846. 88 pages. [Source: Bought] 
7. Great Expectations. Charles Dickens. 1860. 640 pages. [Source: Library]   

Others:

1. The Karamazov Brothers. Fyodor Dostoevsky. Translated by Ignat Avsey. 1880/2008. 1054 pages. [Source: Library]  
2. The Adolescent. Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. 1875/2004. 647 pages. [Source: Library] 
3. The Best Short Stories. Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Translated by David Magarshack. 2001. 320 pages. [Source: Library] 
4. Uncle Tom's Cabin. Harriet Beecher Stowe. 1852. 438 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. Adam Bede. George Eliot. 1859. 624 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. Hide and Seek. Wilkie Collins. 1854. 384 pages. [Source: Bought]  
7. The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]  
8. Camille. Alexandre Dumas, fils. 1848. Translated by Edmund Gosse. 254 pages. [Source: Library] 
9. Camille: A Play in Five Acts. Alexandre Dumas, fils. Translated by Matilda Heron. 1852. 72 pages. [Source: Library]
10. The Time Machine. H.G. Wells. 1895. Penguin. 128 pages. [Source: Bought] 

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews