The Best Middle-Grade and Chapter Books of 2012
While I have made four "Best of" picture books list now, this is only my second "Best of" list for middle-grade and chapter books and I am still refining it. As I was compiling and winnowing my list for this year, I noticed some themes. So, this year the list is categorized! And, like a stripy shirt or the right pair of jeans, I am hoping the categories will hide the true heft of the list(s). I'll start with a genre that has existed for a very long time, (John Bellairs, an author from my childhood, is a great example and I really need to review his books here) mysteries with a bit of magic but I just sort of noticed it this year. Interestingly enough, three of the four books in this category could also be termed Historical Fantasy, mysteries with a touch of magic set in the past, my favorite! And, please excuse the size of the graphic novel list. It was too hard to narrow it down...
The Best MYSTERIES with MAGIC of 2012
Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green by Helen Phillips
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell
Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans
The Best HISTORICAL FICTION of 2012
13 Hangmen by Art Corriveau
The Best HISTORICAL FICTION of 2012
City of Orphans by Avi
Tracks by Diane Lee Wilson
The BEST ANIMAL STORIES of 2012
Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
The Best FANTASY of 2012
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
Cold Cereal by Adam Rex
A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle
The Best GRAPHIC NOVELS of 2012
Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale
DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier
A Wrinkle In Time adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson
The Stone Frog by David Nytra
Earthling! by Mark Fearing
Fangbone! Third-Grade Barbarian by Michael Rex
Explorer : The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi
A Wrinkle In Time adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson
The Stone Frog by David Nytra
Earthling! by Mark Fearing
Fangbone! Third-Grade Barbarian by Michael Rex
Explorer : The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi
Best CHAPTER BOOKS of 2012
Sadie and Ratz by Sonya Hartnett
And, of course, these brilliant graphic-novel-beginnning-to-read books from TOON BOOKS that came out in 2012!
The BEST ADULT BOOK THAT IS GREAT FOR TEENS of 2012
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan