About Best Books
Every year, librarians and staff at The New York Public Library select noteworthy new books for readers of all ages and recommend them as our “Best Books” of the year.
These lists build on the Library’s century-old tradition of recommending the best-loved titles published for children each year, and in recent years have expanded to encompass titles for teens and adults, as well as books in Spanish for younger readers. They have always sought to reflect the diversity of New York City's readership. Special thanks to our Best Books committees, the members of which have read thousands of books to bring readers these recommendations.
Explore lists from previous years:
2023
Best Books for Kids: List | Checklist
Committee members: Urbana Anam, Erickson “EJ” Anupol, Angelina Anzalone, Susannah Aziz, Heather Barnum, Grace Dwyer, Kimberly Filmore, Jay Garfinkel, Rachel Hanig, Jo Henning (co-chair), Meghan Klaus, Chris Lassen (co-chair), Jennie Mayfield (co-chair), Amber Moller (co-chair), Jennifer Morris, Emily Petit, Sharon Rickson, Rebecca Roman, Angela Sepulveda, Elley Shin, and Stephanie Whelan.
Mejores libros para pequeños: List | Checklist
Committee members: Arturo Aguero, Louise Lareau, Caroline Magee, Katrina Ortega, Carmen Penas-Barrio (co-chair), Camryn Pillay, Ruth Rodriguez (co-chair), Sarah Suriel, Arlene Soto Vargas, and Jenelin Ynfante.
Best Books for Teens: List | Checklist
Committee members: Asuncion Cora (co-chair), Anita Duka, Parker Gaidimas, Elisa Garcia (co-chair), Olesia Kojemiako, Ivy Kuhrman, Chelsey Masterson, Grace Rosa, Arielle Saber, Kimberly Schropp, Renee Scott, Zoe Smolen, Hannah Spratt, Atticus Sutcliffe, Paul Sylvester, Ricci Yuhico.
Best Books for Adults: List | Checklist
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Poetry
Committee members: Belinda Farley (co-chair), Leanna Frankland (co-chair), Chantelle Grant, Andrea Grassi, Farhan Islam, Charlie Leppert, Alysia Vargas.
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Comics
Committee members: Brian Baer, Anastasia Bushey, Bai Jian Chen, Timothy N Forbes III, Althea Georges (co-chair),Logan Hughes, Rahsaan Hunt, Keletigui Kaba, Rabia Kassam, Kami Kimmel, Anaie Loyola, M. Passy, Joey Leyko Picciotto (co-chair), Isabella Pilares, Jean-Pierre Ramos, Dwayne Sandy, Douglas Varney, Linda Yau.
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Romance
Committee members: Baksha Ali, Vanessa Carrasco, Katelynne Lawson, Stephanie Layburn, Grace Loiacono, Digna Motta, Anne Rouyer (co-chair), Roxanne Russell, Avigail Sharon (co-chair)
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Mystery, Crime, and Thrillers
Committee members: Lauren Besignano, Adena Gruskin (co-chair), Tabrizia Jones, Peter Jubinsky, Catherine Natoli, Elizabeth Paladino (co-chair), Zinia Rahman
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Speculative Fiction
Tommy Buttaccio, Melissa Crotti, Elisabeth Eeckels, Paul Galfano, William Gschlecht, Claire Holmes, Neslie Nam, Mya Nunnally, Jean Ogrinz, Joshua Soule, Gregory Zeidner
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Fiction & Nonfiction
Committee co-chairs: Reader Services Department.
BookOps & Reader Services Liaisons: Jessica Agudelo, Stephanie Anderson, Heather Barnum, Emily Drew, Michelle Fernandez, Nick Franklin, Chris Lassen, Lynn Lobash, Chastity Moreno, Emily Pullen, Andy Wagstaff.
2022
Best Books for Kids: List | Checklist | PDF
Committee members: Heather Barnum, Anastasia Bushey, Andrea Grassi (co-chair), Jo Henning (co-chair), Ruth Isserman, Meghan Klaus, Melissa Koszer, Christopher Lassen, Amber Moller (co-chair), Rachel Skinner-O’Neill, Kayleigh Salstrand, Melina Sang, Elley Shin, Miri Shorten, Lila Spitz, Rachel Sweany (co-chair), Jennifer Allen-Williams, and Melissa Zemba
Mejores libros para pequeños: List | Checklist
Committee members: Carmen Peñas-Barrio, Elizabeth Bevington (co-chair), Aimé Casillas (co-chair), Ruth Rodríguez, Kridzely Vargas, and Saraí Merino Vega
Best Books for Teens: List | Checklist
Committee members: Rebecca Colao, Asuncion Cora (co-chair), Amy Douglas, Grace Dwyer (co-chair), Rae Shevchuk-Hill, Olisha James, Chelsey Masterson, Joelis Matos, Courtney Miller, Catherine Natoli, Andrew Oppenheimer, Jazz Pacheco, Heather Pilmar, Alyssa Maria Rivera, Nicole Rosenbluth, Deanna Schiffman, Zoe Smolen, and Ricci Yuhico
Best Books for Adults: List | Checklist
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Poetry
Committee members: Elizabeth Baldwin, Morgan Boyle, Belinda Farley, Leanna Frankland (chair), Denise Jarrott, Charlie Leppert, Corinne Neary, Asa Hendrix-Petry, Jonathan Shapiro, and Alysia Vargas
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Comics
Committee members: Brian Baer, Antonio Cuneo, Emily Drew (advisor), Paul Galfano, Althea Georges (co-chair), Julia Heffner, Logan Hughes, Rahsaan Hunt, Joseph Pascullo (co-chair), Joey Leyko Picciotto, Jean-Pierre Ramos, Dwayne Sandy, John Sattaur, and Jonathan Vargas
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Romance
Committee members: Stephanie Anderson (advisor), Christel Ellis, Kate Fais (co-chair), Katelynne Lawson, Annie Lin, Grace Loiacono, Cara Madden, Digna Motta, Selma Perdomo, Anne Rouyer (co-chair), Roxanne Russell, Avigail Sharon, Danielle Shur, Hannah Spratt, Justine Toussaint, and Emily Valentine
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Mystery, Crime, and Thrillers
Committee members: Chelsea Arnold, Lauren Besignano, Alma Cayasso, Adena Gruskin (co-chair), Claire Holmes, Neslie Nam, Elizabeth Paldino (co-chair), and Susen Shi (co-chair)
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Literature & Nonfiction
Committee co-chairs: Reader Services Department
2021
Best Books for Kids: List | Checklist | PDF
Committee co-chairs: Olisha James, Kevin Kelley, Christy Lau, and Jennifer Minehardt
Committee members: Sallie Baron, Stevie Feliciano, Andrea Grassi, Krystina Humbert, Esther Jackson, Michael Kirby, Christopher Lassen (advisor), Katelynne Lawson, Kaitlin Messina, Derek Milan, Jesse Moskowitz, Rachel Roseberry, January Sanalak, Teresa Silva, Kelly Smith, Rachel Sweany, Geraldine Villatoro, and Sarah West
Mejores libros para pequeños: List | Checklist
Committee co-chairs: Ana Bravo and Daniella Pagan
Committee members: Elizabeth Bevington, Aime Casillas, Alexandra Gomez (advisor), Diana Hernandez, Caroline Magee, Shanny Moreno, Priscilla Paulino, and Carmen Penas-Barrio
Best Books for Teens: List | Checklist
Committee co-chairs: Grace Dwyer and Katrina Ortega
Committee members: Julissa Ayala, Hanna Brownlee-Holbrook, Judith Crawford, Melissa Crotti, Emma Eriksson, Ryan Frick, Jay Garfinkel, Jenny Giordano, Sasha Jones, Alex Kohn, Catherine Natoli, Andrew Oppenheimer, Izabela Owusu-Ansah, Elizabeth Paldino, Nicole Rosenbluth, Renee Scott, Sarah Sculnick, Samantha Simoes, and Michelle Vacchio
Best Books for Adults: List | Checklist
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Poetry
Committee co-chairs: Leanna Frankland, Joshua Soule, Emily Wejchert, and Grace Yamada
Committee members: Liz Baldwin, Michelle Fernandez, Nick Franklin (advisor), Will Hall, Denise Jarrott, Margaret Kaczorowski, Bridgette Kern, Karen Loder, Anna Pensabene, Jill Rothstein, Alysia Vargas, and Maggie Yamartino
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Comics
Committee co-chairs: Crystal Chen and Joseph Pascullo
Committee members: Valerine Andujar, Brian Baer, Dana Bello, Lilian Calix, Antonio P. Cuneo, Whitney Davidson-Rhodes, Emily Drew (advisor), Althea Georges, Rahsaan Hunt, Michelle Lee, Margo Moore, Joey Leyko Picciotto, Dwayne Sandy, John Sattaur, Laura Stein, and Kevin Vega
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Romance
Committee co-chairs: Kate Fais and Anne Rouyer
Committee members: Stephanie Anderson (advisor), Christel Ellis, Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Annie Lin, Grace Loiacono, Digna Motta, Anthony Murisco, Natasha Rodriguez, Roxanne Russell, Avigail Sharon, Danielle Shur, Emily Small, Hannah Spratt, and Emily Valentine
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Horror
Committee co-chairs: Rachel Kahn and Isaiah Pittman
Committee members: Jenny Baum, Rosa Caballero-Li, Bre Jeffries, Brian Levy, Chasity Moreno, Amanda Pagan, Alma Sakic, J Shapiro, Angela Switzer, Estefania Velez, Joseph J. Vissers, and Andy Wagstaff (advisor)
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Mystery, Crime, and Thrillers
Committee co-chairs:
Chelsey Masterson and Susen Shi
Committee members: Chelsea Arnold, Lauren Besignano, Carolyn Broomhead, Jacqueline A. Brown, Paul Galfano, Adena Gruskin, Tabrizia Jones, Peter Jubinsky, Jennie Mayfield, Nanor Pogosian, Heather Price, Grace Tellez-Cardona, and Candice Walcott (advisor)
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Literature & Nonfiction
Committee co-chairs:
Lynn Lobash and Emily Pullen
2020
Best Books for Kids: List | Top 10
Committee co-chairs: Maggie Craig, Jessica Jackson, Anthony Murisco, and Grace Zell
Members: Lisa Bova, Jessica Espejel, Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Jo Henning, Olisha James, Tiffany James, Kevin Kelley, Mleeka Khan, Michael Kirby, Christy Lau, Jay Lyon, Mariel Matthews, Jennifer Minehardt, Rachel Roseberry, Douglas Varney, and Sarah West
Los mejores libros para pequeños: Top 10
Committee co-chairs: Aimé Casillas and Teresa Silva
Members: Ana Bravo, Lilian Calix, Camila Franco Diaz, Elisa Garcia, Fresa Gomez, Shanny Moreno, Daniella Pagan, Madeline Sanchez, and Milagros Santos-Ayala
Best Books for Teens: List | Top 10
Committee co-chairs: Crystal Chen and Katrina Ortega
Members: Shantay Allbright, Shelley Diaz (advisor), Emma Karin Eriksson, Kate Fais, Bree Jeffries, Sasha Jones, Louise Lareau, Dhariyah Luqman, Chelsey Masterson, Sara Milstein, Elizabeth Paldino, Joe Pascullo, Sarah Sculnick, Susen Shi, and Michelle Vacchio
Best Poetry Books: Top 10
Committee co-chairs: Emily Wejchert and Grace Yamada
Members: Leanna Frankland, Joshua Soule, and Alysia Vargas
Best Books for Adults: List | Top 10
2019
Best Books for Kids: List
Committee co-chairs: Maggie Craig, Jessica Jackson, Anthony Murisco, Grace Zell
Members: Alessandra Affinito, Sallie Baron, Tommy Buttaccio, Jonathan Clark, Jessica Espejel, Jay Garfinkel, Marisa Hall, Tessa Hamilton, Jo Henning, Kevin Kelley, Ann Lin, Jennifer Minehardt, Samantha Simoes, Rachel Sweany, Rachael Wettenstein
Best Books for Teens: List
Committee co-chairs: Asuncion Cora, Crystal Chen
Members: Genee Bright, Amber Certain, Melissa Crotti, Cassandra Flores, Jennifer Giordano, Iesha Irish, Tabrizia Jones, Lillian Lai, Louise Lareau, Dhariyah Luqman, Chelsey Masterson, Michael Maxwell, Sara Milstein, Catherine Natoli, Joseph Pascullo, Lizzie Seiple, Autumn Topping
Best Books for Adults: List
2018
Best Books for Kids: List | PDF
Artwork: MY BEIJING © 2018 by Nie Jun. Used by permission from Graphic Universe™, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
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Picture Book Committee: Maggie Craig, Rebecca Gueorguiev, Marisa Hall, Jessica Dawn Jackson, Leah Labreqcue, Amber Moller, Wayne Walters, Rachel Wettenstein
Co-Chairs: Jessica Agudelo & Jessica Cline
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Fiction Committee: Alessandra Affinito, Clarissa Cooke, Annie Lin, Anthony Murisco, Rachel Sweany, Tara Thomas, Douglas Varney, Grace Zell
Co-Chairs: Ruth Guerrier-Pierre & Sue Yee
- Advisers: BookOps & Readers Services
Best Books for Teens: List | PDF
Artwork: MECH CADET YU is TM & © 2018 Pak Man Productions, Ltd. & Takeshi Miyazawa. All rights reserved.
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Committee: Aime Casillas, Asuncion Cora, Melissa Crotti, Grace Dwyer, Kate Fais, Elisa Garcia, Jennifer Giordano, Grace Loiacono, Michael Maxwell, Elizabeth Paldino, Seth Pompi, Renee Scott, Autumn Topping, Grace Yamada, Ricci Yuhico
Co-Chairs: Lyndsie Guy & Brian Stokes
- Advisers: BookOps & Readers Services
2017
Best Books for Kids: PDF
Artwork: THE BOOK OF MISTAKES © 2017 by Corinna Luyken. Used by permission of Dial Books for Young Readers, New York, NY. All rights reserved.
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Committee: Jessica Agudelo, Rosa Caballero-Li, Jessica Cline, Jay Garfinkel, Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Rachel Hanig, Tiffany James, Leah Labrecque, Ellen MacInnis, Mariel Matthews, Jenny Rosenoff, Abilene Selvon-Castillo, Rachel Skinner O'Neill, Emily Small, Tara Thomas
Co-Chairs: Theresa Panza & Sue Yee
- Advisers: BookOps & Readers Services
Best Books for Teens: PDF
Artwork: THE WENDY PROJECT © 2017 Emet Entertainment, LLC and Melissa Jane Osborne. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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Committee: Lauren Besignano, Crystal Chen, Caitlyn Colman-McGaw, Grace Dwyer, Kate Fais, Elisa Garcia, Gwen Glazer, Chelsey Masterson, Jordan Nieves, Morgan O’Reilly, Katrina Ortega, Joe Pascullo, Seth Pompi, Benjamin Sapadin, Genna Sarnak, Shyiesha Watson, Grace Yamada, Ricci Yuhico
Co-Chairs: Susen Shi & Brian Stokes
- Advisers: BookOps & Readers Services
2016
Best Books for Kids: PDF
Artwork: THE NIGHT GARDENER © 2016 by Terry Fan & Eric Fan. Used by permission of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, NY. All rights reserved.
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Committee: Alexandria Abenshon, Clarissa Cooke, Sandra Farag, Jay Garfinkel, Chelsea Holland, Tiffany James, Annie Lin, Anthony Murisco, Rachel Skinner O’Neill, David Paggi, Noemi Vega, Christina Wilson, Sue Yee, Lauren Younger
Co-Chairs: Louise Lareau & Theresa Panza
- Advisers: BookOps & Readers Services
Best Books for Teens: PDF
Artwork: LUMBERJANES ™ & © 2016 Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke Allen. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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Committee: Lauren Besignano, Shauntee Burns, Crystal Chen, Caitlyn Colman-McGaw, Katie Fernandez, Karen Ginman, Lyndsie Guy, Mina Hong, Thomas Knowlton, Andrea Lipinski, Chelsey Masterson, Morgan O’Reilly, Katrina Ortega, Joe Pascullo, Anne Rouyer, Benjamin Sapadin, Chantalle Uzan, Shyiesha Watson
Co-Chairs: Gwen Glazer & Susen Shi
- Advisers: BookOps & Readers Services
2015
Best Books for Kids: PDF
Artwork: DRUM DREAM GIRL: HOW ONE GIRL’S COURAGE CHANGED MUSIC by Margarita Engle, illustrations © 2015 by Rafael Lopez. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, MA. All rights reserved.
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Committee: Deborah Allman, Anne Barreca, Ann-Marie Braithewaite, Clarissa Cook, Meghan Kitz, Annie Lin, Anthony Murisco, Theresa Panza, Karen Phelan, Kristy Raffensberger, Ruth Rodriguez, Jacqueline Schector, Rebecca Schosha, Anna Taylor, Taylor Thomas, Amie Wright, Sue Yee
Co-Chairs: Louise Lareau & Stephanie Whelan
- Advisers: Betsy Bird, Karen Ginman, Jeanne Lamb, & Christopher Lassen
Best Books for Teens: PDF
Artwork: Creative Services department of The New York Public Library
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Committee: Ariel Birdoff, Shauntee Burns, Amber Certain, Sandra Farag, Katie Fernandez, Lisa Goldstein, Ashley Gonzalez, Lyndsie Guy, Mina Hong, Thomas Knowlton, Charlie Radin, Nicole Rosenbluth, Susen Shi, Teresa Silva, Brian Stokes, Chantalle Uzan
Co-Chairs: Andrea Lipinski & Anne Rouyer
- Advisers: Karen Ginman, Jeanne Lamb, & Christopher Lassen