The Best Kids & YA books of 2015

As a librarian with a passion for children’s literature I read nothing but books for kids and teens all year long. I visit schools around the city to promote great new reads for kids so I always have to keep up-to-date with the new and exciting books we get in at the library.

I have read a lot of great books for kids and teens this year, from picture books to novels and nonfiction. As always, I borrow more than I can read, but there are so many books that I want to read. Picture books, at least, are easy to read and you can read them again and again.

Each year we put together our Holiday Reading Guide, which includes the best books of the year selected by librarians across all our libraries. Our 2015 Holiday Reading Guide is out now. It includes:

• Picture Books
• Younger Fiction
• Older Fiction
• Young Adult Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Children’s books in Te Reo.

If you’re looking for some great books to read over the summer, make sure you check out the 2015 Holiday Reading Guide.

Here are some of my favourite books of 2015 from the Holiday Reading Guide:

Picture Books

• Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey – Aaron Blabey is my top author/illustrator of the year. He has published 6 books in 2015 and they’re all brilliant. Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas is the story of Brian, a Piranha who should like meat but much prefers fruit and veges. His friends aren’t happy and try to put him on the right track. He tries to persuade them that ‘fruit is the best’ but they would rather eat feet, knees and bums. This is a hilarious read that has kids and adults cracking up.
• The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton –  Princess Pinecone wants to be a warrior and she needs a big, strong, fast horse to help her. Her parents don’t get her wishes quite right and she ends up with a short, fat little pony that farts a lot. This little pony might not be what she asked for but together they become a great team, and help the meanest warriors show their cuddly sides.

Younger Fiction

• The Shark-Headed Bear-Thing by Barry Hutchison – Ben just wants to have an adventure and be a hero. When a girl called Paradise turns up in his village seeking a hero to save her village from a rampaging monster, Ben knows he’s the hero for the job. A very funny adventure story, featuring the greatest game ever invented – Burp or Death!
• Mango and Bambang: The Not-a-Pig by Polly Faber and Clare Vulliamy –  A charming collection of four beautifully illustrated stories about the unlikely friendship between Mango, a little girl, and Bambang, a Malaysian tapir. Mango Allsorts is good at all sorts of things, not just karate and chess. Bambang is most definitely not-a-pig and is now lost in a very busy city. When the two unexpectedly meet, a friendship begins, filled with adventures, and of course, plenty of banana pancakes.

Older Fiction

• Olive of Groves by Katrina Nannestad – an enchanting, entertaining and incredibly funny book, packed with imagination. Olive is sent to Mrs Groves Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers, where the headmistress is bonkers, the school bully is a pig, boys blow up broccoli with dynamite, and she meets plenty of colourful characters. This is my book of the year.
• The Marvels by Brian Selznick – The latest amazing book from the very talented Brian Selznick, told partly through illustration and partly through text. The first 400 or so pages of the story are told just through illustration and introduce us to the Marvels. The second part of the book tells the story of Joseph and his search for the truth of his family and his connection to the Marvels. A true masterpiece.

Young Adult Fiction

• The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness – This beautiful, funny, moving novel looks at those who aren’t the ‘chosen ones.’  Mikey and his friends are the chosen ones. They just want to go to prom and graduate without their school being blown up again. They are navigating everyday life in their town, while the Indie kids are battling the Court of the Immortals.
• Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas – Ollie and Moritz are best friends, but they can never meet. Ollie has a life-threatening allergy to electricity, and Moritz’s weak heart requires a pacemaker. If they ever did meet, they could both die. Living as recluses from society, the boys develop a fierce bond through letters that become a lifeline during dark times. The story is original and intriguing and the characters are two of the most interesting teenage guys you’ll ever meet.

Best book covers of 2015 – My pick of New Zealand’s finest

We are told not to judge a book by its cover, but a title’s jacket performs an important role. It signals what is within, and it entices you to pick it from a shelf. Here’s my picks for New Zealand’s best book covers of 2015:

#1 First to the top by David Hill, illustrated by Phoebe Morris. This is a clever, cool picture book about Sir Edmund Hillary, and Phoebe’s illustrations are so crisp and character-filled I kept going back and looking again.  Find out more about Phoebe on the Penguin Random House website and visit Phoebe’s website.

#2 Work by Sarah Jane Barnett. Why is it that books of poetry often have superfine covers? I don’t know, but this typographic beauty is so strong and potent, I can’t look away. Love that blast of yellow too. Find out more about Duncan Forbes’ cover design work on Sarah Jane Barnett’s blog.

#3 For someone I love: A collection of writing by Arapera Hineira Blank. A joyously beautiful photo makes a brilliant book cover. This is Arapera Blank and her Swiss husband, photographer Pius Blank. Their son Anton Blank has more info on this selfie of his parents.

Here are some more of my favourites:

New Zealanders

Plenty of titles make the most of New Zealand characters.

Poetry

Artful, creative, eye-pleasing – here are volumes of poetry that capture attention.

For kids

Here’s three bold covers, including a new picture book by Vasanti Unka.

Colours and patterns

Striking uses of colour and texture make for standout covers.

Special mention

BWB texts – The book design of these texts is plain, but much like Penguin Books there is virtue in that simplicity. This distinctive design signifies the quality thinking to be found within.

• Best reads 2015
• Best book covers of 2014 – My pick of New Zealand’s finest
• Best book covers of 2013 – My pick of New Zealand’s finest
• The colourful book covers of 2012
• Best book covers of 2012 – New Zealand’s finest

For more book cover and design, see the PANZ Book Design Awards.

Best reads 2014

What books have you loved this year? The following lists bring together the cream of the crop of 2014’s books – from the picks of our staff and customers, to the lists published by magazines, newspapers and booksellers.

Have your say – add a link to your booklist, or add your picks in the comments field.

   

Christchurch City Libraries staff and customer picks

• Best Reads of 2014 Popular blogger Roberta selects twelve perfect titles.
• 2014 Reading Favourites Bibliobishi‘s choices range from fiction to non-fiction, from Carl Nixon to Bryan Talbot, to Green Urban Living.
• Best Reads of 2014 Kebabette chooses three New Zealand titles, as well as a mix of graphic novels, fiction, and non-fiction.
• Best Reads of 2014 Alina selects fiction and non-fiction, including Hyperbole and a half.
• My Best Reads from 2014 BenHur56 selects a mix of non-fiction and fiction, including Stuart, a life backwards.
• Best Fantasy reads in 2014 Idlers’ picks. “I mostly read fantasy, and loved starting Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series, but there were some great new books from Adrian Tchaikovsky, Brent Weeks and Brian McClellan as well”.
• This year Warren’s selection of music-related titles.
• Best reads / listens / watches in 2014 ChristchurchCat picks his top 30 for the year.
• Joyce’s choice reads 2014 Joyce “A slightly ho-hum list for 2014. Only a few titles really rocked my bookiverse this year but it was my own fault as once again I’ve frittered away precious reading time on truly terrible TV (Death in Paradise! All three ridiculous seasons!) and Youtube. Silly me”.
• stewaroby’s best books of 2014 Robyn selects nine goodies from 2014.
• Best Reads for 2014 Shadyladynz’s top 11 for 2014.
• My best fiction reads of 2014 Fiction selector Philip Tew chooses the best fiction of the year.
• Ma1co1m’s Best Comics of 2014 “So many great comics this year. It was real tough whittling them down to just 12 (sorry Mr Lemire). But here goes…”
• Top Reads 2014 Knit1purl1 shares her picks for 2014, including a couple of touching New Zealand stories about the First World War, and the super-popular vegetarian cookbook Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi.
• Favourite YA and adult books for 2014 The Bookwitch’s favourite YA and adult reads of the year.
• 2014 best books from Rachael at Upper Riccarton
• Alireads best books of 2014
• Young Adults Best of 2014 – Shirley Library A super sum up of what was cool in 2014. A++ – would watch again.

I know it’s been around for a while but one of the most fascinating and chilling books I’ve read this year was Hilary Mantel’s A Place of Greater Safety. Mantel writes the best execution scenes – they stay in your head for weeks afterwards. I’ve also enjoyed science fiction from Charles Stross and Hannu Rajaniemi, and am currently working my way through James Treadwell’s Advent trilogy for young adults.
Annette, CCL

I have to nominate the Game Of Thrones series this year … while they’re not new, they do still stand out in the fantasy field. Also for sheer reading pleasure, I put a spell on you by John Burnside. It’s a coming of age memoir, and written so well it’s like stepping into a warm room on a cold day. And it made me go and listen to I put a spell on you by Nina Simone, which was also a revelation.
Colin, CCL

A few that stick out this year – How Google Works (Eric Schmidt); An Appetite for Wonder; the making of a scientist (Richard Dawkins); The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy). Mostly re-reading new copies of old books this year as I refill my library…Kurt Vonnegut Jr, John Updike, Philip K. Dick, Roald Dahl, Aldous Huxley. You’re never alone with a good book!
Michael, CCC

Goldfinch – Donna Tartt, and Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike is a very likeable anti-hero.
Grace

Tudor, The Family Story by Leanda de Lisle – covers well trodden ground from a new perspective, and sheds a lot of light on the motivations of the principal Tudors. These motivations are often best understood by looking at what less important members of the family were doing. And very readable! For the Scottish side, Crown of Thistles (Linda Porter) is amazingly good but I think it was 2013.
Gordon

I can remember what I didn’t read. I gave up on The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (such good writing that I couldn’t cope with the sadness of the young boy), The Dinner by  Herman Koch, (just couldn’t get to grips with any of the characters and what on earth it was all about); Wake by Elizabeth Knox (I should actually give up on trying to read her novels, I think my brain is differently wired); How to Build a Girl by  Caitlin Moran ( I didn’t enjoy her other books but thought perhaps her novel would tickle my fancy – it didn’t).

However thankfully I did really enjoy The Circle by Dave Eggers, so much in fact that I blogged about it. We are all completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Fowler also managed to get me past the first chapter and well and truly hooked by the 3rd when the identity of the missing sister (a chimpanzee) was revealed.

The Martian by Andy Weir, a story of a man abandoned and left for dead when a trip to Mars goeswrong. The technical details of how he survived were either amazingly clever or just plain stupid, but either way it kept me hooked.
Jane, CCL

I became totally engrossed in Philippa Gregory’s ‘The Cousins’ War’ series this year. The author recreates historical events so skillfully you can smell the lavender-scented reeds on the floors and the hear the swish of petticoats on the flagstones. Generally written in the first person, each title explores the life of a key female historical figure. The writing is so good I felt empathy for Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne Neville et al regardless of their political point of view and sometimes brutal actions. Reading Philippa Gregory is like taking your history with a large spoonful of creative sugar.

Another excellent read came to me via my book group – Riding the Bus with my Sister – A True Life Journey. In this autobiography, Rachel Simon explores her relationship with her intellectually disabled sister, Beth. The humility of the author and her determination to understand and care for her willful younger sibling who won’t live life by anyone else’s rules but her own, is deeply moving and the book raises issues about how our fast paced, success driven society defines ‘mental health’.

I finally got round to reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and loved every page of it. I also enjoyed The Luminaries for its Victorian sensibilities and fabulous use of language.
Rachel, CCL

I seem to listen to more books than I actually read at the moment. I’ve listened to some that I enjoyed but probably would not have picked up to read. I just finished The Crocodile Bird by Ruth Rendell which isn’t a mystery but the suspense does build. Two others that stand out are People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks and Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult.
Marcia, CCL

Two books published this year which really stood out for me were Razorhurst by Justine Larbalestier and The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth.

I was initially attracted to Razorhurst by the striking cover, which sets the scene for a story of 1920s gangs in the slums of Sydney. Set over the course of a day, orphan Kelpie and gangster’s moll Dymphna witness a murder. The book follows their attempts to evade the attentions of the gangs involved. There are minor supernatural elements to the story which add to the atmosphere and add to the main characters’ sense of alienation. This is a young adult book with a cracking narrative and a real sense of history.

The Wake is another historical novel, also with a memorable cover. It is set in the late 1060s and examines the aftermath of the Norman Conquest in 1066. What sets it apart is the way it is written – to tell his story Kingsnorth has created a version of Old English, the language that was spoken in those days. There’s almost no punctuation, several letters of the alphabet aren’t used and some word are spelled unusually. It is a book that you read carefully and it didn’t take me too long to get into the text. For example ‘knights’ are ‘cnihts’. This language helps to convey the otherness of life one thousand years ago. This book appealed to me as it deals with a little-known period of British history when the Anglo-Saxon / Danish was of life was totally changed by the invading Normans.

Two other books I have to give honourable mentions to are the deeply moving We are all completely besides ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, which considers the complexity of family relationships, and We need new names by NoViolet Bulawayo. I’m only a third of the way through the latter but the vivid portrait of life in Zimbabwe has me gripped so far.
Kat, CCL

2014 best book lists

New Zealand

• Best New Zealand book covers of 2014 Christchurch City Libraries
• Holiday reading for children – Christchurch City Libraries
• Holiday reading for young adults – Christchurch City Libraries
• The 100 best books of 2014 New Zealand Listener
• Books of the year New Zealand Book Council
• Every book you need to read this summer New Zealand Herald
• Favourite reading International Institute of Modern Letters

International

• Largehearted Boy’s Online “Best of 2014” book lists
• Best books of the year The Guardian
• 100 Notable books of 2014 New York Times Book Review
• Amazon best books of 2014 Editors’ picks
• Best books of 2014 Amazon, Celebrity picks
• Best children’s books of 2014 Amazon
• Best books of 2014 Goodreads
• Best children’s books of 2014 Kirkus
• Best fiction books of 2014 Kirkus
• Best books of 2014 Publishers Weekly
• The 10 best books of 2014 The Washington Post
• The best books of 2014 The Telegraph
• Year in reading The Millions

See also

• Best reads of previous years
• Literary prizes for the award winning books of the year

Best book covers of 2014 – My pick of New Zealand’s finest

This awards ceremony starts with the winners. My two favourites of the year:

Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen by Dylan Horrocks. I could have picked any of Dylan’s four covers represented below. The man is a massive New Zealand talent, and deserves all the kudos. Onya Dylan.

Creamy Psychology
A survey of the work of photographer Yvonne Todd. Artists and photographers – like cartoonists – often have a head start when it comes to good covers. They have the images. And this is hypnotically creepy and yet alluring. Love it, and the title.

Let’s continue the awards ceremony with two strong Christchurch-focused titles. Potently distinctive, and both representing well what is inside.

Last year I praised the array of fantastic cartoony covers on New Zealand books. I’m pleased to see more goodies this year. I feel like a Dylan Horrocks cover is so damn good, and generally indicative of an excellent book too. Two of them this year are his own collections.

More proof that artists give good cover. As do poets.

Beautiful fiction.

Some super covers for kids and teens.

Very New Zealand. And evocative.

Typographical delights.

There is a boom of publishing in the area of First World War history. This has an appropriate solemnity and gravitas. As do some others employing black and white photography.

I love this one. Love love LOVE.

A lineup of stuff can make for an attractive cover.

Book of the year. But though the cover is distinctive and recognisable (it looks a bit like the Shroud in Turin?), I kind of wish it had a Sharon Murdoch cartoon on the cover. She is on Twitter as @domesticanimal and is all kinds of awesome.

For more book cover and design, see the PANZ Book Design Awards.

• Best book covers of 2013 – My pick of New Zealand’s finest
• The colourful book covers of 2012
• Best book covers of 2012 – New Zealand’s finest

Most popular stuff for adults 2011

You love me, but love Lee Child even more ...

Here’s Christchurch City Libraries’ top 100 items from last year for adults.

Factoids and observations:

• Road Code – number 1. Essential stuff.
• Wow –  check out the number of James Patterson titles in the list (7?)
• Passion for Scandinavian crime is so not melting away
• Oldies like Wilbur Smith can still cut it with the new fellas
• Looks like people do want to know about Paul Henry, as his memoir What was I thinking is the top NZ book (after the Road Code) … but closely on its tail is The Conductor by Sarah Quigley
• About 15 out of the 100 are New Zealand books

Any observations or surprises?

Best and Worst Evening draws large audience

Gavin Bishop’s best picture books

The Best and Worst Books for Children evening was attended by over 70 book lovers last night. Held at South Library, the audience keenly followed the advice from experts such as local author, Gavin Bishop, to enjoy the delights of picture books. He gave special mention to Grandpa Green by Lane Smith which uses topiary as a metaphor for memory loss to help children understand Alzheimers.

Heather Orman, a teacher from Thorrington school shared what works well in the classroom. One of her favourites for encouraging wonderful visual art and story writing was Tell me a Dragon by Jackie Morris.

Sheila Sinclair of the Children’s Bookshop waxed lyrical about the beauties of Northwood by Brian Falkner and shared her store’s best sellers for the year. No one guessed the Auckland top seller, which was Curly from Shirley by Emma Pullar. Sheila felt this expressed in a very tangible way the positive wishes of other New Zealanders for Christchurch’s recovery.

Louise Easter, children’s literature expert from Christchurch City Libraries shared her selection of books that were perhaps not at the top of her Christmas list and you can read the  full list of the libraries’ recommendations for good holiday reading for children and young adults on the library website.

I’ve read two, how many have you read?

I’ve just had a peruse of the latest The Listener (December 11-17 Vol 226), which has their annual list of Top 100 Books, over my morning porridge – don’t knock it until you try it!

First thought was, what have I been doing with my year, as there were so many I hadn’t even heard of let alone read, but then I actually found two I had read and they were both highlights of my reading year.

Room: a novel by Emma Donoghue has been acclaimed world wide and for good reason.

Jack, our narrator and hero is turning five when we first meet him. He lives in Room with his Ma, the only space he has known since being born there. It is a garden shed that measures 11 feet square and they are locked in by the man who abducted Jack’s mother seven years ago.

Jack’s view of life is revealed slowly, and he is the sole voice, you only get a glimpse of how his mother copes with this horror through his naive eyes. The daily life she has developed for him, the fear they both have of the man who keeps them imprisoned and the suspense that builds throughout this slim but powerful book will want you to read it all in one sitting. It’s a must read!

In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut was nominated for the Booker Prize and is a curiously written book, the style of which may drive some crazy, but persevere and you will be rewarded. It is written in the third person, with the narrator recounting walking trips through Africa and travel in India.

The narrator is observing himself as if he was travelling alongside at some points, then switching to the first person to explain his feelings or reactions to what his happening to him. It is odd to start with, but you soon fall into the lovely rich prose, and the descriptions of Africa in particular were such that I got out of bed at 11.30 to hunt out an atlas to follow his progress.

So, check out the list, see how many you have read, and maybe resolve to read a few more.

Tell us what you thought of the ones that you have read from the list.

• The full list will be available on the Listener website on 25 December
• See our picks of the Best reads of 2010

Simply the best books of 2010

Every year since 2000, we have been compiling the favourite reads of the year – from staff, customers and those great ‘best of’ lists that we spot.

Our Best reads of 2010 list has just been launched, and we’ll keep adding to it as we spot lists (The New York Times 100 notable books of 2010 has just been published) and we want YOU to have your say too via our short survey.

What’s on the list already? Here’s a wee tasty sampler to whet your appetite:
   

Wall of 2009’s favourite NZ non-fiction

         

Read more about Cornelia’s picks of top NZ non-fiction for 2009 …

Best Books

Oh the ag0ny of the wanting-to-be well-read this time of year when the annual Best Books lists are published.       I opened the Listener a couple of weeks ago and discovered I had not read any on the first page of their list.  What had I been frivoling my time away on?  I knew the answer – I had beeen re-reading a lot of old favourites, especially aged mysteries.  However things got better when I turned the page and found Home by Marilynne Robinson which I had just read.   But it is her earlier book Gilead, to which Home is a companion rather than a sequel, that really stands out for me as the best book I have read this year.  Robinson’s subjects are love, redemption and morality in small-town Iowa.  Themes not so different from many other novels but few portray the inner life of their characters with such charm, wisdom and compassion.  Both are worth reading.  Try Gilead first as it illuminates the events in Home.

The Ringmaster

I had read a few other Listener picks including Vanda Symon’s The Ringmaster.  Symon is a terrific writer  – great plots, fast-paced, compulsive reading, but her heroine, detective Sam Shephard, is soo irritating!  Mouthy, prejudiced, impulsive  and opinionated.   It shows the quality of  Symon’s writing that I am eagerly looking  forward to her next book despite this.

I now have a very long list of holds for other “bests” of 2008 and haven’t even started on the library’s own Best Reads of 2008.   It should only take me until December 2009.