Top Picks for 2006 (So Far)

MotherReader has called on members of the kidlitosphere to select our top picks for 2006 (so far), by age. She asked for only five in each category. Narrowing things down was very difficult. To make it easier, I limited myself to books first published in 2006. This eliminates many excellent books that I read this year that were published last year (or earlier). Here are my selections:

Elementary School

• Babymouse: Beach Babe by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. My review.
• Free Baseball by Sue Corbett. My review.
• Happy Kid! by Gail Gauthier. My review.
• The Prophet of Yonwood (Book of Ember) by Jeanne Duprau. My review.
• Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius by Frank Asch. My review.

Middle School

• Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown. My review.
• Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller.
• Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters - Book Two by Rick Riordan.
• Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love by Maryrose Wood. My review.
• Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy. My review.

High School

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. My review.
• A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt. My review.
• It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. My review.
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.
• Stay With Me by Garret Freymann-Weyr. My review.

Please note that this list is highly subjective. It's the books that I've personally enjoyed the most out of the books that I read this year, and that were published this year. It was difficult to choose, and I read a lot of other wonderful books, too. There are also books that I've heard great things about, and am dying to read, but I did not add any books to my list on the basis of expecting to like them. I'll be interested to see what other people pick!

UPDATE: Above post edited to remove Pond Scum, which, although I loved it, turns out to have been published in 2005. My mistake! I replaced it with Happy Kid!, which I've just learned from author Gail Gauthier was actually published in May 2006, despite Amazon listing it as December 31, 2005. Sorry for any confusion, and thanks to A Fuse #8 Production and Gail Gauthier for taking the time to point out my mistakes.

Comments

[MotherReader]

Great list. We'll have a lot of books in common. That's one of the reasons I thought doing one big list might not be that hard. There are a few stand-outs this year (so far). Thanks for doing your list so soon.

[Liz B]

Somehow, Beach Babe is the one Babymouse I've missed. But since I adore all that is Babymouse (I'm thinking of buying a t shirt), I'll agree with you!
Middle School

For other titles:
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown. I've been thinking about adding this to my own BB06 list; sometimes I have to sit and ponder a book. I love the questions raised and the way the issues are handled. Great book.

Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller. I adore this book; and yes, middle school, but giving as my mom is raving about this I'd put this as all ages.

Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love by Maryrose Wood. *sigh*. You're right. I have to revise my own best books. (the sigh is why didn't I includ this earlier?)

High School

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Holy Hannah, just finished this. If it doesn't win the Printz, there is no justice in this world.

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt. Agreed.

Hey, I agree with everything (when everything includes the books I've read.)

I'm also considering the Enola Holmes mystery, as well as the latest Ingrid/Echo Falls book. (my list is on my sidebar, by the way.)

[Jen Robinson]

There are definitely some common standouts this year. I'm glad that we'll all have some overlap. I think that a lot of people will pick The Book Thief and Kiki Strike.

I considered Enola Holmes and the Echo Falls book, too. But I thought that the first Echo Falls book was better (though not published in 2006).

[Kelly]

Great list, Jen. I'm putting "A Brief Chapter" on my audible list now.

[Fuse #8]

It kills me to say this since I'm a Alan Silberberg fan, but "Pond Scum" came out in 2005.

[Jen Robinson]

Man, I would have sworn that I checked all of the publication dates. But of course you're right, Fuse, about Pond Scum. Will update the list later today. Sigh! Thanks for letting me know. I would have replaced it with Happy Kid! but Amazon lists that one as December 31, 2005.

[Gail]

Jen--Amazon says that Happy Kid! was published Dec. 31, 2005, but the actual publication date was May 18, 2006.

[Susan Taylor Brown]

Thank you for putting Hugging the Rock on your list, Jen. I'm honored.

[Jen Robinson]

Hi Susan,

You're very welcome! I loved Hugging the Rock.