Our Top 10 Children’s Picture Books of 2017

Children’s Services Librarians from The Seattle Public Library have selected our ten favorite picture books of the year.  Though it’s a challenge to limit ourselves to ten titles (check out our longer list of favorite 2017 picture books), we all responded to the joy in these ten books – each is a celebration: of home and family; of being yourself; of caring for others; and of a fresh haircut!  Enjoy!

Quiet! by Kate Alizadeh
Keep your ears open for the wonderful array of delightful sounds in life as you journey through the day with this kiddo.

Our Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2017

… according to Seattle Public Library adult librarians

Yesterday we listed our librarians’ favorite novels of 2017; today, we present you with the list of our ten favorite nonfiction books published in 2017, from memoirs to essay collections to history and cooking.

Our Top 10 Novels of 2017

… according to Seattle Public Library’s adult librarians

The librarians here at the Seattle Public Library conferred, and here are our favorite ten novels published in 2017, from a debut mystery to the conclusion of a fantasy trilogy, a debut by a Washington state author to the winner of the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction. We even made a handy list in the catalog so that you can place them on hold. What were your favorite 2017 fiction reads?

American War by Omar El Akkad
El Akkad’s beautiful writing explores the universal nature of immigration in this dystopian novel set in a United States undone by war and plague.

Musicians We Lost in 2016

2016 was a brutal year for musicians and their fans. Things started out badly with David Bowie leaving us in January, then got worse when Prince suddenly died in April, and became seriously heartbreaking with Sharon Jones’ untimely death in November. There’s still 5 days left in 2016, and I’m a little terrified that we might lose even more legends before the New Year begins. Can someone please check on Neil Young?

In honor of all the greats we lost this year, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite albums by my top 10 favorite artists who passed away in 2016. Here’s a few highlights:

David Bowie – Hunky Dory
It’s difficult to pick just one Bowie album but I’ve always been a big fan of the early Bowie stuff and this one includes so many amazing songs – “Life on Mars?” “Quicksand” and “Queen Bitch” to name three of my favorites. Seu Jorge’s bossanova inspired covers of these songs and others are a wonderful tribute.

Our Top 10 Novels of 2016

… according to Seattle Public Library’s Reader Services department.

As Reader Services librarians, we spend our days at the Central Library talking to people about books and suggesting reading we think they might enjoy next. Of course, we’re readers too. With the end of the year approaching we sat down and collaborated on a list of the novels we loved most this year. We hope you’ll find something to love, too.

~ Happy Reading,
Andrea, David, Linda, Misha