2020 was not our favorite, but books that came out in 2020 were! Every year, library staff vote for their favorites of the year and we put together a list of the top five favorites in each category. Check out these releases from 2020 that are now a part of our library collection.
Top Picture Books of 2020
1. Lift by Minh Lê
The sudden appearance of a mysterious new button in the elevator in Iris’s apartment building opens up entire realms of possibility. But when she’s forced to choose between escaping and exploring alone or letting her little brother tag along, Iris finds that sharing a discovery with the people you love can be the most wonderful experience of all.
2. Old Rock (is not boring) by Deb Pilutti
3. Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry
4. Snail Crossing by Corey Tabor
5. I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott
Top Beginner/Intermediate Books of 2020
1. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson
The Hart family of Portland, Oregon, faces many setbacks after Ryan’s father loses his job, but no matter what, Ryan tries to bring sunshine to her loved ones.
2. Peter & Ernesto: Sloths in the Night by Graham Annable
3. Max & Mo’s Science Fair Surprise by Patricia Lakin
4. Fox & Rabbit by Beth Ferry
5. See the Cat: Three Stories about a Dog by David LaRochelle
Top Junior Fiction of 2020
1. The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling
A year after the death of her mother in a restaurant shooting, Nora is left struggling to stay alive when a climbing trip with her father goes terribly wrong.
2. 96 Miles by J. L. Esplin
3. Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
4. Wayside School: Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar
5. The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington
Top Junior Nonfiction of 2020
1. Hello Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell
How was Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood created and who was the man that started it all? This moving and informative picture book explores the history of this acclaimed television show and its inspiring creator in an accessible way for children.
2. On the Horizon by Lois Lowry
3. Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz
4. Plastic Sea: A Bird’s-Eye View by Kirsti Blom
5. Joey: The Story of Joe Biden by Jill Biden and Kathleen Krull
Top Teen Fiction of 2020
1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
As her senior capstone project, Pippa Fitz-Amobi is determined to find the real killer in a closed, local murder case, but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.
2. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
3. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
4. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
5. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Top General Fiction of 2020
1. Network Effect by Martha Wells
Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel. You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you’re a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction?
2. The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
3. The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
4. The Switch by Beth O’Leary
5. The Seep by Chana Porter
Top General Nonfiction of 2020
1. Without the Mask: Coming Out and Coming into God’s Light by Charles Bird
A former Brigham Young University “Cosmo the Cougar” mascot, Charles Bird, details his coming out as gay as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance during the Blitz by Erik Larson
3. Grow Food for Free by Huw Richards
4. Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby
5. Dearly: New Poems by Margaret Atwood
Top Music of 2020
1. Folklore by Taylor Swift
Folklore is the 8th studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released through Republic Records on July 24, 2020, and includes the songs “Cardigan,” “Exile,” and “The 1.”
2. Song Machine Season 1 by Gorillaz
3. Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
4. Manic by Halsey
5. Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan
Top Movies of 2020
1. Onward
When Ian Lightfoot comes of age, his mother gives him his late father’s magical staff, which will let him cast a spell to spend one more day with his dad. But the spell goes awry and he has only 24 hours to set it right, so he and his older brother embark on an epic quest with their mother trailing after, trying to protect them from a dangerous curse.
2. Emma
4. Jojo Rabbit
5. 1917
Thanks for checking out our top books of 2020! Did your favorites make our list? Send us a review of your favorite books, music, or movies from 2020 for a chance to be featured on our blog.
