Favorite Books of 2019
Jump to:
Children: Picture Books | Early Readers | Chapter Books
Teens: Middle School | High School
Adults: Fiction | Non-Fiction
Not surprisingly, the Happy Valley Library staff like to read! Whether it’s silly picture books or heartbreaking memoirs, historical dramas or sarcastic heroes, they’ve compiled their favorite reads from the past year.
Want to check any of these out? Place a hold on a title at lincc.org, give us a call (503-783-3455), or stop in. For even more ideas, just ask your librarian!
Picture Books
Unicorns 101 by Cale Atkinson
Join unicorn scientists as they clear up the misconceptions people have about unicorns.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard
A visual journey that follows this tasty treat.
Where Are You From? By Yamile Méndez
A young girl isn’t sure how to answer the question and turns to her abuelo for help.
Another by Christian Robinson
A young girl and her cat take an imaginative journey into another world.
Who Wet My Pants? By Bob Shea
Reuben brings doughnuts for his friends, and they discover he had a little accident.
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang
Amy is determined to make a perfect dumpling like her parents and grandmother do.
Early Readers
Beginning readers, short chapters and lots of fun
Smell My Foot by Cece Bell
Chick and Brain have trouble communicating and learn the importance of saying “Please!”
Beneath the Bed and other Scary Stories by Max Brallier
Five scary stories with unexpected twists.
King & Kayla and the Case of Found Fred by Dori Butler
A dog and his owner (and detective partner) are on the case.
Let’s Have a Sleepover! by Norm Feuti
Harry’s not so sure about a sleepover, even with his friend Hedgehog nearby.
Penny and Her Sled by Kevin Henkes
A new sled, but will it ever snow?
Sadiq and the Desert Star by Anjan Sarkar
Sadiq’s field trip to the planetarium inspires him to build a simple telescope at home.
Chapter Books
Just right for grade schoolers
Clyde by Jim Benton
A self-described bad bear, leaves Cubville for the mean streets of Grizzly City.
Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi
Yasmin works through problems at school and home, using her skills and creativity.
Best Friends by Shannon Hale
Graphic novel following the struggles with popularity, friends and finding your way.
Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
Twelve-year-old Iris and her grandmother, both deaf, make a plan to save Blue-55, a whale without a pod.
Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai
Jingwen and his brother start life in a new country, baking elaborate cakes help with the loneliness.
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
Local author Parry brings to life the story of a young wolf cub separated from his pack on his journey across the PNW.
Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce
Part chapter book, part comic, this adventurous tale follows Max on a quest to rescue the Kingdom.
Stargazing by Jen Wang
Two kids become unlikely friends in this fantastic graphic novel.
Middle School
Just right for 6th-8th graders, everything from comics to mystery, poetry to fantasy
The Crossover (graphic novel adaptation) by Kwame Alexander
Twin basketball stars deal with highs and lows on and off the court.
New Kid by Jerry Craft
Jordan, who wants to draw, finds himself at a new school, and feels like his doesn’t fit in anywhere.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
After a life on the road, Coyote must find a way to convince her father to make their way home.
Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Able to see multi-verses, Sal tries not to completely destroy this universe.
Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
A convent on an island in the sea becomes an unlikely place for drama in British history.
We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey
The future of humanity rests on how well a family fits in on a new planet.
The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu
Twins, crows and a dark secret bring this fantasy story to life.
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
A young Syrian refugee adjusts to life in a new home in this novel in verse.
High School
Drama, heartbreak, and finding your voice
Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali
A temper, a diagnosis, can two teens find love and live their own truths?
The Lovely War by Julie Berry
The gods spin a tale of true love that spans world wars, prejudice and heartbreak.
I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver
After coming out as nonbinary, Ben leaves home to finish high school with a family member.
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
As a Chinese immigrant in post-Civil War Atlanta, Jo looks for a place for herself and her voice.
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
A National Book Award Finalist, following a quest for the truth after Jay’s Filipino cousin is murdered.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
The odds are stacked against Bri, and freedom of speech isn’t always free.
The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi
An epic fantasy about a girl with the special power to communicate with magical beasts.
Frankly In Love by David Yoon
Frank’s family wants him to date a nice Korean girl; Frank wants to date someone else.
Adult Fiction
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
The sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale answers the questions that have intrigued readers for decades.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
A horrific murder, Yale secret societies, and plenty of sinister activities in this paranormal tale.
Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Latina characters of indigenous ancestry navigate the land of the American west with caution, grace, and quiet force.
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
A desperate mother goes to Vietnam to find her son the perfect mail-order bride, in this follow up to The Kiss Quotient.
Cemetery Road by Greg Iles
An electrifying tale of friendship, betrayal, and shattering secrets that threaten to destroy a small Mississippi town.
Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
A family of four road trip across America, coming closer to a powerful conclusion.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a life-changing journey in this fairy tale through the Jazz Age.
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips
Two girls go missing on the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia, stirring up social and ethnic tensions.
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ware’s signature suspenseful style, this is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.
Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
One day random people fall under a sleepwalking malady. Loved ones follow them as they all head to a mysterious destination.
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
As the Civil Rights movement builds up on the outside, inside the juvenile prison is a horror unlike any other.
Adult Non-Fiction
Shout: a Poetry Memoir by Laurie Halse Anderson
Bestselling author writes unflinchingly about and advocates for survivors of sexual assault.
Good Talk by Mira Jacob
A top pick among many of our staff, this memoir follows conversations about race, color, sexuality, and love.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Combines ethics, history, law, and science with a personal narrative to describe how to move beyond the awareness of racism and contribute to making society just and equitable.
The First Conspiracy: the Secret Plot to Kill George Washington by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
A story of leaders, liars, counterfeiters, and jailhouse confessors.
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
This graphic memoir recounts the childhood of actor/author/activist Takei’s imprisonment in an American concentration camp during WWII.
