Friday, December 04, 2020

By Emilyn Linden

It's that time of year. The “Best Of” 2020 booklists are being put out!

NPR’s Book Concierge is probably my favorite. They pull together so many different types of books for so many different audiences, and I’m always impressed by the quality of the books they pick. This year I’ve only read 5 of the books they recommend, but they were some of the best books I read this year. There are probably another 25 on the list that were already on my radar as books I plan to read.

New York Public Library also puts together great lists for kids, teens, and adults. If you’re searching for a great gift for someone special in your life, these lists are a great place to look.

There are a rather overwhelming number of end-of-year booklists, so I also like to seek out the lists created by specialized organizations. Smithsonian put out a list of the 10 Best Science Books of 2020. The American Library Association puts out a Notable Children’s Books list every year that contains the best of the best of children’s literature. The Financial Times just announced its shortlist and business book of the year. And for some short but sweet lists, check out the “best-of” lists on fivebooks.com. Each list contains 5-6 books, selected by an expert in that field.

So browse a couple lists and select some books to create your own winter reading booklist and participate in the library’s first Winter Reading Program. 

Overwhelmed by all the choices? Let us help you by filling out this form and we’ll put together some recommendations!

Emilyn Linden is a librarian in the FDL Public Library Information and Outreach Services department.