Novels I Must Read In 2016


I have finally accomplished the nigh impossible. I've winnowed my over 900 want to read list down to 36 novels I must read this year. I settled on 36, because, as you can see from the array below, 36 is a pretty special number. Not only is it the square number of 6, it is also a triangular number. You can find out more about how amazing 36 is by clicking on the above link. The other reason I've settled for 36, is because last year I read just over 40 of the 58 books on my list. I figure 36 will be a cakewalk.  (note that I didn't finish 18 of those books and 18 X 2 = 36)


Some of these books are sure to take me out of my comfort zone. 

Others will be like a visit with old friends. Ok, so I might have read these anyway, but when I'm having a hard time getting through this list because of all the shiny new hardcovers that catch my eye, I can read one of them, and feel like I am successful. 

A few of these are books my readers at school love and I want to be able to talk to them and suggest books they might like that are similar. 

Occasionally a title is here because I've had the book for ages and need serious motivation to get to it. 

Here then, is my #MustReadin2016 list.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
Always, Abigail by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Boy Who Knew Everything by Victoria Forester 
The Buccaneers' Code by Caroline Carlson
Code of Honor by Alan Gratz, 
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Death by Toilet Paper by Donna Gephart
Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices by Lisa Charleyboy
Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
The Firefly Code by Megan Frazer Blakemore
Full Cicada Moon by Hilton, Marilyn
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud
I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse Joseph Marshall,
The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood
The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger
The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
One Native Life by Richard Wagamese
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
Pax by Sara Pennypacker

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Poached by Stuart Gibbs
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
The Real Boy by Anne Ursu
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde by Shannon Hale

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

What are you planning to read this year?

10 comments:

  1. I am so very excited about certain titles you have on this list as I have read them and then we can discuss them. Like Full Cicada Moon, When I was the Greatest, Everybody Sees the Ants (my favourite A.S. King) and then lots for us to both read and talk about! Happy Reading. So pleased you are joining in again!

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  2. I've had students research numbers. It's amazing to choose any number & research it, to find so many important things about it. Love hearing & learning about 36! And love the list. I'm making a "second" list & you've reminded me of a few I don't want to forget! Enjoy the reading this year, Cheriee!

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  3. I have a lot of the same authors on my list as yours (Bardugo, Cashore, Stiefvater, King, Stroud) but different books by them! On your list, I particularly love Jellicoe Road and Unusual Chickens, and I'm super excited to read Pax, and Salt to the Sea (Also quite interested in what you think of Code of Honor - it's such an intriguing book to me).

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  4. I have a lot of the same authors on my list as yours (Bardugo, Cashore, Stiefvater, King, Stroud) but different books by them! On your list, I particularly love Jellicoe Road and Unusual Chickens, and I'm super excited to read Pax, and Salt to the Sea (Also quite interested in what you think of Code of Honor - it's such an intriguing book to me).

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  5. This is a fantastic list!!! Can't wait to see which are your favorites.

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  6. Great titles, I see some I need to read too!
    I've told everyone this so far - start with All American Boys!
    My first one this year will be Full Cicada Moon.

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  7. I really enjoyed The Odds of Getting Even (I think Mo and Dale are great) and Unusual Chickens. Enjoy!

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  8. You have got some great titles on your list. I've added a few to my to read list. I just got finished with The Hollow Boy! LOVED IT!! Once I started reading I couldn't stop! I will admit I got sucked into the book Death By Toilet Paper because of the title, but I ended up really enjoying the book. Happy Reading!!

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  9. There are so many great titles on your list! I loved All American Boys, When I Was the Greatest, Dreaming in Indian, Graceling, Persepolis, Between the World and Me and Unusual Chickens. I have Death By Toilet Paper and One Native Life on my list. Raven King isn't on my list, but I love that series and will be reading it anyway. :)

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  10. You have some books on this list that I loved! Graceling is one of my favorite books ever! I love The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, as you know, and #3 is just as good as the others. Persepolis is such an important book! Ants, Real Boy, and I’ll Be There are all exceptionally good as well. We also have two overlapping must reads: All American Boys and Full Cicada Moon—can’t wait to talk about them! :)

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