2021’s Most Popular Books at Wentworth Library

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Everybody loves a best book list, so here’s a local take with the most popular books checked out at West St. Paul’s Wentworth Library.

For more insight on local libraries, including no more fines for children and teen materials, see our interview with Wentworth Library Branch Manager Jade Cabagnot.

Top 25 Adult Books for 2021

1. Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger
2. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
3. Ocean Prey by John Sandford
4. Sooley by John Grisham
5. Dark Sky by C.J. Box
6. Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner
7. Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb
8. Deep Into the Dark by P.J. Tracy
9. The Judge’s List by John Grisham
10. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
11. Neighbors by Danielle Steel
12. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
13. Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown
14. The Bounty by Janet Evanovich
15. A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
16. Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel
17. Enemy at the Gates by Kyle Mills
18. Infinite by Brian Freeman
19. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
20. The President’s Daughter by Bill Clinton
21. The Affair by Danielle Steel
22. A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
23. Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
24. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
25. The Russian by James Patterson

We continue to see the pandemic impact with the number of checkouts. In our pre-pandemic list, the number one book had 299 checkouts. In 2020, the top book had only 105. This year’s top book had 155 checkouts.

Top 25 Children’s Books for 2021

1. Dog Man: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey
2. Baby-Sitters Little Sister: Karen’s Worst Day by Katy Farina
3. Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney
4. Captain Underpants and the Tyrannical Retaliation of the Turbo Toilet 2000 by Dav Pilkey
5. Claudia and the New Girl by Gabriela Epstein
6. Big Nate: In Your Face! by Lincoln Peirce
7. Pete the Cat: Parents’ Day Surprise by Anne Lamb
8. Pete the Kitty: Ready, Set, Go Cart! by Kim Dean
9. Pete the Cat: Rocking Field Day by Kim Dean
10. Camp Time in California by Mary Pope Osborne
11. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever! by Julia March
12. Snow White’s Sweet Bunny by Lauren Clauss
13. Raya and the Last Dragon: Raya’s Team
14. A Different Groove by Mary Man-Kong
15. Baby-Sitters Little Sister: Karen’s Kittycat Club by Ann M. Martin
16. Peppa Pig: Super Peppa! by Lauren Holowaty
17. Kristy and the Snobs by Ann M. Martin
18. PAW Patrol: The Clean, Green Rescue! by Cara J. Stevens
19. Pete The Cat’s Groovy Imagination by Kim Dean
20. PJ Masks Save the Earth by May Nakamura
21. The Bad Guys in Cut to the Chase by Aaron Blabey
22. Guardian of the Dragon Gem by Suzanne Francis
23. I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis
24. My Little Pony: Pony Life, Royal Bake-Off
25. Unicorn Famous : Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson

Top 25 Teen Books for 2021

1. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
2. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
3. You Have a Match by Emma Lord
4. Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
5. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
6. A Vow so Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer
7. Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne
8. Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition by Anton Treuer
9. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
10. The Girl From the Sea by Molly Ostertag
11. The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
12. The Knockout by Sajni Patel
13. A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
14. Batgirl by Cecil Castellucci
15. Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Graphic Novel by Scott Cawthon
16. Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters
17. She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
18. Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp
19. Star Wars: The Mandalorian
20. Tales From the Hinterland by Melissa Albert
21. Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
22. Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters
23. Marvel Zombies by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
24. The Betrayed by Kiera Cass
25. Castle of Refuge by Melanie Dickerson

There you have it. Get out to the library and do some more reading in 2021.

Thanks to the Dakota County Library staff for running the numbers for us.

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