Best of 2020 Book Lists
A few resources for filling out your collection with the best selections.
Save the date for the Youth Media Awards scheduled for Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, at 8 a.m. CT during the ALA Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits virtual conference. Follow results by visiting ALA’s streaming platform at http://ala.unikron.com, or ALA’s social media channels, including Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter, by following hashtag #alayma.
Children’s
American Indians in Children’s Literature’s list of Best Books of 2020
Kirkus Best of 2020 Books: Middle Grade
Kirkus Best of 2020 Books: Picture Book Lists
School Library Journal: Best Books 2020
Publisher’s Weekly Best Books of 2020
Best Audiobooks of 2020 for Kids and Teens, Booklist/School Library Journal
SLJ Top Ten Manga (all age levels included)
Final List: The 15 Books on the Mock Newbery Ballot | Heavy Medal
Booklist’s 2020 Top of the List and Editors’ Choice announced (all age levels included)
Horn Book Family Reading Fanfare for 2020
New York Times: 25 Best Children’s Books of 2020
Teen
American Indians in Children’s Literature’s list of Best Books of 2020 – Cross-Over Books
Kirkus Best of 2020 Books: Middlegrade
Kirkus Best of 2020 Books: Young Adult
Publisher’s Weekly Best Books of 2020
School Library Journal: Best Books 2020
YALSA 2021 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award
YALSA 2020 Morris Award Finalists
Horn Book 2020 Fan Fare Titles
Best Audiobooks of 2020 for Kids and Teens, Booklist/School Library Journal
SLJ Top Ten Manga (all age levels included)
Booklist’s 2020 Top of the List and Editors’ Choice announced (all age levels included)
Adult
Kirkus Best of 2020 Non Fiction Books
Kirkus Best of 2020 Biographies
Kirkus Best of 2020: Arts & Culture
Kirkus Best of 2020: Science & Nature
Kirkus Best of 2020: Big-Picture History Books
Kirkus Best of Socio Economics Books of 2020
Kirkus Best Books of 2020: Tracking Autocracy & White Supremacy
Kirkus Best of 2020: Black Life in America
Kirkus Best of 2020: Mysteries and Thrillers
Kirkus Best of 2020: Historical Fiction
Kirkus Best of 2020: SF & Fantasy
Kirkus Best of 2020: Short Fiction
Kirkus Best of 2020: Fiction for Quarantine Reading
Kirkus Best of 2020: Debut Fiction
Kirkus Best of 2020: Get Your Book Club Talking
New York Times: Best of Historical Fiction
New York Times: Best of Poetry
New York Times: Best of Thrillers
New York Times: Best of Graphic Novels
New York Times: Best 10 Books of 2020
SLJ Top Ten Manga (all age levels included)
Bill Gates’ 2020 Book Recommendations, Book Riot (includes prior releases)
Library Journal Best Crime Fiction of 2020
Library Journal Best Horror of 2020
Library Journal Best Literary Fiction of 2020t
Library Journal Best Pop Fiction of 2020
Library Journal Best Romance of 2020
Library Journal Best SF & Fantasy of 2020
Library Journal Best Short Series of 2020
Library Journal Best World Literature of 2020
Library Journal Best Arts Books of 2020
Library Journal Best Biographies and Memoirs
Library Journal Best Cooking and Food Books
Library Journal Best Poetry of 2020
Library Journal Best Science and Technology of 2020
Library Journal Best Social Sciences Books of 2020
Library Journal Best Graphic Novels of 2020
Booklist’s 2020 Top of the List and Editors’ Choice announced (all age levels included)
National Book Awards: November 2020 Results
- Young People’s Literature Award Winner: King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
- Translated Literature: Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri
- Poetry: DMC Colony bey Don Mee Choi
- Nonfiction: The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X by Les Payne and Tamara Payne
- Fiction: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu