Here’s the 2018 reading wrap-up.

Using data from my LibraryThing account, my total number of books read in 2019 was: 779. Which seems stratospheric and/or false, but remember that some I didn’t finish (16), and more than half were picture books (452) or early readers (46).

Partially read / started-didn’t-finish: 16. Sometimes it’s a case of right book, wrong time, or right book, wrong reader. Whatever the case, if you’re reading for pleasure, and you don’t like the book – put it down and find another!

Picture books: 452

Early reader: 46. If you haven’t read the Charlie & Mouse books by Laurel Snyder, please check them out immediately. They have a Frog & Toad / Bink & Gollie vibe that is just – as Mary Berry would say – perfection.

Now we’re down to 265 books, which is still, even in librarian circles, respectable. I’ve broken that down into categories below, but math-minded folks take note: there’s a lot of overlap within those categories (particularly between chapter books and middle grade, middle grade and YA, audiobooks and pretty much everything except graphic novels, graphic novels and fiction/nonfiction).

Chapter books: 22. It’s been such a pleasure to revisit Ramona Quimby and Clementine, and to meet Ivy & Bean. Nate the Great, Anna Hibiscus, and Princess Magnolia are good, too.

Middle grade: 96! I’ve been reading more middle grade novels since I’m working more hours in the children’s department, and MG has some of the most amazing characters. (There’s setting and world-building and all that, too, but what sticks with me is the characters.)

YA/teen: 38 (including 14 that overlap with middle grade. For the uninitiated, “middle grade” does not mean “middle school”: it usually refers to upper elementary, but it can also include middle school territory.)

Adult fiction: 46 (approximate genre breakdown, keeping in mind that there is plenty of overlap between genres: 47 fantasy, 13 historical, 11 sci-fi, 6 mystery, 4 romance)

Nonfiction: 29 adult (including 11 how-to), 117 total (children’s/teen/adult). Kids’ nonfiction is often presented attractively and is really informative! Together with my kiddo, I learned a lot about ladybugs, the Northern Lights, and outer space this year (that “a universe of stories” summer reading theme was influential).

Graphic novels: 49. My appreciation for this format continues to grow. Standouts this year included Good Talk by Mira Jacob (adult, memoir) and New Kid by Jerry Craft (MG/YA), plus new books from Shannon Hale, Raina Telgemeier, and Ben Hatke. My standard line for adults who hem and haw about their kids reading graphic novels instead of “real books” is: Graphic novels ARE real books. Kids develop visual literacy along with print literacy, and they might read them fast, but they re-read them often. If they’re developing a love of reading by reading graphic novels, fantastic.

Short stories: 8. There’s some incredible speculative short fiction out there: see Kelly Link, N.K. Jemisin, and Ted Chiang for a start.

Audiobooks: 52. See note for graphic novels: audiobooks ARE books. In fact, they have one specific advantage over print: the narrators pronounce words correctly! There are so many words that I can spell and define but not pronounce confidently because I’ve never heard them out loud…until audiobooks. Also, many narrators bring so much talent and expression to their performance – like Jessica Almasy’s reading of the Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker.

#WeNeedDiverseBooks: 92. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center collects statistics about diversity in children’s publishing. Looking at the infographic comparing 2015 with 2018, what struck me is that while the percentage of books featuring white characters dropped from 73.3% to 50% over three years, the percentage of books featuring non-human (animal/other) main characters rose from 12.5% to 27%. So, we still have a ways to go before our children’s literature reflects the actual children reading the books. More diverse books, more #OwnVoices.

Five star ratings: 26. The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Secret Commonwealth, Invisible Women, City of Girls, Wordslut, Good Talk….See my “Great books of 2019” post.

Re-reads: 24. Mostly picture books, but a few others as well: Slade House by David Mitchell, because I bought the beautiful UK paperback at No Alibis in Belfast; The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, because it had been ages; and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlotte’s Web with the kiddo.

Although I’m not setting any particular goals or reading resolutions for this year, I’m  looking forward to more wonderful books. I’m already in the middle of Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez (fun!) and Inconspicuous Consumption by Tatiana Schlossberg (not fun).

How was your reading year? What are you looking forward to? I’m always adding suggestions to my ever-growing to-read list…