And we’ve arrived at Friday, five days worth of top 10 lists from reading this year. To say that I’m a reader is an understatement. It’s a part of me in every way from my profession to my personality.
Books for teens are my bread and butter being a high school librarian, so it is hard to arrive at a top ten. Top twenty or thirty would be better. You’ll see some heavy hitters- authors like Candace Fleming, Gail Jarrow, Marissa Meyer, Kate Messner. I’ve got authors like Suzanne Collins riding a new wave of fans of the Hunger Games with the emotional wreck that is Sunrise on the Reaping. There are debut authors like Vinson writing about the skate rink (shoutout to Midstate where I spend many Saturday mornings and several birthdays and slow skating to Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You hand-in-hand with a crush). The fantasy world that Rundell built in the sequel which was exquisite and creative. And last, a thinker of a book, the dark and tragic but strong and powerful Lady or the Tiger by Herrman.
Were there favorites of yours on any of the lists? Others that you’d want to add? I’ll be writing throughout 2026 so if there’s any focus that would be beneficial, leave a comment.
We’re close to the end! Today’s top 10 are graphic novels and comics that were my favorites of the year, graphic novels that taught me, entertained me, made me feel something, and inspired me (to cosplay that is!) I always say one of the indicators for me is whether I’d want the art on my wall and that’s the case with any of these.
It’s not a secret that graphic novels are here to stay and if these are any indication of their amazingness, they’ll be around forever. Hats off to the illustrators or the creators that do double duty as author AND illustrator.
What do you look for in great graphic novels and comics?
As promised, Wednesday’s list are for picture books. Whether I see them recommended in library journals, bookish websites, or from my favorite human recommender, Stacey Rattner (the Leaping Librarian), I have favorites and it’s usually because they hit me in the feels.
I was a fan of Guojing when she published Oasis (hint: you might see that on an upcoming list), so when I read The House That Floated, I realized I’m just a big fan of her concepts and art- in this case a wordless picture book.
Khorram is known for his YA and now adult romances but his love, as a Persian of tea, led him to write the picture book that I’ve been waiting so long to pub and it finally arrived in 2025. Tea IS love. I love whimsy as evidenced by other titles on this list and heartfelt. What do you look for in picture books?
My top 10 lists each year always capture the books published in that year, however manga and manhwa are notoriously difficult to capture year by year in part because the American release of a title isn’t synchronous with the Japanese publication. And because a series can go on for quite some time, if the series is discovered after a publication date many years ago, I can obsessively read through the series without waiting for the next volume. The opposite it also true, a first volume released in 2025 where the wait may be long to see the next volume.
So this list is the only list where the specific volume I’m on may not have been published in 2025, but these were my favorites read this year. However, Maid to Skate should be on your to-be-read list and it comes out… TODAY! I read an advanced copy thanks to Netgalley which is why I am able to put it on the list and celebrate its delightfulness.
As with my adult titles from yesterday, I like dark stuff and The Strange House is no different. I also was into apocalyptic stories which is why The Color of the End and Touring After the Apocalypse make appearances. I can juxtapose that with the friendly story of Frieren and friends, the chill girls night and winter camping in Laid Back Camp and the humor of a former yakuza turned househusband.
Needless to say, I’ll endlessly fill my days with manga and manhwa new and old any day of the week.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s reveal of the top 10 picture books.
Kicking off a week of my top 10 with categories including adult titles, middle grade and YA, manga and manhwa, picture books, and graphic novels, comics, and manga for teens.
The titles ranged from nonfiction including memoir to investigative nonfiction to emotional essays about kitchen objects, comics featuring murder (I think I have a type), and fiction the features witches that continues to remind me of my love of learning that I lean toward nonfiction in general.
The day after Thanksgiving makes me want to go back– to kitchen utensils, food memory, and reading Bee Wilson’s newest book, The Heart-Shaped Tin: Love, Loss, and Kitchen Objects.
When it was released on November 4th, I picked it up that day from the indie bookstore I had preordered it from. I read the first story and had that conflicted feeling I always do with amazing books– I wanted to rip through it and read it in one sitting to gobble it up like a succulent turkey on the Thanksgiving table, but I also wanted to savor it like the apple pie for dessert knowing the meal is at its end with a cup of tea. I decided on the later, reading about a story a day to finish it on my birthday. The book is a collection of stories that begin and end with Wilson’s own object: a heart-shaped tin that she had baked her wedding cake in but felt different now that her divorce was final. It made her think about her own attachment to kitchen objects and made her explore how others feel about their own too. What happens between the pages is a meet-and-greet with others who remember vivid feelings or feel close to relatives in their kitchens. One that sticks out is a mug in Barry’s kitchen:
“Long after he discarded the past bowl, Barry says that there are still certain objects that bring back periods of his life in a way that nothing else could. They are not museum pieces. Over and above admiring, they are for using, and when he uses them his memories come alive again, he says… He could not bear to lose this mug because it ‘radiates’ with such memorable experiences. When the mug is not in use, Barry says it is as if the memories of that Mexican trip become ‘dehydrated,’ like a dried flower. But when he pours coffee in it and holds the mug in his hang, ‘it blooms again.'”
The vivid description of a dehydrated flower that blooms again with use packs a punch. The others stories are just as unique and emotional. It’s similar to an experience several days ago when I made golabki, a dish that my grandmother would make on occasions like my birthday because it was my favorite and my mother makes a version for Christmas Eve. I’d attempted it once or twice but always had to pivot at the last minute turning it into lazy golabki but never quite recreating the taste which I’m convinced is more about others preparing it for me. But this time, I got super close to that taste, the feeling, the love and at the same time I usually enjoy it, my birthday.
As the holidays creep closer starting with Thanksgiving and ending with Christmas celebrations, give yourself a treat. Buy yourself a copy of Wilson’s book, savor a story or two a day, and use it as an exercise to remember and create your own story as Wilson’s did with all of the people she met and interviewed for this book. We all have a story to contribute to a topic like kitchen utensils and food memory just like a conversation I had with my sister-in-law’s father after our meal describing to me the three types of plates we were using for Thanksgiving at her house that included a set from her great grandmother, grandmother, and mother. I thought that the seed of that story would fit perfectly into Wilson’s book and that I might have to reread it.
One week ago, I was returning from the American Association of School Librarians conference in St. Louis, Missouri. And now I’m ready to share my takeaways.
School librarians are a warm group of people. I was stopped by people who knew me through other school librarians and I stopped people who I knew through their presence in the organization or online. However the conversation starts (standing in line, sitting in a conference session, at the counter of a restaurant) it always feels comfortable and welcoming.
See The Librarians documentary as soon as you can.
Books are the greatest and best bridge between people. Don’t ever forget it.
To be an author is to be a public figure and that takes a toll on anyone. Jason Reynolds was so eloquent in sharing the importance of his self-care routine especially as he gets older. It was also echoed in other sessions as well.
There are some neat tools out there and companies are eager to share them with school librarians. I was enthralled by the Sooth.fyi demonstration and excited to use it in my building with students.
Present! It’s a way to give back to your profession and meet others too. I was able to talk about teens and manga (a favorite discussion topic). And I was enriched by EVERY session I went to, too. Ideas that I will put into practice both sooner and later.
For as active as the conference is, it’s nice to sink into a soft bed in a hotel every night after a delicious meal and a hot cup of tea.
It’s always a bonus to travel to a city or state you’ve never been to.
If we know each other just a little bit, you know that I like to create challenges for myself as a fun way to feel accomplished but also (often) learn in the process. This challenge started in spring as a lead-up to a much-anticipated trip to Japan with six teenaged boys as part of a bigger tour group. I wanted to dive into the Studio Ghibli films because I didn’t watch them growing up and I was preparing to travel to the country of origin for the legendary film company and creative genius behind it, Hayao Miyazaki.
I borrowed the DVDs from the public library and stole time on the only DVD player in the house, my sons’ Playstation system in the basement. It was slow going, but I chose popular, much-discussed titles. Then I went to Japan and when I got back decided that I would watch the rest of them before summer’s end. But I also needed a new way to watch them, so we bought a small DVD player to hook up to the garage TV which doubles as entertainment during workouts. So now I could walk on the treadmill or do my strength training AND watch an animated classic. Needless to say this accessibility sped up my ability to complete them all before summer’s end– watching twenty-five movies (recognizing that The Red Turtle is not often included in the longlist even though Studio Ghibli co-produced it with a French company, the brainchild of a Dutch animator and French screenwriter). Here are my thoughts on the movies and the journey:
At the beginning, several of them I watched with at least one of my two sons (who also traveled as part of the entourage to Japan). But the majority were watched alone. I am also an infrequent movie-watcher in general. I prefer documentaries to movies though I can say my favorite non-Studio Ghibili animated movie of all time is Inside Out. As I watched the Studio Ghibli movies, I thought about three big items: the storytelling, the visual interest, and time management. And as I watched more and more, I made connections between older titles and newer titles or what was happening in the world. There wasn’t a specific order I watched them in either. I would borrow from the library and just like reading, it was more of a mood choice than anything else. So without a pattern, it was easy to simply enjoy it for what it was. I questioned the length of some movies and others I could tell within minutes that it would be a favorite just from the first scenes that engaged all of my senses. Of course, the ones that elicit a visceral emotional response also found their way to the top of my favorites list. Many would agree that Grave of the Fireflies is not a movie that you watch over and over again, (once is generally enough to be gutted by it) and it begins and ends with the emotional response that makes it memorable.
A brief thought for each movie on my ranked list:
From Up on Poppy Hill
I promise that because this was the last movie I watched didn’t mean that it was going to go to the top of the list, however, from the opening scenes and music, I was sucked into the warmth of Umi and the beauty of Poppy Hill and curious to know more. Plus all of the scenes at the Latin Quarter were visually stunning and often cute or funny or both.
The Secret World of Arrietty
This tiny world and Arrietty’s fighting spirit won me over. The miniature world brings me back to a childhood imagining that all of my stuffed animals and dolls had a life outside of the human gaze a la Toy Story and this one feels similar about what we don’t see.
Grave of the Fireflies
As mentioned, this intricate historical story brings tears to everyone’s eyes for its portrayal of the aftermath of the Pacific War. I don’t even want to share any more because it should be on everyone’s list to watch.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki is adorable, enough said. I’m a sucker for a fashionable witch. And while I’m not a cat person per se, Kiki’s sidekick Jiji was just as fun. Visually this was one I loved to watch.
The Boy and the Heron
The most recent movie was thematically complex and artistic. The combination won me over as Mahito discovers an abandoned tower and a talking heron. This is one I watched before traveling to Japan and felt particularly moved when I looked up at the A-Dome in Hiroshima and saw a heron in one of the windows.
The Red Turtle
A wordless movie about survival was sparing but stunning.
Whisper of the Heart
There’s a sweetness to Shizuku’s book nerdiness and her embarrassment at her skills. Then there’s her outsized wishes and dreams and fairytale visions especially when she tries to identify the person who keeps checking out the books she’s checking out before her. Her empowerment over the course of the movie kept me humble.
The Wind Rises
An epic story that went a little long, however, the tragic romance was ultimately the (dare I say) best part of this historical movie with lovely scenescapes to get swept away with.
Spirited Away
When I had the chance to go to a Japanese bathhouse, I took it, in part due to the movie. Obviously the creatures steal the movie with their personalities but it did run a little long.
Howl’s Moving Castle
I read the book first, so the adage about the book being better than the movie is usually always the case and I think that’s the same in this case though, as with Spirited Away, the creatures steal the movie.
My Neighbor Totoro
Totoro is the adorablest, no doubt, but it wasn’t enough to carry the movie. There were parts to adore but it wasn’t as cohesive as the others that are at the top of my list but one thing I appreciated (and you’ll see it in the next few down on my list) is the snapshot of country life in Japan.
Only Yesterday
As with My Neighbor Totoro, the visions of country life take center stage. For Taeko it’s reflecting on her life at ten and what that means for her at twenty-seven which is why most adults would connect deeply with this one, but again, what kept it from rising higher was the length.
When Marnie Was There
The discoveries that lead to the resolution and final scenes had a hopefulness that shifted from the darker Anna we meet at the beginning. The reminiscences about the marsh house throughout the movie proved lovely and my favorite characters were actually Anna’s relatives she stayed with. If I was going to stay in the country for a summer, I’d want to stay with them!
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
The story justifies the length and the peek into Japanese royal life was the reason I was thoughtfully engaged in this movie though it took a more ethereal ending (though it obviously started out that way too, I know) wasn’t what I was hoping for.
My Neighbors The Yamadas
This cartoon-like sketch of regular life in a series of vignettes was refreshingly basic and that’s what’s to love about it. From long days at work to being cool at school to grandmother Yamada’s view of the world, I giggled plenty of times.
Castle in the Sky
The castle in the sky! Once there this fantastical world was immersive. It just took too long to get there.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Nausicaa is a bada** princess who observes and reacts in a way that is in the best interest of her people, even if that means risking her own life.
Ponyo
I don’t know why I don’t love this one more. Maybe I was distracted when I was watching it or the story itself wasn’t captivating, though goldfish are cool. I had one that lived in my dorm room for several years, surviving longer than expected since I realized when I won him that he had an odd bubble on the side of his body.
Earwig and the Witch
It might be sacrilegious because I know the chatter is that it is the worst of all of the movies especially because of the animation and yes, I would agree that the animation is out-of-the-ordinary for what we love about Studio Ghibli films, but Earwig grew on me. Her curiosity and stick-to-it-ness provided an industrious nature when she was always viewed as the underdog having been abandoned at an orphanage by her mother.
The Cat Returns
Too long to love. I was too impatient that more and more kept happening to Haru to keep her from getting back to the human world.
Ocean Waves
Ah, all good manga is about the dichotomy of teenage emotions, so I get it, but in movie form, I wanted it to be over sooner than later. It had the manicpixiedreamgirl vibes written all over it from the start.
Pom Poko
The ones that fall to the bottom are the movies that are heavy-handed in their environmental themes. It’s one thing to celebrate nature and remind us to take care of it, but it’s another to spend two hours with shapeshifting raccoons trying to stop a development from being erected.
Porco Rosso
Focusing on the aviation side of the story is the strength, but the cursed main character ace pilot was odd enough to make me curious to see where it was going but odd enough to also not make me love it.
Princess Mononoke
See Pom Poko’s explanation, this was equally long and heavy-handed with the bright spot being the sweeping scenes of nature before destruction.
Tales from Earthsea
The fantastical didn’t move me and neither did the visual for this film which is why it ended up at the bottom of the list.
There you have it. How does my list compare to yours? While I’ll be snacking on sushi for lunch to celebrate, I’d love to read your comments.
Order of films by release date
My ranking
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) Castle in the Sky (1986) My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Kiki’s Delivery Services (1989) Only Yesterday (1991) Porco Rosso (1992) Ocean Waves (1993) Pom Poko (1994) Whisper of the Heart (1995) Princess Mononoke (1997) My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) Spirited Away (2001) The Cat Returns (2002) Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) Tales from Earthsea (2006) Ponyo (2008) The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) From Up On Poppy Hill (2011) The Wind Rises (2013) The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) When Marnie Was There (2014) The Red Turtle (2016) Earwig and the Witch (2020) The Boy and the Heron (2023)
From Up on Poppy Hill The Secret World of Arrietty Grave of the Fireflies Kiki’s Delivery Service The Boy and the Heron The Red Turtle Whisper of the Heart The Wind Rises Spirited Away Howl’s Moving Castle My Neighbor Totoro Only Yesterday When Marnie Was There The Tale of the Princess Kaguya My Neighbors The Yamadas Castle in the Sky Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Ponyo Earwig and the Witch The Cat Returns Ocean Waves Pom Poko Porco Rosso Princess Mononoke Tales from Earthsea
I happened upon Kitt’s quote on social media a while back and immediately saved it both because I’m an avid cemetery walker, so the tombstone reference made me pause but also because as a human being (and likely ones of the reasons I love being a librarian) is that I get to learn every day. We should all strive to learn every day. It’s why librarians curate digital and print collections for others in order to share the joys of learning every day.
I trotted it out again yesterday after signing off on the first of four two-hour webinars I will attend this month. Within five minutes I was furiously taking notes and felt a warm, fuzzy feeling that lasted the entire two hours that this was money well-spent. The expert delivering the content was super knowledgeable and I was with like-minded individuals. The subject has been a hobby of mine for about a decade and I realize that the more I do it, the more I don’t know. So I sought out people who do know more to tell me what they know. And what’s more, she even provided additional materials on top of the wealth of resources she shared. I couldn’t have asked for a better use of my time and energy.
So, here is your permission if you need it to go out and learn something whether it’s free or costs money. Now more than ever, we need to find hobbies and interests that make us feel alive and challenged and connected to a community.
Readers Be Advised 