Throughout the year, library staff pulls reports to see what items are being used the most. At the end of a calendar year, we can pull reports to see which items in our library got the most use from the previous year. Usually, the top “circulating” items are our headphones and Xbox controllers, but we wanted to see which books were getting used the most in 2019. We looked at a variety of collections from youth to adult to see what books were most popular.
I chose the top three items in a few categories to share with you - in a multi-part series. In this week's installment, we'll look at the kids' books that had the most checkouts. Let us know if anything surprises you!
Picture Books
You may think holiday books only get checked out during that particular holiday season, but Spooky Halloween by Lauren Bisom was checked out a whopping 29 times in 2019!
Some things just never fade out of popularity, and it seems that dinosaurs are still a favorite among the kiddos. Both There’s a Dinosaur on the 13th Floor by Wade Bradford and We are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner were checked out 29 times in 2019.
Fiction
Who doesn’t love a story about a cat, especially kittens? And when kittens are naughty, the stories get even funnier. Nick Bruel’s Kitten Trouble was checked out 26 times in 2019, proving that kids (and adults!) love stories about animals.
Is anyone surprised that Diary of a Wimpy Kid made the top 3 list? Jeff Kinney’s infamous series has remained popular with elementary and middle school-age kids since it’s inception. The Meltdown was checked out 25 times last year.
The author of Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey, is another childhood favorite. His series Dog Man, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, has held steady popularity over the years. Brawl of the Wild was checked out 25 times in 2019.
Graphic Novels
Although it was published in 2016, Compass South ranked first among youth graphic novels checked out in our library. It’s the first in a series that takes place in 1860, following the adventures of two brothers after the disappearance of their father. The book was checked out 23 times in 2019.
Mr. Wolf’s Class, the first in a series, came out in 2018 and takes place in a fourth-grade classroom – with all the unexpected twists and turns that the students encounter. Like Compass South, Mr. Wolf’s Class was checked out 23 times in 2019.
Seeing this book on the list surprised me. The Stonekeeper was published in 2008 but has remained a favorite among our younger readers. The Amulet series has 7 published books, and The Stonekeeper (#1) was checked out 22 times in 2019.
Non-Fiction
If you’ve been around for any time at all, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Guinness Book of World Records, but have you heard of the Gamer’s Edition? This book is for anyone and everyone who loves gaming. You’ll find amazing videogame records as well as trivia and information about newly released games. The 2019 edition was checked out 20 times last year, and the 2020 edition is already out and circulating – check it out!
Is it any surprise that the regular edition of Guinness World Records came in second for most checked out youth non-fiction? We always have kids asking when the latest edition is coming out, so I’m not surprised that the 2019 edition was checked out 19 times last year. I’m willing to bet a lot more people viewed the book while visiting the library, than those who checked them out. And the 2020 edition is already out, so get your name on the list soon!
For those of us that grew up in the 1990s, it’s amazing to see how big of a comeback Pokémon has had. Although the Alola Region Handbook came out in 2017, it was checked out 18 times in 2019, making it the third-highest checkout in youth non-fiction. The Alola Region is made up of four islands, with one artificial island. Each island is guarded by a Pokémon deity and is home to a variety of other Pokémon. For those interested in the strengths and abilities of individual Pokémon, region handbooks are a must!
Did you like this list? Stay tuned for the next installment on February 11: Teen Books!