SLJ has named their best books of the year.  Here are the ones that fall into their Fiction category as the best fiction books of 2012:

  

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Ask the Passengers by A. S. King

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

  

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Every Day by David Levithan

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

  

The Good Braider by Terry Farish

Grave Mercy by R. L. Lafevers

In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

  

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Little White Duck by Andres Vera Marinez and Na Liu

  

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

My Name is Parvana by Deborah Ellis

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

  

No Crystal Stair: A Novel in Documents, Based on the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s by Barbara O’Connor

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

  

One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

  

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Son by Lois Lowry

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

  

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Summer of the Mariposas by Guadelupe Garcia McCall

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

 

Under the Never Sky by Veronice Rossi

Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

 

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Wow!  There are a lot of best book lists this year, more than I remember seeing in previous years!  Here are a few that I found recently:

Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of 2012

The Independent’s Books of the Year 2012: Children’s Books – a best books list from the UK

The Atlantic Wire’s YA/Middle-Grade Book Awards, 2012 Edition

2012 Shortlist for the Scottish Book Trust

SLJ has named their best books of the year.  I’m breaking them into the categories to make for easier browsing.  Here are their top picture books for 2012:

  

The Bear in the Book by Kate Banks, illustrated by Greg Hallensleben

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

 

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

 

Jimmy the Greatest! by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

Mice by Rose Fyleman, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

  

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Penny and Her Doll by Kevin Henkes

Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills

 

Sadie and Ratz by Sonya Hartnett, illustrated by Ann James

Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

 

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole

Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Parent’s Choice has selected gold and silver medal winners for different categories of children’s books.  Additionally, if you visit their site, they have recommended and approved books.  The lists below contain only the gold and silver medal recipients:

FICTION

  

After Eli by Rebecca Rupp

Alek by Bodil Bredsdorff

Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinketrousers by Dav Pilkey

  

Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities by Mike Jung, illustrated by Mike Maihack

Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

The Last Dogs by Christopher Holt

   

On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s by Barbara O’Connor

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-Up Adventure by Matthew Reinhart

The Universe of Fair by Leslie Bulion

 

NON-FICTION

 

The Impossible Rescue by Martin W. Sandler

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip M. Hoose

 

PICTURE BOOKS

 

Bailey at the Museum by Harry Bliss

Bear in Love by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

  

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Fifty Cents and a Dream by Jabari Asim, illustrated by Bryan Collier

The Frank Show by David Mackintosh

  

Jangles: A Big Fish Story by David Shannon

Life-Size Farm by Teruyuki Komiya

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis, illustrated by Paul Rogers

 

Sky Color by Peter Reynolds

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole

Here are the top vote getters in the GoodReads Choice Awards 2012 for Middle Grade and Children’s Books.  The top title is:

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

The remainder of the top ten are:

  

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney

Wonder by RJ Palacio

Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

  

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

  

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The final list from Amazon for Best Books is for teens.  Here are their 20 top books of 2012 for teen readers:

  

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth E. Wein

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

  

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Dodger by Terry Pratchett

Every Day by David Levithan

  

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

  

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

The Kill Order by James Dashner

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

  

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Reached by Ally Condie

  

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Son by Lois Lowry

 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler