For those looking for inspiration on what to read next, the Ottawa Public Library has released a list of its most-requested books in 2021.
The list covers the top 10 adult, teen and children’s books requested between January 1 and December 1.
This year, Quebec crime writer Louise Penny took the top two spots on the adult list, with the number one most-requested book being her state crimes collaboration with former U.S. presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, trailed by The Madness of Crowds, her novel published in August.
Jody Wilson-Raybould’s view on federal politics — Indian in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power — comes in eighth place and is the only non-fiction book on this list. As residential schools stay in the news, Five Little Indians by Michelle Good, published in 2020, also made number seven on the list.
Seven of the books are written by Canadians, two by Americans and the remaining title is the co-production of Penny and Clinton.
The library notes that while many older books were often requested by teens — which it says shows the influence of Netflix and Booktok, a book-focused subcommunity on the TikTok app, on teenagers — its list focuses on those books published in 2021.
For children, series seemed to be the most popular type of reading material and is most often what keeps kids engaged. Eight of the 10 books on the children’s list are part of a series. The library also noted that many books on the list are illustrated and even the titles meant for older readers, for example the books Big Shot, The Keepers of the Empire, and Truly Tyler, give the feel of graphic novels with their title illustrations.
Here’s the full list:
Adult
State of Terror by Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Fight Night by Miriam Toews
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
The Push by Ashley Audrain
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Indian in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power by Jody Wilson-Raybould
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson
Teen
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Hunting by Stars by Cherie Dimaline
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Barnes
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Children
Big Shot by Jeff Kinney
Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling
Howl of the Wind Dragon by Tracey West
Keepers of the Empire by Geronimo Stilton
Bo and the Merbaby by Rebecca Elliott
Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan
Dangerous Gift by Tui Sutherland
Like Father, Like Son by James Patterson
Spy School at Sea by Stuart Gibbs
Truly Tyler by Terri Libenson
Source: (CBC)
