Around this time I like to put some reading glasses (clear lenses – it’s for the look) on the end of my nose, pull up some data, and find out which books were the most popular of the 2012-13 campaign. Click here for last year’s list.

We have a few weeks of school left, and students are still checking out here, but our top tens are already locked in. We’ll take a look at K-2 and 5-6 soon, but today the countdown drum beats for 3rd and 4th graders.

10. Friends by Catherine Thimmesh

Curveball! A word to the wise – don’t underestimate the cuteness factor. This book has inspired more “aww”s than I can count this year, which translates directly into checkouts.

9. The LEGO Ideas Book

Uncurveball! I dare say LEGOs have never been more popular than they are right now. Bold statement, I know, but if the checkout totals for this and every other LEGO book we have are any indication, I’m standing by my words.

8. 3-D Human Body

Fairly unexpected! This is one of those books that you know is getting checked out, then you look at the stats at the end of the year and say “Ho, ho! Not too shabby.” Trend Watch: all nonfiction thus far.

7. Dolphin Tale: A Tale of True Friendship Emma Ryan

Movie tie-in – what are you gonna do? Movies always have a positive effect on the books that go along with them, and this was no different.

6. WWE Head to Head by Jake Black

This is a good example of a book that didn’t circulate widely, but among wrestling fans, it was a checkout machine. A lot of repeat customers for this book.

5. Guinness World Records 2012

A given.

4. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Special Edition 2013

There has to be some sort of feud going on between Ripley’s and Guinness, right? I mean, they can’t like each other. Guiness is all uptight with official rules and regulations, while Ripley’s is content to yell “hey, look at this tattooed guy”. They’re even butting heads on this list, with Ripley’s narrowly taking the fourth slot.

3. Tales From a Not-So-Fabulous Life (Dork Diaries, Book 1) by Rachel Renée Russell

This book came out a couple years ago now, but once the series hit big this year, everyone was looking for the first book. We wised up and added a couple copies.

2. The Ultimate Guide to WWE by Jake Black

Popularity tip: add the words “ultimate guide” to your book and increase checkouts by 50%.

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

The latest Wimpy Kid not only bested the other books in the library, it blew away the other books in this series as well. I think we’re reaching the point where just about everyone has read the first few, so those don’t quite have the checkouts they once did. But the latest book is always going to be a shoe-in for the top spot.