Previously…

Top 10 Circulated Graphic Novels of 2015

Today we have the 10 most popular picture books of the year in my K-4 school library.

10. Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds; illustrated by Peter Brown

This book goes to show that a little bit of spookiness goes a long way. It’s been consistently checked out all year long.

9. Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta; illustrated by Ed Young

There’s just no stopping this book. I’ve talked about its (appropriately) sneaky popularity before, and it continues.

8. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin; illustrated by James Dean

My personal favorite in the Pete the Cat series.

7. Disney Frozen (Big Golden Book) by Bill Scollon

The only surprise here is that this book based on the insanely popular movie isn’t higher on the list.

6. Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller

The power of an author visit. Laurie Keller visited our school last year and you can still see the effects on this list.

5. Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween by Mélanie Watt

Sometimes something very simple can have a big impact on a book’s popularity. In this case, it was showing this Scaredy Halloween Safety Public Service Announcement back in October:

While the books would have been popular anyway, there was definitely more interest in the series after students saw this.

4. Mr. Wuffles! by David Wiesner

It’s fun to see which Caldecott books catch on in our library. Of the 2014 winners, this one has been checked out more than any other. I think this is due to the facts that (a) kids like cats and (b) it has a complexity that makes it a book older kids also want to check out. It’s one of the few picture books that was consistently put on hold.

3. Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Mélanie Watt

More Scaredy.

2. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

This was the most asked-for picture book in our library this year. It was nominated (and won) our state award, which definitely helped build enthusiasm.

1. Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus by James Dean

Pete is still king. While I wasn’t expecting this particular title to take the top slot, I’m not surprised to see the blue cat here, driving away with number one.