Before 2016 is well and truly behind us and we start looking forward to new releases for 2017, we thought we’d take a moment to reminisce about the books we loved last year.
Here are the staff favourites from 2016:
FAVOURITE PICTURE BOOKS
Fiona: Pandamonia by Chris Owen and Chris Nixon (tied with) Somewhere Else by Gus Gordon
Anna: Hiding Heidi by Fiona Woodcock
Jodie: Fabulous Friend Machine by Nick Bland, and Pandamonia by Chris Owen and Chris Nixon
Jennifer: Rhymoceros by Janik Coat, They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel, Molly and Mae by Danny Parker & Freya Blackwood
Sally: Don’t Cross the Line! by Bernardo Carvalho
Genevieve: A Child of Books by Sam Winston and Oliver Jeffers
FAVOURITE BOOKS FOR MIDDLE READERS
Fiona: Mrs Whitlam by Bruce Pascoe
Anna: Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee by Deborah Abela
Jodie: Blueberry Pancakes Forever by Angelica Banks
Genevieve: Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman and illustrated magnificently by Chris Riddell
FAVOURITE BOOKS FOR TWEEN READERS
Fiona: The War that Saved My Life by Kimberley Bradley Brubaker
Anna: The Turners by Mick Elliott
Jodie: The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
Genevieve: The War that Savevd My Life by Kimberley Bradley Brubaker
FAVOURITE YA FICTION
Fiona: The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Anna: The Road To Winter by Mark Smith
Jodie: One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn, and Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Jennifer: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley, and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (beautiful Special Collector’s Edition with illustrations by Jim Kay and additional material from the film)
Genevieve: The Book of Pearl by Timothee De Fombelle, and Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
BEST NEW SERIES OR SERIES FINALE
Fiona: Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey (Pig the Winner and Pig the Elf)
Anna: Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin (sequel to Wolf by Wolf)
Jodie: Ruby Redfort: Blink and You Die by Lauren Child
Sally: Wolf By Wolf by Ryan Graudin and the sequel/finale, Blood by Blood
Genevieve: The Australia trilogy by JP Smythe with Dark Made Dawn being the series finale
FAVOURITE NON-FICTION
Fiona: Lots by Marc Martin
Anna: The Book Of Bees by Piotr Socha
Jodie: Speaking Out by Tara Moss
Sally: Illuminature by Rachel Williams and Carnovsky
Genevieve: Botanicum Katy Scott and Kathy Willis
FAVOURITE BOOK COVER
Fiona: Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston
Anna: Pax by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Jodie: Yellow by Megan Jacobson
Genevieve: Odd and the Frost Giants (can anyone really challenge Chris Riddell?)