Reviews of the Day, 2020: Books for Youth

In a sense, every weekday is award day here at Booklist. Our Review of the Day highlights especially noteworthy titles by giving them the coveted front-and-center space on Booklist Online. We rotate adult, youth, and audio titles throughout the year, choosing titles that showcase the spotlight in the current issue of Booklist. Some Reviews of the Day are high-demand titles, while others are less-known gems we think deserve more visibility.

In keeping with the season of year-end “best” lists, we’ve compiled ALL of the Reviews of the Day for 2020, from January to December 18; divided them into four categories (adult books, books for youth, audiobooks, and graphic novels); and will be posting one category—and with it, dozens of Reviews of the Day—a day over the next few days. Below you’ll find every youth book Review of the Day from 2020. We hope you’ll enjoy this look back at a vibrant year in reading and stay tuned for more by following us on Twitter @ALA_Booklist.

BOOKS FOR YOUTH FICTION

Fiction

‘Ohana Means Family • Again Again • Before the Ever After • Beyond Me • Bigger than a Dream • The Boys in the Back Row • Dear Justyce • Dress Coded • Every Body Looking • Everything Sad Is Untrue • Felix Ever After • The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid • Finding Balance • Girl, Unframed • Green on Green • Grown • The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones • Kent State • The Knockout • Lights on Wonder Rock • The List of Things That Will Not Change • My Favorite Memories • My Heart Underwater • The Next Great Jane • The Ocean Calls • Of Salt and Shore • Parachutes • Santiago’s Road Home • Seeking an Aurora • The Summer of Everything • The Voting Booth • Three Keys (A Front Desk Novel) • We Will Live in This Forest Again • Where the World Ends • With a Star in My Hand

Mystery

All Eyes on Her • Burn Our Bodies Down • Premeditated Myrtle • The Project • Tornado Brain

Romance

19 Love Songs • Camp • It Only Happens in the Movies • She Drives Me Crazy • Super Fake Love Song • You Say It First

Science Fiction / Fanstasy / Horror

Amari and the Night Brothers • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes • Blazewrath Games • Catalyst • The Circus of Stolen Dreams • A Complicated Love Story Set in Space • The Conference of the Birds • Girl Giant and the Monkey King • Girl, Serpent, Thorn • Legendborn • Lobizona • Never Look Back • Oasis • Paola Santiago and the River of Tears • A Peculiar Peril • A Phoenix First Must Burn • The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice • Raybearer • A Sky beyond the Storm • A Song below Water • Spindlefish and Stars • Star Daughter • Starcrossed • Tales from the Hinterland • The Valley and the Flood

BOOKS FOR YOUTH NONFICTION

Arts / Geography, Travel, & Culture / Literature

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Young Adult Edition) • The Cat Man of Aleppo • Flying Paintings • Girl on a Motorcycle • I Remember • In One Ear and Out the Other

Feelings & Behavior / Social Sciences

Call Me American • Lift as You Climb • Lifting As We Climb • Lizzie Demands a Seat! • One Earth • The Talk • Votes of Confidence, 2nd Edition

Health & Medicine / Science

Be a Virus Warrior! • Dear Treefrog • The International Day of the Girl • Jane against the World • Oil • Poisoned Water • Wonder Women of Science

History

111 Trees • A Bowl Full of Peace • Stamped • The Teachers March! • Women in the Old West • Year of the Rabbit