These were the most borrowed books from Vancouver libraries in 2023
Vancouver Public Library in downtown Vancouver is seen in this undated photo. (Shutterstock)
What have Vancouverites been reading in 2023? The Vancouver Public Library recently released its annual list of the most borrowed books over the previous year. The findings provide an insight into the year’s reading trends, and may give bookworms inspiration for their 2024 reading list.
For adults, non-fiction books seemed to be the go-to in 2023. The top five most popular books all fell under that category, with a collection of self-help essays taking the number one spot.
The list also includes two tell-all memoirs, Prince Harry’s Spare and former child star Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died. Two science books round out the top five with Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, which was last year's most popular book, and Vancouverite Gabor Maté’s latest book on mental health, The Myth of Normal.
Among teenagers, the fantasy and dystopian genres were popular in 2023. Four books by popular fantasy author Sarah J. Maas cracked the top 10. Prequel to the hit dystopian series The Hunger Games, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, took the number two spot, and The Marrow Thieves, another dystopian novel by Metis author Cherie Dimaline was number five.
When it comes to children’s books, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid takes the cake. Seven of the top 10 most borrowed books for kids were from Jeff Kinney’s graphic novel series. The first two Harry Potter books and Babysitter’s Club graphic novel Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye also made the list.
The full list of top 10 most borrowed books in 2023 for adults, kids and teens follows below:
For Adults
- 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest
- Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
- The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté
- A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
- It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
For Teens
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
- The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
- Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
- The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
For Kids
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Överlöde by Jeff Kinney
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot by Jeff Kinney
- Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye: A Graphic Novel by Gabriela Epstein
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End by Jeff Kinney
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney
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