School Library Journal Best Books of the Year Books

School Library Journal is a review magazine written for the school and public library staff who actually buy books for children and teens. Each fall its reviews editors and a committee of practicing librarians choose the year's Best Books, drawing contenders from the titles the magazine gave starred reviews over the preceding twelve months. The 2025 list ran to 191 titles selected by 28 librarians and five reviews editors, with roughly 15 to 25 titles in each category.

The list is built for ordering rather than for ceremony. It is published by category and released as a downloadable PDF, which is how collection decisions get made in practice — a librarian filling a gap in graphic novels or middle grade nonfiction can work straight down the relevant section. For a parent or teacher it is most useful as a cross-check on the shorter lists: a title here has been read closely by people who watch what circulates.

Information from School Library Journal.