SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

December 13, 2017 by Travis Jonker

Top 20 Books of 2017: 15-11

December 13, 2017 by Travis Jonker   Leave a Comment

Top 20 No Background

#20-16 | #15-11 | #10-6 | #5-1

Unicorn

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Unicorn 1

15. You Don’t Want a Unicorn! by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Liz Climo [Little, Brown | Grades K-2]

Because you will never look at a pink cupcake the same way again. -John

Click here for additional resources from Watch. Connect. Read.

One Last Word

One Last Word 1

14. One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes [Bloomsbury | Grades 4-7]

Because it is the most unique and inspiring poetry collection of the year. -John

Click here for additional resources from Watch. Connect. Read.

House

House 1

13. This House, Once by Deborah Freedman [Atheneum | Grades K-2]

Because this book, wow. -John

Click here for additional resources from Watch. Connect. Read.

Hey

Hey 1

12. Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins, illustrated by Bryan Collier [Little, Brown | Grades K-3]

Because Collier’s illustrations illuminate Perkins’s powerful poem. -John

Click here for additional resources from Watch. Connect. Read.

Princess Cora

Princess Cora 1

11. Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Brian Floca [Candlewick Press | Grades 1-3]

Because being a princess (or a kid, for that matter) means that sometimes you need to let your inner crocodile out. -Travis

Click here for additional resources from Watch. Connect. Read.

#20-16 | #15-11 | #10-6 | #5-1

Filed under: *Best New Books*, Best of, Best of 2017

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

The Scourge of Upside Down Knitting Needles: 2025 Edition

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Art, Science, and Adventure: ‘Leo Da Vinci’ | News

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

The Newbery Medal and the “Child Audience” Criteria

by Steven Engelfried

Politics in Practice

From Policy Ask to Public Voice: Five Layers of Writing to Advance School Library Policy

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Redefining Classics: Making space for books that will stand the test of time, a guest post by Marcia Argueta Mickelson

by Amanda MacGregor

The Yarn

POP! Betsy Bird is on The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

SLJ Reviews the EBSCO Literary Reference Ultimate Database

The Power of Board Books

SPONSORED

3 True-Life Mysteries for Older Nonfiction Readers

The Creepy, the Icky, and the Spooky | Editorial

21 Splendid Books from Kwame Alexander, Rin Chupeco, and More | Starred Reviews, November 2025

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025