This year as I looked over the books that I have read in the past year and I tried to figure out whether to do a list of the best graphic novels, picture books, or young adult novels, it occurred to me that it might be best to do a series of short lists. So here they are—the top six lists of the top three books I have read since this time last year.

List Number 1: The Top Three Young Adult Novels about Community

1. Schmidt, Gary D. Orbiting Jupiter. New York: Clarion, 2015.

The social worker warns Jack (and his parents) that his new foster brother might have some problems. It turns out that Joseph has served time in two different juvenile halls and tried to kill a teacher in one of them. Even though Joseph, like Jack, is in middle school, Joseph has another thing that makes him different. Joseph has a three-month-old daughter that he has never seen.

When I first read this book, I was looking for a powerful voice like the one in Schmidt’s Okay for Now. Jack’s voice, however, is more subtle. As you follow Joseph being enfolded into his new foster family and yet at the same time further separated from the daughter he desperately wants to see, the story gets more and more compelling.

Like Schmidt’s earlier books, this one immerses the reader in a community. But what makes this book great is . . . um . . . actually, I don’t know. I could say it has something to do with the themes of brokenness and grace. I could say that it is an emotionally powerful book, but all of those ways of describing it fall short. Look, bottom line, you are just going to have to read it.

This is a tricky one in terms of whether you can put it in your classroom library. The fact is, the main character and a girl his age have sex, and though that action is not described in the book, one of the questions the book asks is whether two kids that young can really feel love for each other. The book also asks whether we could allow such a person as Joseph to have a part in the raising of his daughter. I think this is a book that should be in classrooms, probably starting at middle school, but some parents might object to it on the grounds that it is introducing children to ideas they should not be thinking about. Having read the book, I would have no hesitation about my sixth- grade daughter reading it, but I can respect parents who feel differently, and teachers should be aware of that possibility.

2. Bauer, Joan. Peeled. New York: Scholastic, 2008.

“How did you know I needed fudge?”

“Everyone needs fudge, Hildy. It’s how God helps us cope.”

Hildy, a reporter for her school newspaper (and the daughter of a reporter who died years ago) uncovers a story involving the mayor, the editor of the town paper, a crooked land developer, a fortune-teller, a haunted house, and the possible destruction of several townspeople’s orchards to make way for a theme park. When the school paper starts running stories about it, the school tries to shut it down. Throw in a crusty reporter who knew Hildy’s dad, along with some death, romance, and an underground student paper, and you have a dynamic and interesting story.

At one point, the crusty reporter tells Hildy that before she can run a story about the town newspaper editor’s possible corruption, she has to call him and read him the story. Hildy is scared, but she makes the call because it is the right thing to do. The story shows that communities sometimes stand behind the good guys, that newspaper reporting can help expose the truth in an edifying way, and that there is hope that good will triumph.

Good for fourth grade through high school; nothing objectionable that I noticed.

3. Lord, Cynthia. Touchblue. New York: Scholastic, 2010.

Tess is happy living on an island off the coast of Maine with her lobster-fishing dad and her teacher mom. When the state threatens to shut down the island’s school because of low enrollment, several families decide to take in foster children. Soon Tess’s family is welcoming Aaron, a red-headed trumpet player whose mom has substance abuse issues and is unable to raise him. Soon Aaron and Tess have to deal with Eban, their school’s resident bully/jerk.

This book is a bit like a ride in a lobster boat during high seas. At times it is predictable; at times it is not. There are a host of snags and sandbars and floating logs it could run aground on, but it doesn’t. I kept expecting some sort of major gaffe or generalization about foster care that would make me cringe. It never happened. And the ending brought the boat safely into harbor.

It would make a good read-aloud for fourth or fifth grade. It is a good story for both genders, though perhaps it is tipped just a bit toward the girls in your class. I am not sure there is enough here to study this as a whole class, but it would be great for literature circles or independent reading.

List Number 2: The Top Three Picture Books

1. Woodson, Jacqueline, and E. B. Lewis. Each Kindness. New York: Nancy Paulsen, 2012.

When a new girl named Maya comes to Chloe’s classroom, Chloe and her friends decide not to play with her because she always wears old clothing that is often in disrepair. Later, when Maya stops coming to class, Chloe regrets how she treated her. It is a simple enough story, but E. B. Lewis’s paintings are spectacular and the message of the book is that the way we treat others matters a great deal.

2. Barnett, Mac, and Jon Klassen. Extra Yarn. New York: HarperCollins, 2012.

On the first page of this picture book, a little girl named Annabelle, who lives in a town that appears to be mostly gray and black in color, finds a box of yarn of every color. So she knits herself a sweater and one for her dog too. When a boy named Nate points at her and tells her she look ridiculous, Annabelle knits sweaters for Nate and his dog as well. Soon, Annabelle has knitted sweaters for nearly everyone in town (and several trees, birdhouses, mailboxes, and even houses too). An archduke from the other side of the sea tries to buy the box of yarn; when Annabelle refuses to sell, he steals it. But don’t worry. Magical boxes of yarn sometimes have minds of their own, it seems. This delightful picture book makes the most of an excellent story and an amazing contrast between grays and colors.

3. Barnett, Mac, and Jon Klassen. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. Somerville: Candlewick, 2014.

Sam and Dave dig a hole straight down. They work really hard, but eventually take a break, frustrated that they have not found anything interesting. They decide to try digging sideways for a while, then split up and dig two different tunnels. What Sam and Dave don’t know, but the reader does, is that each time they stop or decide to turn, they are passing up untold riches buried in their part. In the end, though, the message of the book seems to me that it is the digging of a hole with a friend that is more important than riches. Excellent stuff. Also a good way to teach irony.

List Number 3: The Top Three Action-Packed Young Adult Novels

1. Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. New York: Tor Books, 2008.

Marcus is a high school student who does some hacking in his spare time. He messes with the school’s ID card monitoring system, plays live-action computer games with his friends in the city, and though he is often summoned to the principal’s office, he never gets into trouble. When Marcus and his friends get picked up in a police sweep following a terrorist attack, Marcus becomes aware of what it is like to have his civil rights taken away. He begins to fight against the system of martial law that has replaced the city government. This is an exciting book that addresses some important themes. This would be best for high school students since there is some vulgar language and implied sex.

2. Colfer, Eoin. Warp: The Reluctant Assassin. New York: Hyperion, 2015.

Seventeen-year-old Chevron Savano is an FBI agent. She was enlisted as part of a plan to use teenagers to investigate terrorist groups recruiting in high schools. Because of a mistake she made, she is now stuck babysitting something called a WARP pod in a beautiful house in London, and she is going stir crazy. The head agent tells her that on most days, “a man probably won’t come out of the pod,” but on the off chance that he does, she has to keep the man alive and call it in. Meanwhile in early 1800s London, young Riley is apprenticed to Albert Gerrick, who is teaching him to steal and murder, but Riley wants out. When these two stories intersect, both versions of London will never be the same. This is a gripping story that offers the readers plenty of things to think about. Ideal for middle school and up.

3. Doctorow, Cory. Homeland. New York: Tor Books, 2013.

Marcus is back. His old nemesis, Masha, delivers a flash drive to him with a huge set of incriminating documents on it. Immediately, Marcus is being hunted, threatened, and is on the run. What follows is a wild ride of a story that includes using peaceful protest as a diversion, drones, police manipulated into brutalization, a crusading politician who really does want to make the world a better place, plenty of close calls, and enough hacking, strategy, and suspense to keep any thinking reader on the edge of his or her seat. High school readers will enjoy this novel, which brings up some interesting issues (and could be used for a post–AP-test unit in social studies.

List Number 4: The Top Three Honking-Funny Young Adult Novels

1. Pratchett, Terry. Wintersmith. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.

On a beautiful fall night, Tiffany witnesses the dance between the Wintersmith and the embodiment of summer. She accidentally joins the dance, and the next thing she knows, the Wintersmith is in love with her and has decided to make it snow until she acknowledges his love. Fortunately, Tiffany has allies, hundreds of one-foot-tall blue Scottish warriors whose loyalty almost makes up for their knuckle-headedness. Hilarious. There are some witches in the story, though, so teachers may want to preview it.

2. Fforde, Jasper. The Eye of Zoltar. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2014.

Teenage wizard Jennifer Strange and her pet Quarkbeast must go on a deadly adventure in the danger-tourism destination of Wales, where the fatality index averages 50 percent. Along the way, she must deal with a reluctant princess, railroad lawyers, a rubberized dragon, and a tour guide whose loyalties are not always clear. Jennifer manages all this with pluckiness, determination, smarts, and a little help from her friends. I laughed out loud more than once reading this. Nothing objectionable. Probably best for strong middle school readers and especially for high school readers.

3. John, Antony. Five Flavors of Dumb. New York: Penguin, 2010.

Piper is a senior in high school and she is deaf. When her big mouth lands her a job managing the garage band “Dumb,” Piper finds herself mediating a rivalry between the band’s angry female punk bassist and the airhead female guitarist that one of the male members of the group wants to bring on board. Piper arranges a recording session with a washed-up former rocker, and convinces the band to take on a nerdy chess-playing drummer. Throw in her brother who seems bent on self-destruction, a mysterious mentor who is trying to teach them about the history of rock music in Seattle, and a fair amount of grace, and you have a wonderful story. Good for late middle school and up.

List Number 5: The Top Three Graphic Novels I Read This Year

1. Lendler, Ian, and Zack Gaillongo. The Stratford Zoo Midnight Review Presents: Macbeth. New York: First Second, 2014.

If you like Shakespeare, teach Shakespeare, or can spell the word Shakespeare, even incorrectly, buy this book. Fifth grade and up.

2. Hatke, Ben. Little Robot. New York: First Second, 2015.

This is a brilliant book for little ones just learning how to read graphic novels. A young girl discovers a runaway robot, and then has to protect him from another robot coming to retrieve him. Second graders and older would enjoy this one.

3. Lewis, John, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. March I and II. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf, 2013, 2015.

African-American Congressman John Lewis’s outstanding memoir of the Civil Rights movement highlights the effect of the sit-ins on the movement. Excellent, especially for high school students.

List Number 6: The Top Three Graphic Novels about Judaism for Bible Teachers and other Interested Readers

1. Deutsch, Barry. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword. New York: Amulet, 2010.

Mirka lives with her Jewish Orthodox family and more than anything else wants to be able to fight trolls and dragons with a sword, like she reads about in books, instead of all the domestic tasks she needs to learn. When an evil talking pig steals her homework, Mirka meets a troll and gets the chance to win a sword, provided she can best the troll in a knitting contest. This book and its sequel not only highlight Mirka’s ability to use her brain to get out of tricky situations, but also show a girl who chooses to follow the religious life of her parents. Good for sixth grade and up.

2. Duetsch, Barry. Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite. New York: Amulet, 2012.

A meteorite falls from the sky and shapes itself to look like Mirka. At first it is great having another self to do her homework, but when the meteorite starts doing everything better than she does, Mirka realizes she has a problem. This book is an excellent return to Mirka’s world.

3. Sheinkin, Steve. Rabbi Harvey and the Wisdom Kid. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2010.

Rabbi Harvey is the wisest rabbi in the Wild West. Before you sneer and say he is probably the only rabbi in the Wild West, you should know that he finds himself in conflict with a selfish money-grubbing rabbi named Rabbi Rueben (the Wisdom Kid). Soon they are having a duel, relying on logic, wisdom, and folklore to outsmart each other. Exceptionally smart fifth graders and up.

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Bill Boerman-Cornell is a professor of Education and English at Trinity Christian College. He blogs about books for K-12 students at<bookcommercial.blogspot.com>. He likes to read.