The Book Sense Book of the Year Award was inaugurated at BookExpo America 2000. ABA rededicated the award (previously known as the ABBY) in recognition of a new era in bookselling, as well as the important role the Book Sense Picks List has played for independent booksellers in discovering and spreading the word about books of quality to all stores, and readers, nationwide.
Throughout the year, Book Sense independent booksellers from across the country nominate for inclusion in the monthly Book Sense Picks the books that they most enjoyed handselling to their customers. The books on each list represent a combined national and local staff pick selection of booksellers' favorites from more than 1,200 independent bookstores with Book Sense.
2008 Adult Fiction Winner
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead/Penguin)
Adult Fiction Honor Books
The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel by Michael Chabon (HarperCollins)
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo (Knopf/Random House)
Away: A Novel by Amy Bloom (Random House)
Run: A Novel by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver (HarperCollins)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
The World Without Us by Alan Weisman (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's)
Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin (Scribner/S&S)
The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War by David Halberstam (Hyperion)
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs (Simon & Schuster)
Children's Literature Winner
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press)
Children's Literature Honor Books
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (Little, Brown Young Readers)
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Young Readers)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
The Arrival by Shaun Tan (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic)
Children's Illustrated Winner
Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O'Connor, Robin Preiss-Glasser (Illus.) (HarperCollins)
Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long, David Shannon (Illus.) (Harcourt Children's Books)
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (Frances Foster Books/FSG)
Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney (Viking Juvenile/Penguin Young Readers Group)
2007 Adult Fiction Winner
Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen (Algonquin)
Adult Fiction Honor Books
The Brief History of the Dead: A Novel by Kevin Brockmeier (Pantheon)
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai (Atlantic Monthly)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf)
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (Knopf)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron (Knopf)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson (Broadway)
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick (Viking)
Thunderstruck by Erik Larson (Crown)
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan (Houghton Mifflin)
Children's Literature Winner
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Knopf)
Children's Literature Honor Books
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party
by M.T. Anderson (Candlewick)Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference! by Lynne Truss; illustrated by Bonnie Timmons (Putnam)
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer (Megan Tingley Books/Little, Brown)
Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney Editions)
Children's Illustrated Winner
Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paul Kahumbu; photos by Peter Greste (Scholastic)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor; illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (HarperCollins)
Flotsam by David Wiesner (Clarion Books)
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick)
Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter's Companion by Captain William Lubber; edited by Dugald A. Steer (Candlewick)
2006 Adult Fiction Winner
The Historian: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown)
Adult Fiction Honor Books
Kafka on the Shore: A Novel by Haruki Murakami (Knopf)
The March: A Novel by E.L. Doctorow (Random House)
Saturday: A Novel by Ian McEwan (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel by Lisa See (Random House)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (William Morrow)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls (Scribner/S&S)
The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece by Jonathan Harr (Random House)
Marley & Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan (William Morrow/HarperCollins)
The Tender Bar: A Memoir by J.R. Moehringer (Hyperion)
Children's Literature Winner
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (Chicken House/Scholastic)
Children's Literature Honor Books
A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin (Scholastic)
Eldest: Inheritance, Book 2 by Christopher Paolini (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Flush by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Children's Illustrated Winner
Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth (Scholastic Press)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Harry Bliss (Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins)
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert (Harcourt Children's Books)
Leonardo, The Terrible Monster by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children)
Seen Art? By Jon Scieszka; illustrated by Lane Smith (Viking Juvenile/Penguin USA)
2005 Adult Fiction Winner
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury)
Adult Fiction Honor Books
Eventide by Kent Haruf (Knopf)
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (Random House)
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin)
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Penguin Press)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson (Random House)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
Candyfreak by Steve Almond (Algonquin and Harcourt)
The Complete Cartoons of The New Yorker, Robert Mankoff (Ed.) (Black Dog & Leventhal)
Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs (St. Martin's)
Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins)
Children's Literature Winner
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, illustrated by Brett Helquist (Scholastic Press)
Children's Literature Honor Books
Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan (Scholastic)
Ida B ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan (Greenwillow/HarperCollins)
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney Editions)
The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer (Richard Jackson/Antheneum/Simon & Schuster)
Children's Illustrated Winner
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henke (Greenwillow/HarperCollins)
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Young Readers)
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle (Philomel/Penguin USA)
Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
2004 Adult Fiction Winner
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Doubleday)
Adult Fiction Honor Books
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (Doubleday)
The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich (HarperCollins)
Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh (Morrow)
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (MacAdam/Cage)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi (Random House)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson (Crown)
Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley (Little, Brown)
Michelangelo & The Pope's Ceiling by Ross King (Walker)
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder (Random House)
Children's Literature Winner
Eragon: The Inheritance, Book I by Christopher Paolini (Knopf)
Children's Literature Honor Books
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book 3) by Eoin Colfer (Miramax)
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Chicken House/Scholastic)
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares (Delacorte)
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo; illus. by Timothy Basil Ering (Candlewick)
Children's Illustrated Winner
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long; illus. by David Shannon (Harcourt)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French; illus. by Bruce Whatley (Clarion Books)
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin; illus. by Harry Bliss (Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins)
Old Turtle and the Broken Truth by Douglas Wood; illus. by Jon J. Muth (Scholastic)
Olivia ... and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer (Atheneum)
Paperback Winner
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Penguin)
Paperback Honor Books
Atonement by Ian McEwan (Anchor)
The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer (Vintage)
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore (Perennial)
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Harvest)
2003 Adult Fiction Winner
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold, Little, Brown
Adult Fiction Honor Books
Atonement, by Ian McEwan, Nan Talese/Doubleday
The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michel Faber, Harcourt
Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, Harcourt
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, Viking
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, by Alexandra Fuller, Random House
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
Blue Latitudes, by Tony Horwitz, Holt
My Losing Season, by Pat Conroy, Doubleday
Population: 485, by Michael Perry, HarperCollins
Running With Scissors, by Augusten Burroughs, St. Martin's
Children's Literature Winner
The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke, Chicken House/Scholastic
Children's Literature Honor Books
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, by Eoin Colfer, Hyperion
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, HarperCollins
Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen, Knopf
Summerland, by Michael Chabon, Miramax
Children's Illustrated Winner
Dear Mrs. LaRue, by Mark Teague, Scholastic
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
Giggle, Giggle, Quack, by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewin, Simon & Schuster
The Three Questions, by Jon J. Muth, Scholastic
The Spider & The Fly, by Mary Howitt; illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi, Simon & Schuster
Toot & Puddle: Top of the World, by Holly Hobbie, Little, Brown
Rediscovery Winner
The Children of Green Knowe, by L. M. Boston, Odyssey/Harcourt
Rediscovery Honor Books
Auntie Mame, by Patrick Dennis, Broadway
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, by Chris Fuhrman, University of Georgia Press
Paper Moon, by Joe David Brown, Four Walls Eight Windows
The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake, by Breece D'J Pancake, Back Bay
Paperback Winner
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett, Perennial
Paperback Honor Books
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Sijie Dai, Anchor
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, by Brady Udall, Vintage
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith, Anchor
Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks, Penguin
2002 Adult Fiction Winner
Peace Like a River, Leif Enger (Atlantic Monthly)
Adult Fiction Honor Books
The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn (MacAdam/Cage)
Empire Falls, Richard Russo (Knopf)
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, Louise Erdrich (HarperCollins)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Seabiscuit: An American Legend, Laura Hillenbrand (Random House)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books
Ava's Man, Rick Bragg (Knopf)
The Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World, Michael Pollan (Random House)
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schossler (Houghton Mifflin)
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, Barbara Ehrenreich (Metropolitan/Holt)
Children's Literature Winner
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ann Brashares (Delacorte)
Children's Literature Honor Books
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison (HarperCollins)
Love That Dog, Sharon Creech (HarperCollins)
Witness, Karen Hesse (Scholastic)
You Read to Me & I'll Read to You, Janet Schulman, ed. (Random House)
Children's Illustrated Winner
Olivia Saves the Circus, Ian Falconer (Atheneum)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, Patty Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow (Putnam)
Take Me Out of the Bathtub: And Other Silly Dilly Songs, Alan Katz, illustrated by David Catrow (Margaret McElderry Books/S&S)
The Water Hole, Graeme Base (Abrams)
Rediscovery Winner
My Father's Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannett, illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett (Random House)
Rediscovery Honor Books
Enchantress From the Stars, Sylvia Louise Engdahl (Walker)
Freddy the Detective, Walter R. Brooks, illustrated by Kurt Wiese (Overlook/Penguin)
Handling Sin, Michael Malone (Sourcebooks)
Time Stops for No Mouse, Michael Hoeye (Putnam)
2001 Adult Fiction Winner:
The Red Tent, Anita Diamant (Picador USA)
Adult Fiction Honor Books:
Bee Season, Myla Goldberg (Doubleday)
The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood (Doubleday/Nan Talese)
The Hours, Michael Cunningham (Picador USA)
House of Sand and Fog, Andre Dubus III (Vintage)
Adult Nonfiction Winner
Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture, Ross King (Walker)
Adult Nonfiction Honor Books:
The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams: A Memoir, Nasdijj (Houghton Mifflin)
Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain, Michael Paterniti (Dial)
The Orchid Thief, Susan Orlean (Ballantine)
Woman: An Intimate Geography, Natalie Angier (Anchor)
Children's Illustrated Winner:
Olivia, Ian Falconer (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)
Children's Illustrated Honor Books:
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Simon & Schuster)
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, Jane Yolen; illustrated by Mark Teague (Scholastic)
I Love You Like Crazy Cakes, Rose Lewis; illustrated by Jane Dyer (Little, Brown)
Stranger in the Woods, Jean Stoik and Carl R. Sams II (Carl R. Sams II)
Children's Literature Winner:
Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick)
Children's Literature Honor Books:
The Bad Beginning, Lemony Snicket (HarperTrophy)
The Giggler Treatment, Roddy Doyle (Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine)
Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli (Knopf)
The Wanderer, Sharon Creech (HarperCollins)
2000 Adult Winner
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (HarperPerennial)
Adult Honor Books
Ahab's Wife, Sena Jeter Naslund (Morrow)
Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Susan Vreeland (MacMurray & Beck)
Isaac's Storm, Erik Larson (Crown)
Plainsong, Kent Haruf (Knopf)
Children's Winner
The Quiltmaker's Gift, Jeff Brumbeau, illus. by Gail de Marcken (Pfeiffer-Hamilton)
Children's Honor Books
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, Pam Muñoz Ryan, illus. by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)
Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis (Delacorte)
Sector 7, David Wiesner (Houghton)
The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury, edited by Jack Prelutsky, illus. by Meilo So (Knopf)