Update your summer reading list: Here are the most popular books at Hampton Roads city libraries this year

Kelsey Kendall, The Virginian-Pilot
·6 min read
Update your summer reading list: Here are the most popular books at Hampton Roads city libraries this year
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Time to get “caught” reading.

The dozens of public libraries across Hampton Roads offer a vast number of books available — in paperback, hardback and eBook forms.

To get kids — and adults — reading this summer, the regional libraries are offering summer reading challenges and other programs. More information can be found on your local library’s website.

But what are people reading now? Many libraries offer recommendations to update the TBR (to be read) list online and more to encourage a love of learning and reading.

The Virginian-Pilot complied a list of the top four books checked out from April 2021 to April 2022 from local libraries for adults, young adults, middle grade readers and early readers. These include non-fiction books, fiction and graphic novels.

Norfolk Public Library

Adult

  1. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave

  2. “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig

  3. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah

  4. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennet

Young adult

  1. “One of Us is Lying” by Karen M. McManus

  2. “Demon Slayer” by Koyoharu Gotoge

  3. “A Court of Thornes and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas

  4. “Six of Crows” duology by Leigh Bardugo

Middle grade

  1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series by Jeff Kinney

  2. “Diary of a Awesome Friendly Kid” series by Jeff Kinney

  3. “Dog Man” series by Dav Pilkey

  4. “Dinosaur!: Dinosaurs and Other Amazing Prehistoric Creatures as You’ve Never Seen Them Before” by John Woodward

Early readers

  1. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle

  2. “The Pigeon Needs a Bath!” by Mo Willems

  3. “Pete the Kitty Goes to the Doctor” by Kim Dean

  4. “Dragons Love Tacos” 1 and 2 by Adam Rubin

Chesapeake Public Library

Adult

  1. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah

  2. “The Return” by Nicholas Sparks

  3. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett

  4. “A Time for Mercy” by John Grisham

Young adult

  1. “Dragon Ball” by Akira Toriyama

  2. “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo

  3. “Guts” by Raina Telgemeier

  4. “Sisters” by Raina Telgemeier

Middle grade

  1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School” by Jeff Kinney

  2. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck” by Jeff Kinney

  3. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” by Jeff Kinney

  4. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” by Jeff Kinney

Early reader

  1. “Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers” by Bobby Lynn Maslen

  2. “Bob Books, Set 2: Advancing Beginners” by Bobby Lynn Maslen

  3. “Bob Books, First Stories: Stage 1″ by Lynn Maslen Kertell

  4. “Bob Books Sight Words: Kindergarten” by Lynn Maslen Kertell

Portsmouth Public Library

Adult

  1. “Deadly Cross” by James Patterson

  2. “Spin” by Patricia Daniels Cornwell

  3. “Double Jeopardy” by Stuart Woods

  4. “The Sentinel” by Lee Child

Young adult

  1. “The Inheritance Games” by Jennifer Barnes

  2. “My Hero Academia Vol. 1, Bright Future” by Kohei Horikoshi

  3. “The Amazing Spider-Man: Las Remains Companion” by Nick Spencer

  4. “Guts” by Raina Telgemeier

Middle grade

  1. “Dragonbreath” by Ursula Vernon

  2. “Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties” by Dav Pilkey

  3. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End” by Jeff Kinney

  4. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth” by Jeff Kinney

Early readers

  1. “Baby Shark: Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo” by Scholastic Inc.

  2. “Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin

  3. “I Believe in Bunnycorns” by Danielle McLean

  4. “Bob and Larry’s Book of Prayers” by Peggy Schaefer

Williamsburg Regional Library

Adult

  1. “A Thousand Acres” by Jane Smiley

  2. “How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe” by Thomas Cahill

  3. “Indianapolis 500 Chronicle” by Rick Popely

  4. “Tapestry” by Belva Plain

Young adult

  1. “The Seeing Stone” by Kevin Crossley-Holland

  2. “A Northern Light” by Jennifer Donnelly

  3. “An Abundance of Katherines” by John Green

  4. “Artemis Fowl” by Eoin Colfer

Middle grade

  1. “The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis

  2. “Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve” by Mary Pope Osborne

  3. “Star Wars Encyclopedia” by Stephen Sansweet

  4. “Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Disgusting Sneakers” by Donald Sobol

Early readers

  1. “The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners” by Stan Berenstain

  2. “The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble at School” by Stan Berenstain

  3. “The Berenstain Bears and the Slumber Party” by Stan Berenstain

  4. “Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing” by Judi Barrett

Suffolk Public Library

Adult

  1. “Marked Man” by Archer Mayor

  2. “The Unknown” by Heather Graham

  3. “Arsenic and Adobo” by Mia P. Manansala

  4. “Foul Play” by Stuart Woods

Young adult

  1. “The Project” by Courtney Summers

  2. “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas

  3. “Elatsoe” by Darcie Little Badger

  4. “Rule of Wolves” by Leigh Bardugo

Middle grade

  1. “Just South of Home” by Karen Strong

  2. “Fearless” by Mandy Gonzalez

  3. “Girl Haven” by Lilah Sturgis

  4. “The Memory Thief” by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Early readers

  1. “Milo Imagines the World” by Matt De La Pena

  2. “The Library Bus” by Bahram Rahman

  3. “The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess” by Tom Gauld

  4. “Sunny-Side Up” by Jacky Davis

Hampton Public Library

Adult

  1. “Eyes of Prey” by John Sandford

  2. “The Hunt for Red October” by Tom Clancy

  3. “Trust Me” by Jayne Ann Krentz

  4. “Paper Doll” by Robert B. Parker

Young adult

  1. “Maximum Ride: Angel Experiment” by James Patterson and NaRae Lee

  2. “Maximum Ride: School’s Out Forever” by James Patterson and NaRae Lee

  3. “All-Star Superman Vol. 1″ by Grant Morrison

  4. “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton

Middle grade

  1. “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka

  2. “Arthur’s Tooth” by Marc Brown

  3. “Duck on a Bike” by David Shannon

  4. “Cranberry Birthday” by Wende and Harry Devlin

Early readers

  1. “Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp” by Syd Hoff

  2. “Oliver” by Syd Hoff

  3. “This is the House Where Jack Lives” by Joan Heilbroner

  4. “Mice at Bat” by Kelly Oechsli

Newport News Public Library

Adult

  1. “Sooley” by John Grisham

  2. “A Gambling Man” by David Baldacci

  3. “The Four Winds” by Kristen Hannah

  4. “Legacy” by Nora Roberts

Young adult

  1. “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas

  2. “One of Us is Lying” by Karen McManus

  3. “Midnight Sun” by Stephanie Myer

  4. “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas

Middle grade

  1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway” by Jeff Kinney

  2. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End” by Jeff Kinney

  3. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” by Jeff Kinney

  4. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School” by Jeff Kinney

Early readers

  1. “Super Pete” by Kim Dean

  2. “Pete the Cat and the Lost Tooth” by James Dean

  3. “Biscuit’s Big Friend” by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

  4. “Pete the Cat’s Family Road Trip” by Kim Dean

Virginia Beach Public Library

Adult

  1. “The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel” by Laura Dave

  2. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah

  3. “Sooley: A Novel” by John Grisham

  4. “A Gambling Man” by David Baldacci

Young adult

  1. “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley

  2. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins

  3. “A Wish in the Dark” by Christina Soontornvat

  4. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling

Middle grade

  1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Wrecking Ball” by Jeff Kinney

  2. “The Witch Boy” by Molly Ostertag

  3. “Stargazing” by Jen Wang

  4. “Guts” by Raina Telgemeier

Early reader

  1. “Elephants Cannot Dance!” by Mo Willems

  2. “Are You Ready to Play Outside?” by Mo Willems

  3. “Happy Pig Day!” by Mo Willems

  4. “Dragons Love Tacos” by Adam Rubin