Although “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver was selected last year for the One Book, One Chicago citywide reading program, it wasn’t the most popular book checked out of local public libraries.
That distinction belonged to “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, which topped the list of most popular books in the Chicago Public Library. The book was checked out more than 3,600 times in 2016, according to a data based on the circulation of adult fiction and nonfiction, teen and kids books compiled by the city’s library system.
If you were reading “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah on the train or bus, chances are you were not the only one. That book, coming in second place, was borrowed more than 3,200 times. Third place went to “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi closely followed by “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates — each circulated out about 3,000 times.
Rounding out the remaining top 10 were “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — Parts I & II” by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne in 5th, “The Girls” by Emma Cline in 6th, “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman in 7th, “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante in 8th, “The Nest” by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney in 9th and “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes in 10th.
A few books on the library’s top 10 list matched with the most popular books borrowed at suburban libraries.
The System Wide Automated Network, which counts 78 suburban library systems as members — including Cicero, Downers Grove and Oak Park — listed the biggest hits of the year for adults and children as follows: .
1.”The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins checked out 2,561 times
2.”A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman checked out 1,870 times
3.”All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr checked out 1,828 times
4.”Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes checked out 1,631 times
More Top Picks Evolve Gt Bamboo Street
5.”14th Deadly Sin” by James Patterson checked out 1,159 times
6.”Alert” by James Patterson checked out 1,079 times
7.”15th Affair” by James Patterson checked out 1,070 times
8.”See Me” by Nicholas Sparks checked out 1,047 times
9.”My New Friend Is So Fun!” by Mo Willems checked out 942 times
10.”Are You Ready to Play Outside?” by Mo Willems checked out 884 times
Twitter @lvivanco