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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,624 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Ready Player One

Evonne Blanchard Why did I love this book?

This book made me happy and nostalgic for the eighties when I was a teenager. Ready Player One is a roller-coaster set in a futuristic and dystopian world. 

Everyone escapes their depressing reality with an immersion in an online game called the Oasis. Wade, our endearing hero, is obsessed with the hunt for an Easter egg hidden in the virtual Oasis by James Halliday, the late Oasis’s creator. 

The person who finds the egg will inherit his humungous fortune and control over the Oasis. The narrative charges along as Wade and his fellow “gunters” race to solve all the challenges, hindered by Sorrento, the evil CEO of IOI.

Cline delivers world-building at its finest, with lots of futuristic tech, all wrapped up in an adorable geeked-out blanket.

By Ernest Cline,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked Ready Player One as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG

It's the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair

Evonne Blanchard Why did I love this book?

I loved this book because, as a parent, I’m always looking for ways to get kids excited about science and to think of science in a fun and accessible way. This is where this book excels.

I also adore cats, especially Pete the Cat! This is a tremendously fun and engaging read. The book’s illustrations are zany, highly colorful, and simply a joy to view time and time again. Little ones are introduced to basic scientific ideas.

They also learned a great lesson about teamwork and overcoming obstacles during their big experiment. Pete and his friends might feel blue (hint, hint) about their problem, but they quickly learn to embrace it. There is a sparkly surprise at the end of their project. Can you readers guess what that is?

By James Dean, Kimberly Dean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Pete and his friends have a blast at the school science fair! This exciting 8x8 storybook includes over 30 groovy stickers.

In Pete the Cat's Supercool Science Fair from New York Times bestselling author-illustrator team Kimberly and James Dean, Pete the Cat and his friends are excited to build the coolest volcano ever for their school's science fair.

After a few unexpected mishaps, the team is finally ready. Yet after seeing their other classmates'creations, they can't help but wonder: is their volcano good enough to win first place?

Thankfully, Pete has a sparkly surprise up his sleeve!


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Boy Whose Head Was Filled with Stars: A Life of Edwin Hubble

Evonne Blanchard Why did I love this book?

This is a lovely story about a boy called Edwin Hubble who was spellbound by the stars above. His father discouraged his star obsession, but his grandfather encouraged it by building him a telescope for his birthday. Cool Grandpa!

As the young Hubble looked up at the night sky, he wondered how many stars there were. How did the universe start, and where did it come from? He was the first astronomer to determine there were more galaxies than our own Milky Way.

He also discovered that our universe is constantly expanding. The famous Hubble telescope is named after him. Elegantly written and accompanied by gorgeous artwork, this book reminds us to “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet,” Stephen Hawkins.

By Isabelle Marinov, Deborah Marcero (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Boy Whose Head Was Filled with Stars as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This beautifully illustrated biography of Edwin Hubble explores the curiosity that he possessed from a young age, and the many questions that he asked about our universe. This book invites children to ponder these questions as well: How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from?

A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids of 2021
A Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings) Loveliest Children's Book of 2021
A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022, of Outstanding Merit
An Air & Space Magazine Best Children's Book of 2021
A EUREKA!…


Plus, check out my book…

Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace

By Evonne Blanchard,

Book cover of Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace

What is my book about?

It’s Amelia’s eighth birthday. She unwraps a strange gift. That night, she discovers that her present wasn’t a present. No, he’s a fun, friendly alien from Pluto called Uglesnoo, who accidentally ended up in her birthday box!

He tells Amelia that he has to go. His sister is very sick. Amelia is upset that her favorite and very cool gift is leaving her. Uglesnoo asks if she wants to go with him to the moon. He needs to get many things to buy a repelling crystal, the only thing that can save his sister.

Will Amelia travel into outer space? Join Amelia and Uglesnoo on their first amazing space adventure!