The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Eyes and the Impossible

Jeffrey Brown Why did I love this book?

They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what I did when I saw the deluxe wood-bound edition of The Eyes and The Impossible; warm and inviting and hinting at untold adventure.

The first thing to love is the central character Johannes, a self-proclaimed very fast dog who is caring and brave and very often funny as he describes the world he lives in (a park) and his friends (a gull, a squirrel, a raccoon, and more).

The story begins with a seemingly mundane but full life that transforms into a time of unknown dangers and unpredictable revelations. The book describes true friendship – the kind that is unconditional yet tested, that will be forever even if it ends. It has the most important things for any great story – action, humor, and, above all heart.  

By Dave Eggers, Shawn Harris (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Eyes and the Impossible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the award-winning author of The Every and the illustrator behind the beloved picture book Her Right Foot comes an endearing and beautifully illustrated story of a dog who unwittingly becomes a hero to a park full of animals.

Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park’s elders, three ancient Bison. His friends—a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelican—work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Geneviève Castrée: Complete Works 1981-2016

Jeffrey Brown Why did I love this book?

Geneviève Castrée’s book Susceptible is still one of my all-time favorite graphic memoirs; like all of her work, it was funny and heartfelt and serious and real.

Sadly, Castrée passed away at a far too young age, but this collection shows just how productive she was an artist and writer. 

This huge book contains comics, scraps, and stories (including Susceptible) – it’s not something to read so much as something to live with for a while, even though it takes plenty of reading to work your way through the material. Her comics and art are at times completely vulnerable and raw, other times angry and impenetrable, but always fierce and honest. 

By Geneviève Castrée, Phil Elverum (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Geneviève Castrée as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An immersive curation of Genevieve Castree s stunning life s work and expansive artistic legacy. It s not easy to label an artist like Genevieve Castree cartoonist, illustrator, musician, sculptor, stamp collector, activist, correspondent a person with busy hands and a mind too creative and wild to stop doing. Those familiar with Castree s seminal memoir about her childhood, Susceptible (included fully within), will know that she, to a large degree, raised herself. It was in those unattended, semi-feral childhood years that Genevieve used art to pull herself out of what could have otherwise been a bleak existence. Instead, she…


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My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Yellowface

Jeffrey Brown Why did I love this book?

I like a good murder mystery, and that’s sort of how this book feels, except there’s no murder, just an accidental death, although the details are only known by the narrator, June Hayward.

Kuang does an excellent job making June easily dislikable but somewhat sympathetic; you want to root for her even if June will never get out of her own way. There is another mystery that develops as the story moves along, and seeing June’s rise through the literary world and inevitable fall is popcorn-worthy entertainment.

That would be enough to make this a great novel, but the book is also full of sharp social satire and great deconstructions of the perceptions people have of authors (whether established or struggling or both). Smart and funny is accurate, even if it’s a woefully inadequate summary.

By R. F. Kuang,

Why should I read it?

27 authors picked Yellowface as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller from literary sensation R.F. Kuang

*A Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick*

'Propulsive' SUNDAY TIMES

'Razor-sharp' TIME

'A wild ride' STYLIST

'Darkly comic' GQ

'A riot' PANDORA SYKES

'Hard to put down, harder to forget' STEPHEN KING

Athena Liu is a literary darling and June Hayward is literally nobody.

White lies
When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it as her own under the ambiguous name Juniper Song.

Dark humour
But as evidence threatens June's stolen success, she will discover exactly how far she…


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Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Child

By Jeffrey Brown,

Book cover of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Child

What is my book about?

In the heartwarming cartooning style of Darth Vader and Son, The Mandalorian and Child follows bounty hunter Din Djarin’s adventures across the galaxy as he cares for the adorable Grogu – from cooking hot dogs and looking for lost toys, to temper tantrums and riding blurrgs. 

My 10-year-old's favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Science Comics: Crows: Genius Birds

Jeffrey Brown Why did they love this book?

My son has loved every volume of the Science Comics series so far, and Crows was no exception – as soon as he finished, he had me read it with him. Full of fascinating information that’s digestible for kids but meaty enough for adults, this volume is headlined by a crafty crow and curious dog that make learning all the more fun.

By Kyla Vanderklugt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Science Comics as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic - dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty year old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you!

In Science Comics: Crows you'll learn all about the avian Einsteins that are as smart as some primates and can perform some of the same cognitive feats as human children! Did you know that…


My 10-year-old's 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Badtime Bedtime Stories

Jeffrey Brown Why did they love this book?

These comics are very much of a particular time and place (1970s England), but that’s also part of what makes them so strange and funny to my son. Almost like a cross between Monty Python, Roald Dahl, and Mad magazine. Lots of little jokes and details, bad puns, and all kinds of goofy weirdness.

By Leo Baxendale,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Badtime Bedtime Stories as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Once upon a badtime...
In these explosive, hysterical comics, Dr Jeykll and Mr Snide, Little Miss Muffet and Little Red Riding Hood run wild in chaotic retellings of beloved tales. These anarchic, frenzied comics stories from the pen of Leo Baxendale are the arguably the jewel of the British humour comics, beloved by many for their DIY storybook aesthetic when they were originally printed in Monster Fun. Now, in this stunning new collection, the comics are restored to their full glory, while reprinted in a smaller style to retain the intimate feel of the originals. Crammed with gags and hidden…


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