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The most popular books of 2023 at every Boston Public Library location

The Boston Public Library released top five lists for every open branch throughout the city.

By Ross Cristantiello

December 18, 2023

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Now that the year is drawing to a close, the Boston Public Library is releasing its list of the books that were most popular with patrons in 2023. 

In addition to the main list of the top 10 books across all BPL locations, the library also broke down data for popular titles in a number of different ways. The BPL lended out 5.5 million physical and digital items this year to more than 6 million people. Library staff compiled lists of their favorites, adult books, teen books, and juvenile books, which can be found online. 

The top five titles at each of the BPL’s 22 open branches can be found below.

Adams Street

1. “Small Mercies,” by Dennis Lehane
2. “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver
3. “It Starts with Us,” by Colleen Hoover
4. “Our Missing Hearts,” by Celeste Ng
5. “Jessi’s Secret Language,” by Chan Chau

Brighton

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
3. “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy
4. “Carrie Soto is Back,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Central Library in Copley Square

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
3. “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy
4. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5. “Carrie Soto is Back,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Charlestown

1. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
2. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
3. “It Starts with Us,” by Colleen Hoover
4. “Small Mercies,” by Dennis Lehane
5. “Pineapple Street,” by Jenny Jackson

Chinatown

1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” by Jeff Kinney
2. “Dog Man: Mothering Heights,” by Dav Pilkey
3. “Crying in H Mart,” by Michelle Zauner
4. “Chang gong zhu,” by Moshubai
5. “Hua qian jin,” by Weiman

Codman Square

1. “Dog Man,” by Dav Pilkey
2. “Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild,” by Dav Pilkey
3. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
4. “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver
5. “Our Missing Hearts,” by Celeste Ng

Connolly

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
3. “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” by Shelby Van Pelt
4. “Olga Dies Dreaming,” by Xochitl Gonzalez 
5. “Small Mercies,” by Dennis Lehane

East Boston

1. “Smile,” by Raina Telgemeier
2. “Jessi’s Secret Language,” by Chan Chau
3. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
4. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
5. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot,” by Jeff Kinney

Egleston Square

1. “The Switcheroo Rescue!,” by FGTeeV
2. “Dog Man,” by Dav Pilkey
3. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” by Jeff Kinney
4. “Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas,” by Dav Pilkey
5. “Dog Man Unleashed,” by Dav Pilkey

Fields Corner

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose,” by Dav Pilkey
3. “Dog Man,” by Dav Pilkey
4. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball,” by Jeff Kinney
5. “Yellowface,” by R. F. Kuang

Grove Hall

1. “Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers,” by Dav Pilkey
2. “Karen’s School Picture,” by Katy Farina
3. “Sisters,” by Raina Telgemeier
4. “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism,” by Robin DiAngelo
5. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot,” by Jeff Kinney

Honan-Allston

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver
3. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
4. “Trust,” by Hernán Díaz
5. “Small Mercies,” by Dennis Lehane

Lower Mills

1. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
2. “Small Mercies,” by Dennis Lehane
3. “Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas,” by Dav Pilkey
4. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
5. “Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties,” by Dav Pilkey

Mattapan

1. “Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose,” by Dav Pilkey
2. “Captain Underpants and the Tyrannical Retaliation of the Turbo Toilet 2000: The Eleventh Epic Novel,” by Dav Pilkey
3. “Jessi’s Secret Language,” by Chan Chau
4. “Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations,” by Dav Pilkey
5. “Dog Man,” by Dav Pilkey

North End

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
3. “Carrie Soto is Back,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
4. “Happy Place,” by Emily Henry
5. “Mad Honey,” by Jodi Picoult

Parker Hill

1. “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy
2. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
3. “Crying in H Mart,” by Michelle Zauner
4. “Dog Man: Fetch-22,” by Dav Pilkey
5. “Dog Man: Mothering Heights,” by Dav Pilkey

Roslindale

1. “I Really Like Slop!,” by Mo Willems
2. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
3. “Are You Ready to Play Outside?,” by Mo Willems
4. “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver
5. “My New Friend is So Fun!,” by Mo Willems

Roxbury

1. “Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls,” by Dav Pilkey
2. “Smile,” by Raina Telgemeier
3. “Jessi’s Secret Language,” by Chan Chau
4. “Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties,” by Dav Pilkey
5. “Dog Man,” by Dav Pilkey

South Boston

1. “Carrie Soto is Back,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
2. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” byGabrielle Zevin
3. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
4. “Happy Place,” by Emily Henry
5. “It Starts with Us,” by Colleen Hoover

Uphams Corner

1. “The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture,” by Gabor Maté 
2. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
3. “The Maid,” by Nita Prose
4. “Poverty, By America,” by Matthew Desmond
5. “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy

West End

1. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin
2. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
3. “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver
4. “Hello Beautiful,” by Ann Napolitano
5. “Spare,” by Prince Harry,  Duke of Sussex

West Roxbury

1. “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus
2. “Small Mercies,” by Dennis Lehane
3. “I Really Like Slop!,” by Mo Willems
4. “Someone Else’s Shoes,” by Jojo Moyes
5. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin