Library’s most-borrowed books give a glimpse into what Gloucester was reading in 2023
Have you ever wondered what everyone around the community has been reading? Look no further as Sawyer Free Library has dug into its data and compiled a list of some of the most popular books from 2023, sharing its top checkouts for adults, teens, and children.
With SFL’s total circulation last year close to 170,000, new authors and familiar favorites, including Geraldine Brooks, Jodi Picoult, and Barbara Kingsolver, were among the most read books, eBooks, and audiobooks. Royalty graced the list with Prince Harry Duke of Sussex’s memoir Spare, which became a must-read for many library users. Bonnie Garmus’ debut novel Lessons in Chemistry was another favorite, along with Pulitzer Prize–winning science journalist Ed Yong’s New York Times bestseller An Immense World, a multisensory exploration of the many ways in which animals perceive their environment.
Of the thousands print, digital, and audiobooks borrowed from the Sawyer Free Library, these were Gloucester’s favorites in 2023:
Top Adult Fiction:
- Horse by Geraldine Brooks
- Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
- Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
- Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
Top Adult Nonfiction:
- Spare by Prince Harry Duke of Sussex
- An Immense World by Ed Yong
- Downshiftology: Healthy Meal Prep by Lisa Bryan
- The Healthy, Happy Gut Cookbook by Dr. Heather Finley
- Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World, by Pádraig Ó Tuama
- Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg
The top checkouts for children’s books featured titles from popular series, including Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, and The Babysitter Club based on the novel by Ann M. Martin.
The Young Adult titles with the highest circulation were The Tryout, a graphic novel about courage and friendship by Christina Soontornvat, Throne of Glass, the first in Sarah J. Maas’s popular fantasy book series along with the classic novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the powerful nonfiction book, Killers of the Flower Moon by journalist David Grann.
Top Teen Fiction:
- The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
- The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald
- Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
- The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Top Children’s:
- Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild by Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Fetch-22 by Dav Pilkey
- The Babysitter Club: Karen’s Worst Day by Katy Farina
- The Babysitter Club: Kristy and the Snobs by Chan Chau
- Diary of the Wimpy Kid Greg Heffley’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
Find these and millions of other books through the Sawyer Free Library. Visit the Library at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester or sawyerfreelibrary.org where Librarians are always there to help you find a new book to read and much more.
Approximately 14,000 people currently possess Sawyer Free Library cards. Anyone who resides or attends school in Gloucester can obtain a Library card for free by applying in person, online, or by mail. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.
The Sawyer Free Library, temporarily located at 21 Main Street and online 24/7, remains committed to providing a dynamic and enriching environment for all and looks forward to officially opening its newly renovated, expanded, and modernized space in the fall of 2025. For details on the 2025 Sawyer Free Library and the many ways to support this historic project, visit sawyerfree2025.org.
Cape Ann Community 