Clayton Library Looks Back At Readers’ Top Picks of 2025

CLAYTON – As we say goodbye to 2025, the Town of Clayton looks back at the books that captivated the attention of nearly 11,500 library cardholders over the past year.

Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library is excited to share the most-circulated books from its physical collections, spanning a variety of genres and interests that have captured the attention of readers of all ages and reflect the library’s vibrant and diverse community.

Top reads include New York Times bestsellers, award-winning titles, and even books that have been adapted into popular television shows or movies. Whether it’s a gripping thriller, a heartfelt drama, or a timeless children’s classic, these selections have made a lasting impact on local readers.

Here’s a glimpse at the top 10 most-circulated books in the adult, teen, juvenile, and picture book collections for 2025:

Adult Books
1. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
2. The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
3. The Women by Kristin Hannah
4. The Inmate by Frieda McFadden
5. The Housemaid Is Watching by Frieda McFadden
6. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
7. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
8. Never Lie by Frieda McFadden
9. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
10. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Teen Books
1. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
6. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
7. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
8. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
9. Once upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
10. The Icebound Land by John Flanagan

Juvenile Books (Children)
1. Dog Man: Grime and Punishment by Dav Pilkey
2. Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose by Dav Pilkey
3. Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild by Dav Pilkey
4. Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
5. Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down by Jeff Kinney
7. Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey
8. Dog Man: Unleashed by Dav Pilkey
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney
10. Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey

Picture Books (Children)
1. Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems
2. Pete the Cat and the Tip-Top Tree House by James Dean
3. My New Friend Is So Fun! by Mo Willems
4. I Am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems
5. Pete the Cat and the Lost Tooth by James Dean
6. Let’s Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems
7. I Love My New Toy! by Mo Willems
8. Kittens! Kittens! Kittens! by Victoria Kann
9. Tacos! Cook in a Book by Lotta Nieminen
10. Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney

Circulation of the library’s physical collection was more than 105,000 items and its digital collection reached nearly 40,000 items this year, a testament to the community’s deep love for reading.