Do you ever read a library book and wonder who devoured its pages before you? The age of stamped check out dates in the front of library books may be coming to an end, but the New York Public Library wants readers to know it has not forgotten the meandering path of shared books. For its 125th anniversary, it has released a list of which titles captured the most reads.
The library dug into its records this year and honored its long history by releasing a list of its top 10 books with the most check-outs. So who is number one? The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats secured the title of the most checked-out book of all time with 485,583 loans since it was published in 1962.
Other top contenders included The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, 1984 by George Orwell, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Newer titles also worked their way in including the first book of the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. The library says top books vary greatly year to year. For 2019, the most checked out was Becoming, Michelle Obama’s autobiography.
Unsurprisingly, many children’s books make the list as their timeless narratives transcend generations. Check out the full list below and compare it to your own literary journey.
