Looking for your next read? Here are the most popular books in Hennepin County in 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s fun to get lost in a good page-turner, whether you’re holding it in your hands or listening to an audiobook. 

Readers at Hennepin County Libraries checked out 11.8 million physical and digital items this year, officials with the library system said. They put together top 10 lists for the most popular print items for adults and kids, as well as the most popular eBooks. 

For adults, the most popular book checked out this year was “The Women,” by Kristin Hannah. “The Women,” published in 2024, follows a nursing student who joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. The next top books for adults include “James: A Novel” by Percival Everett, “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride, and “Spirit Crossing: A Novel” by William Kent Krueger. 

For juveniles, the most popular print book checked out was Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey. The book is the 13th consecutive book in the “Dog Man” series. Other “Dog Man” books took the No. 2, 8, and 9 spots. 

When it comes to eBooks, which include audiobooks, the most popular for adults was “Pretty Girls” by Karin Slaughter, described as a “white-knuckle thriller.” For juveniles, “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins was the No. 1 choice, followed by “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, also by Suzanne Collins.

“Another story from this year’s lists is about availability—what we have a lot of circulates a lot,” said Katy Schulz, senior librarian – collection and technical services, in a news release. 

“The juvenile print list is dominated year-after-year by children’s graphic novels, which we buy in large quantities to promote accessibility across the system. And many of the eAudiobooks on the list are part of a subscription package that allows unlimited users to check out a title at once.”

Click here to see the full Top 10 lists for books.