Most circulated books of 2021

These are the most circulated books in Canadian public libraries for 2021 as tracked by @BookNet_Canada.
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Library friends, here’s the year end data you’ve been waiting for. Similar to what we did for our Bestselling books of 2021 post, we identified the most circulated books in the Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Juvenile & Young Adult categories, both overall and from Canadian contributors.

The following lists are based on data we collected from Dec. 27, 2020, to Dec. 5, 2021, using LibraryData, BookNet’s national library collection and circulation analysis tool.

A quick note about the Juvenile and Young Adult lists: LibraryData uses ISBN clusters to track circulation, holds, etc. in the system. This differs from SalesData, which reports data at a per-ISBN level. We do this because of how libraries report their collection data to us — their data is broken out by their Catalog ID or record. Each record can contain multiple ISBNs, often all of the editions of a single work. When you use the library, you put a hold on a copy of Pride and Prejudice, for example, and you usually don't mind which particular edition or ISBN you receive — just that you get the first available copy! Some clusters may contain ISBNs for different but related works. For example, occasionally all of the titles in a series or set may be clustered as a single work. 

Top 10 most circulated Fiction books of 2021

1. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

3. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

4. The Push by Ashley Audrain 🍁

5. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

6. The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

7. A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

8. All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny 🍁

9. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

10. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Most Circulated Titles in Canada in 2021 – Fiction

In this top 10, the majority of books fall into the Fiction / Thrillers, Fiction / Women, and Fiction / Literary subject categories. Interestingly, three of these titles, The Midnight Library, The Push, and Where the Crawdads Sing are also present in the top 10 bestselling lists.

Top 10 most circulated Canadian Fiction books of 2021

1. The Push by Ashley Audrain 🍁

2. All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny 🍁

3. The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue 🍁

4. The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny 🍁

5. How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa 🍁

6. Five Little Indians by Michelle Good 🍁

7. The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel 🍁

8. Indians on Vacation by Thomas King 🍁

9. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson 🍁

10. Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson 🍁

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Most Circulated Titles in Canada in 2021 – Canadian Fiction

Louise Penny and Emma Donoghue are the two authors from last year’s lists that stayed in the top 10. Four of the most circulated Canadian Fiction titles were also in the top 10 bestselling list: The Push, The Madness of Crowds, Five Little Indians, and Our Darkest Night.

Top 10 most circulated Non-Fiction books of 2021

1. A Promised Land by Barack Obama

2. Untamed by Glennon Doyle

3. From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle 🍁

4. Guinness World Records collection 🍁

5. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

6. Educated by Tara Westover

7. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

8. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell 🍁

9. If I Knew Then by Jann Arden 🍁

10. Atomic Habits by James Clear

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Most Circulated Titles in Canada in 2021 – Non-Fiction

Six out of the 10 books are part of the Biography & Autobiography BISAC category. Just four of these are in the top 10 bestselling: A Promised Land, Untamed, Guinness World Records 2022, and Atomic Habits.

Top 10 most circulated Canadian Non-Fiction books of 2021

1. From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle 🍁

2. Guinness World Records collection 🍁

3. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell 🍁

4. If I Knew Then by Jann Arden 🍁

5. The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell 🍁

6. Two Trees Make a Forest by Jessica J. Lee 🍁

7. Oh She Glows for Dinner by Angela Liddon 🍁

8. No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox 🍁

9. 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson 🍁

10. Values by Mark Carney 🍁

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Most Circulated Titles in Canada in 2021 – Canadian Non-Fiction

Jesse Thistle, Malcolm Gladwell, and Jordan B. Peterson are back this year. They all made it to the top 10 with the same books as in 2020, except for Gladwell who in addition to his book Talking to Strangers, added The Bomber Mafia to the top circulating list this year. Only two of these titles, From the Ashes and The Bomber Mafia, were on the top 10 bestselling lists.

Top 10 most circulated Juvenile and Young Adult books of 2021

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

2. The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin

3. Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey

4. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

5. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey

6. Raina Telgemeier collection

7. Plants vs. Zombies series

8. Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi

9. Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland

10. Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Most Circulated Titles in Canada in 2021 – Juvenile & YA

Jeff Kiney, Ann M. Martin, and Dav Pilkey made it to both the top circulated and bestselling lists of 2021. No Young Adult titles made it to this list.

Top 10 most circulated Canadian Juvenile and Young Adult books of 2021

1. Robert Munsch collection 🍁

2. Guinness World Records collection 🍁

3. Jon le Bon series by Alex A. 🍁

4. Whatever After series by Sarah Mlynowski 🍁

5. Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery 🍁

6. Duck, Duck, Dinosaur series by Kallie George and Oriol Vidal 🍁

7. The Nameless City series by Faith Erin Hicks 🍁

8. The Enormous Suitcase by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko 🍁

9. Teamwork by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko 🍁

10. Inkling by Kenneth Oppel and Sydney Smith 🍁

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Most Circulated Titles in Canada in 2021 – Canadian Juvenile & YA

Similar to what we saw above, Juvenile books' popularity outperformed Young Adult titles. And just like book buyers, book borrowers also sought books by Robert Munsch.

Are you a library staffer or publisher who wants to see more data like this? Check out LibraryData, BookNet’s national library collection and circulation analysis tool. Do you have questions about any of our products, services or this list? Contact us!