Summary
BadgerLink's readers' advisory resources can bring you up to speed on the best books of 2025.
It's already the end of the year! And that means end-of-the-year lists are coming out fast and furious-- especially the book lists. Many of these lists are available for free (not behind paywalls) from websites and publications like National Public Radio (NPR), New York Times, GoodReads, Book Riot, and Literary Hub. In addition to these free lists, use BadgerLink's readers' advisory resources to get familiar with critics' best books of 2025.
To the library community, readers' advisory (RA) is assisting patrons and the general public with learning more about books and reading, while discovering new titles that may be similar to favorites or exploring books by genre, style, theme or mood. BadgerLink resources help librarians practice readers' advisory by providing great tools to share books with patrons or get up to speed themselves.
NoveList and NoveList K-8
NoveList and NoveList K-8 are fiction recommendation resources with read-alikes, discussion guides, reading lists, and educational articles to help library staff gain knowledge and provide excellent RA. NoveList provides this content for all levels of readers, while NoveList K-8 only shares titles and themes for younger readers. With features such as the ability to find books that have been mentioned in the media, check the order of titles in a series, and select tags to create custom lists, these two resources can help create displays, design reading challenges and offer on-the-spot suggestions to patrons of all ages.
Finding Book Reviews
Good RA practice for librarians can include finding book reviews for books you do not have time or interest in reading, but your patrons do. (We know, contrary to popular belief, librarians do not actually read books all day!) Use NoveList and NoveList K-8 for fiction titles, and these additional BadgerLink resources to search or browse popular library publications for book reviews of titles across many reading levels and genres.
Core Collections provides guidance on essential fiction and nonfiction titles for children's, middle/junior high, and senior high collections. Access full text book reviews from many professional sources such as Booklist, Choice, The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and more.
Library & Information Science Source provides online access to many professional library publications containing book reviews for fiction and nonfiction, across all genres and reading levels. Publications available in this resource include American Libraries, Booklist, Children & Libraries, The Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Teacher Librarian, and more.
Training Materials
Not sure where to start? Check out a NoveList video on updates to the home page and Finding Book Reviews resource guide and video any time. Get started reviewing these resources to practice RA with BadgerLink today!
Questions? Ask us!
BadgerLink is made possible through a combination of both state funds appropriated through the biennial budget, and Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants to States funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
