Top 10 Reads of the Year at Copperfield's

What was your favorite book of 2011? And did you read it on an e-reader or an actual book? Check out the top 10 reads of the year at the downtown Copperfield’s for a glimpse of what Petaluma was reading. And if you have a great read not on the list, add it in the comments below.

1. Dream Big Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi (kids)

Former Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi has found a new calling as the author of children’s books. To promote her story of a pig named Poppy who learns to believe in herself and reach for the stars, Yamaguchi visited Petaluma schools and hosted a reading at Copperfield’s that was attended by more than 100 people.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (fiction)

Set in a post apocalyptic United States, the novel explores the Hunger Games, an annual event where each district must send a boy and a girl to compete with other teams…to the death. When a 16-year-old is selected, her older sister steps in her place and begins a journey into a world where, similar to the gladiator games of ancient Rome, seek to placate the restless public. It’s a commentary about contemporary society’s mindless entertainment and need for audience approval, and explores the sinister side of human nature and the lengths we’ll go to in order to survive.

3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (fiction)

A story of girls growing up in the deep south in the ‘60s and the relationships and bonds they form with their black maids. Beyond dealing with the entrenched racism of the era, the novel is uplifting and offers plenty of humanity, humor and hope.

4. Red: My Uncensored Life by Sammy Hagar (biography)

From the decadence of being one of the world's biggest rock stars to the unfiltered story of being forced out of Van Halen, Hagar’s account is a tale of a true rock 'n' roller—someone who's spent decades bringing the party with him wherever he goes.

5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney (kids)

Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of. The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

Some 150 Petaluma kids lined up at 6:30 a.m. outside of Copperfield's for a "Before School Release Party" for this latest volume from Jeff Kinney.

6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (fiction)

In the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, protagonist Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Now there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

7. Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland (nonfiction)

Written by a "National Geographic" magazine writer, "Unlikely Friendships" documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways.

8. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (fiction)

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution.

Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

9. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (fiction)

The third book in the Hunger Games trilogy is just as suspenseful as the last two. Following Katniss Everdeen’s victory by unusual means, the Capitol is angry. And it wants revenge. The book will have hearts racing and pages turning.

10. Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles by Colin Meloy (kids)

Prue McKeel’s life is ordinary. At least until her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows. And then things get really weird. So begins an adventure that will take Prue and her friend Curtis deep into the Impassable Wilderness. There they uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval, a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions.

And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much bigger as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness.

Want to share another good read? Tell us in the comments below!