Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton was most popular with Canberrans this year.
29 December 2024
In brief
- The list of most-borrowed books from Libraries ACT in 2024 has been released.
- Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton was most popular with Canberrans this year.
- This article includes the top five books across five categories.
Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton was the most-borrowed book from ACT libraries in 2024.
The story, featuring the unforgettable heroine Lola, takes the crown from another gutsy female: Elizabeth Zott from Lessons in Chemistry. This Bonnie Garmus book claimed the top spot last year.
Tenacity and resilience are qualities both Lola and Elizabeth have in spades.
As did Eileen O’Shaughnessy, the subject of Anna Funder’s Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life. This came in at number 1 in the adult non-fiction category.
Local interest in strong female stories continued in the young adult fiction and graphic novels category. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas introduced Canberrans to protagonist Feyre Archeron.
Lola in the Mirror
Canberrans couldn’t get enough of Lola this year. The book topped both the adult fiction and all-formats categories. At one stage, there were 525 reservations to borrow the book.
The title has been shortlisted for many awards and was named 2024 ABIA Book Literary Fiction Book of the Year.
Its Australian author, Trent Dalton, also wrote the bestselling Boy Swallows Universe.
Most popular books in all formats, including audio books
- Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton
- Past Lying by Val McDermid
- Sanctuary by Garry Disher
- The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves
- What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
Top five adult fiction
- Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton
- Past Lying by Val McDermid
- Sanctuary by Garry Disher
- What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
- Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Top five adult non-fiction
- Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder
- RecipeTin Eats Dinner: 150+ Recipes From Australia’s Favourite Cook by Nagi Maehashi
- 4 Weeks to Better Sleep: A Life-Changing Plan for Deep Sleep, Improved Brain Function and Feeling Great by Michael Mosley
- The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathon Haidt
- Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
Top five junior fiction and graphic novels
- Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea (Dog Man #11) by Dav Pilkey
- Hypno-Ninja! (Ninja Kid #12) by Anh Do
- Ninja Games! (Ninja Kid #13) by Anh Do
- The Scarlet Shedder: A Graphic Novel (Dog Man #12) by Dav Pilkey
- The Race Is On (Wolf Girl 10) by Anh Do
Top five young adult fiction and graphic novels
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
- Powerless by Lauren Roberts
- Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
Libraries ACT over summer
All library branches are closed for the current holiday period with branches re-opening on Monday 6 January 2025.
For more information on library opening hours over the summer period, visit library.act.gov.au
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