This column, featuring the top checkouts of 2025 in the Feb. 15, 2026, edition of the Omaha World-Herald (NE). It is also available at Omaha.com (opens in a new tab).
The top titles of 2025 reveal what Omaha readers have fallen in love with
While florists prepared for the Valentine's Day rush this weekend, Omaha Public Library (OPL) patrons proved that what they love isn't always a bouquet of roses or chocolates— it’s a compelling story.
New circulation data from 2025 reveals that OPL readers were particularly obsessed with page-turning thrillers and soul-searching memoirs.
Top Circulating Titles: Adult Book
- “The Tenant” by Freida McFadden
- “Don’t Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell
- “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy
- “Nightshade: A Novel” by Michael Connelly
- “Atmosphere: A Love Story” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- “The Hamptons Lawyer” by James Patterson
- “Strangers in Time” by David Baldacci
- “Say You’ll Remember Me” by Abby Jimenez
- “These Summer Storms: A Novel” by Sarah MacLean
- “Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry
Top Circulating Titles: Adult Nonfiction & Biography
- “The Let Them Theory: a Life-changing Tool That Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About” by Mel Robbins
- “Solito” by Javier Zamora
- “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing An Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt
- “Good energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health” by Casey Means
- “Abundance” by Ezra Klein
- “Everything is Tuberculosis: the History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection” by John Green
- “How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days” by Kari Leibowitz
- “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- “Be Ready When the Luck Happens: a Memoir” by Ina Garten
- “The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change With Purpose, Power, and Facts” by Mary Claire Haver
The love for great stories clearly spans generations. While adults were gripped by suspense, our younger readers remained devoted to the world of “Dog Man" and the high-stakes drama of Panem, proving that a passion for reading starts early in Omaha.
Top Circulating Titles: YA Books
- “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
- “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins
- “Fearless” by Lauren Roberts
- “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
- “Glorious Rivals” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- “Powerless” by Lauren Roberts
- “Nothing Like the Movies” by Lynn Painter
- “The Naturals” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- “That’s Not My Name” by Megan Lally
- “The Summer I Turned Pretty” by Jenny Han
Top Circulating Titles: Children’s Books
- “Dog Man. Big Jim Begins” by Dav Pilkey
- “Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas” by Dav Pilkey
- “Norman Didn’t Do It! : (yes, He Did)” by Ryan T. Higgins
- “The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster” by Mo Willems
- “The Pigeon Has to Go to School!” by Mo Willems
- “Dog Man: for Whom the Ball Rolls” by Dav Pilkey
- “Spirits of Nature” by Natasha Bouchard
- “Big Shot” by Jeff Kinney
- “We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish” by Ryan T. Higgins
- “Dog Man: Mothering Heights” by Dav Pilkey
Top Circulating Titles: Video
- “Mission: Impossible, the Final Reckoning”
- “Wicked”
- “Superman”
- “Minions: the Rise of Gru”
- “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Blu-ray)
- “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”
- “The Holdovers”
- “Inside Out 2”
- “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
- “Ballerina”
In a season often defined by candy hearts and fleeting gestures, Omaha’s reading habits tell a story of deeper connections. We are falling head over heels for books that challenge our minds, films that transport us to new worlds, and memoirs that remind us of our shared human experience.
From the blockbusters on our screens to the bestsellers on our nightstands, 2025 was a year defined by curiosity and a collective search for both escape and understanding.
So, while the Valentine's flowers will eventually fade, the impact of a great story lasts long after the final chapter is closed. If you’re looking for more books to love, check out the OPL’s Top Shelf 2025, which features more than two hundred books released within the last year that our staff loved.
The Omaha Public Library invites you to keep the flame alive all year long; after all, your perfect match is waiting for you on our shelves.
About Omaha Public Library
Omaha Public Library (OPL) strengthens our communities by connecting people with ideas, information, and innovative services, acting as an essential catalyst, collaborator, and connector. Learn about OPL's collections, facilities, services, programs and more at omahalibrary.org.
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