Jodi Picoult's Top 5 Best Books, Ranked By Reviews

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If you've researched book club-ready reads in the past two decades, you've likely come across a Jodi Picoult novel. While the New York-born author has been publishing books since the early '90s, even penning several issues of "Wonder Woman," she really started to gain a devoted readership with the publication of "The Pact" in 1998. Her success only increased from there, with her 2007 release "Nineteen Minutes" debuting at the top of the New York Times Best Seller List and some of her titles receiving noteworthy adaptations. 

Picoult's novels cover hard-hitting issues ranging from school shootings and childhood illness to systematic racism and war violence. "The topics usually come from the things that keep me up at night," she said, while speaking at Kent State University Stark, per Canton Rep. "If I continue to think about the topic for two or three nights, then I think about making it into a book ... Then the characters rise up and take over the story." These difficult issues and complex characters translate into great, discussion-generating book club picks, with her 2022 release "Mad Honey" even being selected by the Good Morning America Book Club. 

Still, with Picoult authoring over 25 titles, with an estimated 63.7 million books being in print, it can be challenging to know which novel to pick up first. Luckily, there are plenty of reader reviews that highlight the writer's top five publications, giving potential fans a great idea of where to start. Plus, for readers looking to avoid common mistakes made when picking a book club read, Picoult provides some great options. 

First up, "By Any Other Name" is tied with another novel as the fourth highest-rated Jodi Picoult release, with the 2024 title boasting an average of 4.11 stars on Goodreads. The historical fiction stretches across two intertwined eras, set both in modern day and in Elizabethan England. While budding playwright Melina Green's latest manuscript is submitted to a festival under a male pen name, her ancestor Emilia Bassano attempts to get her own work to the stage by paying the actor William Shakespeare. 

The novel draws inspiration from Picoult's experiences working in theater arts as a woman, but it also speaks to real-life theories about William Shakespeare and his work, with Emilia Bassano being a true contemporary of the legendary playwright. "[He wrote] these women who were so strong and so different from the women historically back then," Picoult told People, naming an article written by The Atlantic as a point of inspiration. "I do not believe that the man who created those same characters would not have taught his own daughters how to read or write."

Plus, reviewers have plenty of praise for the title, pointing to how the novel effectively explores themes of historical oppression, misogyny, and ambition. "The idea that Shakespeare's most famous works could have been written by someone else isn't anything new," a Goodreads user wrote. "But what Jodi Picoult did in her newest work is breathe life and give a voice to Emilia Bassano Lanier, the mostly unknown first female poet of England, in a beautifully written novel." With all this in mind, this Jodi Picoult novel definitely belongs among feminist tomes of the 2020s to add to your book club roster.

With an average rating of 4.11 stars on Goodreads, "My Sister's Keeper" is similarly vying for the No. 4 spot on the list of Jodi Picoult's highest-rated novels. The 2004 title, which was adapted into a Cameron Diaz-starring film in 2009, centers around the dynamic between 13-year-old Anna and her cancer-diagnosed sister Kate. Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for her older sister, having undergone countless medical procedures since her birth, but threatens to tear her family apart when she begins questioning this predetermined role. 

Picoult has shared that she was inspired by the ongoing development of stem cell technology and the first-ever instance of a donor sibling being born in the US. "I wanted, basically, to hold up a medical case involving stem cell research for your inspection — and make you realize that behind every case is a living, breathing, conflicted person," she told Book Reporter in 2009. In this way, "My Sister's Keeper" explores family dynamics, parental devotion, and sibling ties through questions of medical ethics and bodily autonomy. 

Alongside standout writing, reviewers point to the emotional weight of the novel as a true highlight. "The morality issues brought up are incredibly poignant, and Anna's conflict is rich and developed," one reviewer wrote on Goodreads. "In terms of sheer emotion, this book definitely succeeds." Overall, this is definitely a highly-rated Picoult novel recommended for readers ready to break out the tissue box.

Next, Jodi Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes" ranks as the third highest-rated title from the author's catalogue. The 2007 release maintains an average rating of 4.18 stars on Goodreads and was deemed the most banned book of the 2023-2024 school year by PEN America, landing among controversial books that are worth your time. In the novel, the small town of Sterling, New Hampshire, is shocked when a 17-year-old student commits a startling act of violence. Students and parents alike must reconcile with the tragedy and its aftermath, with survivor Josie Cormier struggling to recall the violence she witnessed and Lacy and Lewis Houghton, the perpetrator's parents, reexamining what they thought they knew about their son.

Like many of Picoult's other novels, "Nineteen Minutes" deals with emotionally-charged, potentially triggering topics. Still, many readers assert that the title explores themes of violence, adolescence, and bullying in a sensitive, but thought-provoking way. "I love books that provide me [with] multiple different POVs to give me the full picture and understanding of a really difficult situation," one fan wrote on Goodreads. "I love being able to feel empathy for someone you would never expect to. And this book did all of that and more." In this way, this Picoult title has the potential to be a discussion-provoking book club selection, while being a great pick for readers interested in societal issues and gripping tales.

"The Storyteller" by Jodi Picoult lands in the No. 2 spot with an average Goodreads rating of 4.30 stars. Released in 2013, the novel centers around Sage Singer, a young baker dealing with the loss of her mother, and her unlikely friendship with Josef Weber, an elderly man from the same support group. When Josef confesses a weighty secret and asks for an unthinkable favor, Sage is faced with an unfathomable choice of morality, justice, and forgiveness.

The Holocaust plays a notable role in the novel, with Sage's grandmother, Minka, being a survivor of the historical tragedy. "Naturally, this research was among some of the most emotionally grueling I've ever done," Picoult told The Washington Post. "I met with several Holocaust survivors, who told me their stories. Some of those details went into the fictional history of my character, Minka." Alongside the author's masterful storytelling, readers pinpoint this element of the publication as a major standout.

"For me, the most salient part of 'The Storyteller' was when Minka, Sage's grandmother, shared her story about surviving Auschwitz and the other horrors she endured during the Holocaust," wrote a Goodreads reviewer. "Picoult's writing is so welcoming, beautiful, and piercing that you feel your heart break into another piece every time you flip a page." With this in mind, this title is an especially good pick for fans of historical fiction, though readers should definitely be prepared for the weighty topics.

Lastly, "Small Great Things" ranks as the No. 1 Jodi Picoult title, boasting 4.36 stars on Goodreads. The 2016 publication centers around Ruth Jefferson, a Black labor and delivery nurse who must work with white public defender Kennedy McQuarrie after becoming the subject of a high-profile case. Ruth is reassigned from a newborn after the child's white supremacist parents complain to the hospital, but finds herself alone in the nursery when the patient begins experiencing cardiac distress. Given the previous conflict, she pauses before proceeding with CPR, ultimately being accused of a serious crime.

While this novel has received its fair share of criticism, readers praise Picoult for centering issues of white privilege and racism, with the author voicing her hope that it can challenge perspectives. "There are people whose minds will change. Who will read this and see themselves in a new light," Picoult told The Guardian, speaking in the context of Donald Trump's 2016 election. "That is critically important. If you can even change one mind, it's worth writing the book."

Alongside this element of the novel, fans praise "Small Great Things" for interweaving multiple, complex perspectives and interestingly depicting a tense courtroom drama. "I believe it's the way Jodi Picoult tells the story that makes it so powerful," said a reviewer on Goodreads. "It forces you to examine the situation from every angle, whether you agree or not. It's enraging at times, thought-provoking, completely riveting and even sort of humbling." With all this in mind, it's no wonder that this is the highest-rated novel from Jodi Picoult's vast catalogue.

Jodi Picoult's top five novels were identified and ranked according to average Goodreads ratings. In addition to this, commentary from the author and reader reviewers from across the internet were used to highlight standout elements of each title and identify recommended readers. Only standalone titles were considered, with collections being excluded from the list.