With hundreds of new books released each year, it can be hard to know where to start — but by the time the year wraps up in December, the biggest titles are usually clear.

Rain Siemer, CEO of major book retailer Rahva Raamat, said people are still managing to buy books despite the squeeze on household budgets. Books may simply feel less expensive now compared to everything else. Either way, many bestsellers have already sold through multiple print runs.

"We can say this year that the bestsellers were books by Estonian authors," he said. He noted that ten of their top 15 titles were written by Estonians.

Fiction led the way, followed by children's literature, as kids remain eager readers.

"Kids want to read," Siemer said. "They get so excited, and they're so genuine. You can see how much joy books bring them."

While not by an Estonian author, one children's series rose above all others: the translated "Little Mouse" ("Väike hiir") books by Finnish author Riikka Jäntti.

The stories were inspired by the author's daughter and mirror real-life childhood experiences, making the series instantly relatable. "In all, roughly 50,000 copies have sold in Estonia," the CEO added.

Among adult titles, Tõnu Oja's poetry collection, "Vahi kuue paiku vahi kuue paiku. Vaata umbes kell kuus valvuri pintsaku paranduslappe" — released late last year — was the year's top seller.

"We sold it all year long," Siemer said, adding that Urmas Vadi's "The Far Side of the Moon" ("Kuu teine pool") also did very well. Books published at the end of the previous year often become the next year's biggest sellers.

At Tallinn's Südalinna Library, staff are already gearing up for the holiday season. Borrowing trends there have closely mirrored bookstore sales.

Librarian Liis Konovalov said Vadi's "The Far Side of the Moon" was also their most requested title.

"Even late in the year, there were very long waitlists for it," Konovalov said, adding that people who had been 52nd in line finally got their hands on it. "So it certainly deserves a place of honor."

Women steal the show

Other popular Estonian titles included Piret Jaaks' "Moose Light" ("Põdravalgus"), alongside books by Lilli Luuk and Kairi Look.

In 2025, Carolina Pihelgas won the inaugural Women's Literature Prize for her second novel, "The Cut Line" ("Lõikejoon"). The librarian pointed out that the next recipients of Estonia's state writers' salary, for 2026–2028, are also all women: Aliis Aalmann, Heli Allik, Sveta Grigorjeva, Mirjam Parve and Elo Viiding.

"It really seems like this was a year for women writers," Konovalov said.

Foreign literature held its own as well. French authors, in particular, saw strong interest. Édouard Louis's "Change" and "Who Killed My Father" both circulated heavily, and Konovalov said Valérie Perrin also remained a major draw.

Four of  Perrin's books are now available in Estonian, three of which have been in such high demand, they've been waitlisted at the library "for several years."

Konovalov stressed that reading remains deeply rooted in Estonian culture, and the stereotype of a librarian sitting alone behind a desk, knitting or quietly reading, isn't true — they simply never get the chance.

"We constantly have people at the desk who want books," she confirmed. "People are reading an enormous amount."

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