Welcome to the Bank Street Children's Book Committee's (CBC) Searchable Best Books List, a tool designed to help educators, families, librarians, and others access developmentally appropriate and engaging books for young readers (ages birth - 18).
Our online Searchable Best Books List draws from the committee's annual Best Children's Books of the Year-beginning with the list of books published in 2000-with each featuring more than 600 high-quality titles for young readers.
To share feedback about the tool, please feel free to email bookcom@bankstreet.edu. To learn more about the CBC, visit https://www.bankstreet.edu/cbc/.
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The Winter Road
by Terry Hokenson
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
A troubled, plucky girl exhibits courage and ingenuity in her efforts to survive a plane crash in the Arctic.
by Terry Hokenson
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
A troubled, plucky girl exhibits courage and ingenuity in her efforts to survive a plane crash in the Arctic.
Time's Memory
by Julius Lester
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
The child of creator-god Amina inhabits the body of an African-American slave in order to heal the deep wounds of his people.
by Julius Lester
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
The child of creator-god Amina inhabits the body of an African-American slave in order to heal the deep wounds of his people.
Under the Baseball Moon
by John H. Ritter
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
A talented young musician hones his playing and song-writing skills as he helps his girlfriend find her rhythm as a softball pitcher.
by John H. Ritter
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
A talented young musician hones his playing and song-writing skills as he helps his girlfriend find her rhythm as a softball pitcher.
Viking Warrior
by Judson Roberts
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
A young slave wins a chance at freedom, but at a terrible sacrifice.
by Judson Roberts
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
A young slave wins a chance at freedom, but at a terrible sacrifice.
Voices
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
In Ansul, where people discovered reading were drowned along with their books, Memer learns to read and to question intolerance.
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
In Ansul, where people discovered reading were drowned along with their books, Memer learns to read and to question intolerance.
Warrior Girl
by Pauline Chandler
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
The astounding story of Joan, told by her handicapped cousin, Mariane, who accompanies her into battle.
by Pauline Chandler
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
The astounding story of Joan, told by her handicapped cousin, Mariane, who accompanies her into battle.
White Time
by Margo Lanagan
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
Ten short stories that journey into the future and explore the limits of what humans were in the past and are possible of becoming.
by Margo Lanagan
Ages: 12+
Published: 2006
Ten short stories that journey into the future and explore the limits of what humans were in the past and are possible of becoming.
A Certain Slant of Light
by Laura Whitcomb
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Helen meets Billy 130 years after her death. How can he alone see her?
by Laura Whitcomb
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Helen meets Billy 130 years after her death. How can he alone see her?
A Thief in the House of Memory
by Tim Wynne-Jones
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
After a thief dies in his family's uninhabited mansion, Dec uncovers truths about his mother's disappearance years before.
by Tim Wynne-Jones
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
After a thief dies in his family's uninhabited mansion, Dec uncovers truths about his mother's disappearance years before.
Autobiography of My Dead Brother
by Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Fourteen-year-old Jesse depicts the complex life on the streets of Harlem. Pen and ink drawings and comic strip art.
by Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Fourteen-year-old Jesse depicts the complex life on the streets of Harlem. Pen and ink drawings and comic strip art.
Best Foot Forward
by Joan Bauer
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Working in the quirky shoe business world, Jenna juggles an alcoholic father and a fellow employee with a record as a shoplifter.
by Joan Bauer
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Working in the quirky shoe business world, Jenna juggles an alcoholic father and a fellow employee with a record as a shoplifter.
Bone
by Jeff Smith
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Fone Bone and his friends make the transition from underground comic to graphic novel in a magical world of rat creatures, dragons and wizards.
by Jeff Smith
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Fone Bone and his friends make the transition from underground comic to graphic novel in a magical world of rat creatures, dragons and wizards.
Boy Proof
by Cecil Castellucci
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Victoria, a movie and sci-fi- expert, decides to go it alone until things begin to shift.
by Cecil Castellucci
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Victoria, a movie and sci-fi- expert, decides to go it alone until things begin to shift.
Breaking Trail
by Joanne Bell
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
On a trek in the Yukon, a girl attempts to understand her father's mental illness.
by Joanne Bell
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
On a trek in the Yukon, a girl attempts to understand her father's mental illness.
Catch a Tiger by the Toe
by Ellen Levine
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
During McCarthy's 50s “witchhunt”, Jamie's parents lose their jobs and her life is turned upside down.
by Ellen Levine
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
During McCarthy's 50s “witchhunt”, Jamie's parents lose their jobs and her life is turned upside down.
Code Talker
by Joseph Bruchac
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Ned Begay lies about his age to join a top-secret group of Navaho soldiers during some of the bloodiest fighting in World War II. Factually based.
by Joseph Bruchac
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Ned Begay lies about his age to join a top-secret group of Navaho soldiers during some of the bloodiest fighting in World War II. Factually based.
Crackback
by John Coy
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Miles Manning, high school football, player learns to handle extreme challenges both on and off the field.
by John Coy
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Miles Manning, high school football, player learns to handle extreme challenges both on and off the field.
Criss Cross
by Lynne Rae Perkins
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
The thoughts and feelings of a group of teenagers searching for the meaning of life and love.
by Lynne Rae Perkins
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
The thoughts and feelings of a group of teenagers searching for the meaning of life and love.
Crooked River
by Shelley Pearsall
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
On the Ohio frontier in 1812, Rebecca's kind heart leads her to question the town's injustice toward a captured Indian.
by Shelley Pearsall
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
On the Ohio frontier in 1812, Rebecca's kind heart leads her to question the town's injustice toward a captured Indian.
Dark Angel
by David Klass
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Seven-year-old Jeff struggles with good and evil when his older brother returns after five years in prison.
by David Klass
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Seven-year-old Jeff struggles with good and evil when his older brother returns after five years in prison.
Dark Sons
by Nikki Grimes
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Two first-born sons (one Biblical, one contemporary) struggle to come to terms with being supplanted by a younger step-brother.
by Nikki Grimes
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Two first-born sons (one Biblical, one contemporary) struggle to come to terms with being supplanted by a younger step-brother.
Day of Tears
by
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Many voices, white and black, tell the story of the largest slave auction ever and its impact on their lives.
by
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
Many voices, white and black, tell the story of the largest slave auction ever and its impact on their lives.
Elsewhere
by Gabrielle Zevin
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
After her sudden death, fifteen-year-old Lizzie goes to a special place that turns notions about life upside-down.
by Gabrielle Zevin
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
After her sudden death, fifteen-year-old Lizzie goes to a special place that turns notions about life upside-down.
Eyes of the Emperor
by Graham Salisbury
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
When a Japanese American living on Hawaii in 1941 joins the U.S. Army, his loyalty is tested. A shameful chapter of American history.
by Graham Salisbury
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
When a Japanese American living on Hawaii in 1941 joins the U.S. Army, his loyalty is tested. A shameful chapter of American history.
Fade to Black
by Alex Flinn
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
A bigot accused of a hate crime and the only witness tell how it changed them.
by Alex Flinn
Ages: 12+
Published: 2005
A bigot accused of a hate crime and the only witness tell how it changed them.