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/.
How to Perform a Search and Save a List
Search
Advanced Search
Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round, The
Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Illustrator: Lorian Tu
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
In refrains based on an American folk song, a multigenerational family shares their traditional Chinese foods and love. Animated joyful color illustrations. Detailed glossary with Chinese characters included.
Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Illustrator: Lorian Tu
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
In refrains based on an American folk song, a multigenerational family shares their traditional Chinese foods and love. Animated joyful color illustrations. Detailed glossary with Chinese characters included.
Run, Little Chaski!: An Inka Trail Adventure
Mariana Llanos
Illustrator: Mariana Ruiz Johnson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Little Chaski runs into trouble on his first mission, to carry a message to the Inka king. Colorful stylized illustrations. Glossary, map, and information about the Inka.
Mariana Llanos
Illustrator: Mariana Ruiz Johnson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Little Chaski runs into trouble on his first mission, to carry a message to the Inka king. Colorful stylized illustrations. Glossary, map, and information about the Inka.
Shabbat Shalom!
Douglas Florian
Illustrator: Hannah Tolson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Rhyming text and cheerful, colorful mixed-media illustrations describe an Orthodox Jewish family's sabbath evening celebration. The simple recounting of their activities will bear repeated readings.
Douglas Florian
Illustrator: Hannah Tolson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Rhyming text and cheerful, colorful mixed-media illustrations describe an Orthodox Jewish family's sabbath evening celebration. The simple recounting of their activities will bear repeated readings.
Show Us Where You Live, Humpback
Beryl Young
Illustrator: Sakika Kikuchi
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Lyrical text with dreamy watercolor ocean images shows how humpback whales rear their calves with tender love. Narrated by a young boy who mirrors the calf.
Beryl Young
Illustrator: Sakika Kikuchi
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Lyrical text with dreamy watercolor ocean images shows how humpback whales rear their calves with tender love. Narrated by a young boy who mirrors the calf.
Small Kindness, A
Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Wendy Leach
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
On the first day of school, kind acts spread through a diverse class like a game of tag, bringing smiles to everyone. Spots of bright color in mainly sepia illustrations show the path of the kindness.
Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Wendy Leach
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
On the first day of school, kind acts spread through a diverse class like a game of tag, bringing smiles to everyone. Spots of bright color in mainly sepia illustrations show the path of the kindness.
Spin a Scarf of Sunshine
Dawn Casey
Illustrator: Stila Lim
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Nari's sheep's fleece is sheared, washed, brushed, spun, dyed, knit, worn, and composted in this story of sustainability. Watercolor and color pencil illustrations.
Dawn Casey
Illustrator: Stila Lim
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Nari's sheep's fleece is sheared, washed, brushed, spun, dyed, knit, worn, and composted in this story of sustainability. Watercolor and color pencil illustrations.
Star Festival, The
Moni Ritchie Hadley
Illustrator: Mizuho Fujisawa
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Amidst the vibrantly-illustrated backdrop of a traditional summertime Japanese folklore festival, a young girl seeks her grandmother in the crowd of celebrants. Back matter.
Moni Ritchie Hadley
Illustrator: Mizuho Fujisawa
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Amidst the vibrantly-illustrated backdrop of a traditional summertime Japanese folklore festival, a young girl seeks her grandmother in the crowd of celebrants. Back matter.
Ten Animals in Antarctica: A Counting Book
Moira Court
Illustrator: Moira Court
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Collage illustrations and short sentences that are wonderful to read aloud explore an array of Antarctic animals in this informative counting book. Backmatter about Antarctica and its animals. (28)
Moira Court
Illustrator: Moira Court
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Collage illustrations and short sentences that are wonderful to read aloud explore an array of Antarctic animals in this informative counting book. Backmatter about Antarctica and its animals. (28)
Terrific!
Sophie Gilmore
Illustrator: Sophie Gilmore
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Five animal friends would like to find a terrific activity they can all do together. Then snake arrives with a different plan. Muted watercolor and ink color illustrations.
Sophie Gilmore
Illustrator: Sophie Gilmore
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Five animal friends would like to find a terrific activity they can all do together. Then snake arrives with a different plan. Muted watercolor and ink color illustrations.
Thank You, Farm
Mia Lumsden
Illustrator: Jade Orlando
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Children say cheers to growers for all of the bounty they produce. Charming, detailed illustrations.
Mia Lumsden
Illustrator: Jade Orlando
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Children say cheers to growers for all of the bounty they produce. Charming, detailed illustrations.
There Is a Rainbow
Theresa Trinder
Illustrator: Grant Snider
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Vivid colored pencil drawings depict scenes of families enjoying one another in varied environments. Repeating text assures readers that even national crises like pandemics will pass.
Theresa Trinder
Illustrator: Grant Snider
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Vivid colored pencil drawings depict scenes of families enjoying one another in varied environments. Repeating text assures readers that even national crises like pandemics will pass.
Thingity-Jig
Kathleen Doherty
Illustrator: Kristyna Litten
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Bear wants to share his wonderful find with his friends. He needs their help to move it, but they just want to sleep. What to do? Colorful pencil and ink illustrations, digitally rendered.
Kathleen Doherty
Illustrator: Kristyna Litten
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Bear wants to share his wonderful find with his friends. He needs their help to move it, but they just want to sleep. What to do? Colorful pencil and ink illustrations, digitally rendered.
Thousand White Butterflies, A
Jessica Betancourt-Perez & Karen Lynn Williams
Illustrator: Gina Maldonado
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Snow and a new friend lift feelings of sadness for a Colombian child who has recently settled in the U.S.. Bright, textured illustrations. Spanish vocabulary throughout.
Jessica Betancourt-Perez & Karen Lynn Williams
Illustrator: Gina Maldonado
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Snow and a new friend lift feelings of sadness for a Colombian child who has recently settled in the U.S.. Bright, textured illustrations. Spanish vocabulary throughout.
Thunder and Cluck: Friends DO NOT Eat Friends (Thunder and Cluck series)
Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Miles Thompson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
One large and one small dinosaur parry, ultimately becoming fast friends in this evocatively illustrated, graphic, easy-to-read story.
Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Miles Thompson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
One large and one small dinosaur parry, ultimately becoming fast friends in this evocatively illustrated, graphic, easy-to-read story.
Time for Bed, Old House
Janet Costa Bates
Illustrator: A.G. Ford
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A first overnight at Grandpop's can be exciting but scary. Can Grandpop find a way to make it a fun experience? Watercolor illustrations.
Janet Costa Bates
Illustrator: A.G. Ford
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A first overnight at Grandpop's can be exciting but scary. Can Grandpop find a way to make it a fun experience? Watercolor illustrations.
Time Is a Flower
Julie Morstad
Illustrator: Julie Morstad
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A playful and thoughtful way to think about the passage of time. Artwork made with pencil, markers, pastels and assembled digitally.
Julie Morstad
Illustrator: Julie Morstad
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A playful and thoughtful way to think about the passage of time. Artwork made with pencil, markers, pastels and assembled digitally.
Tiny Kitty, Big City
Tim Miller
Illustrator: Tim Miller
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A kitten adventures alone in the city. When it begins to snow, where will the kitty go? Detailed acrylic gouache illustrations invite discussion. (22)
Tim Miller
Illustrator: Tim Miller
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A kitten adventures alone in the city. When it begins to snow, where will the kitty go? Detailed acrylic gouache illustrations invite discussion. (22)
Tree in Me, The
Corinna Luyken
Illustrator: Corinna Luyken
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
The beauty of the natural world enters a child through the bite of an apple. Glowing gouache artwork pulls the reader in.
Corinna Luyken
Illustrator: Corinna Luyken
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
The beauty of the natural world enters a child through the bite of an apple. Glowing gouache artwork pulls the reader in.
Trouble
Katherine Battersby
Illustrator: Katherine Battersby
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A mouse fears the worst when a bear becomes her neighbor. Sparse text and humorous cartoon-like illustrations combine cleverly in this story about misconceptions.
Katherine Battersby
Illustrator: Katherine Battersby
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A mouse fears the worst when a bear becomes her neighbor. Sparse text and humorous cartoon-like illustrations combine cleverly in this story about misconceptions.
Way Past Jealous (Great Big Feelings)
Hallee Adelman
Illustrator: Karen Wall
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Yaz's jealousy prompts her to act out against her best friend; can she heal herself and the friendship? Awareness and discussion is encouraged. Expressive colorful illustrations.
Hallee Adelman
Illustrator: Karen Wall
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Yaz's jealousy prompts her to act out against her best friend; can she heal herself and the friendship? Awareness and discussion is encouraged. Expressive colorful illustrations.
We All Play: Kimêtawânaw
Julie Flett
Illustrator: Julie Flett
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Soft and spare illustrations and alliterative sounds depict animals and children at play in parallel ways. Back matter includes Cree translations.
Julie Flett
Illustrator: Julie Flett
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Soft and spare illustrations and alliterative sounds depict animals and children at play in parallel ways. Back matter includes Cree translations.
We are All Under One Wide Sky
Deborah Wiles
Illustrator: Andrea Stegmaier
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Counting up to ten and then back down again, rhyming text accompanies illustrations of children from many different countries, shown in their environments and in group scenes. (26)
Deborah Wiles
Illustrator: Andrea Stegmaier
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Counting up to ten and then back down again, rhyming text accompanies illustrations of children from many different countries, shown in their environments and in group scenes. (26)
We Became Jaguars
Dave Eggers
Illustrator: Woodrow White
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A young boy and his grandmother role-play at being jaguars, exploring the woods until it is time to go to school. Mesmerizing gouache, acrylic, digital illustrations.
Dave Eggers
Illustrator: Woodrow White
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A young boy and his grandmother role-play at being jaguars, exploring the woods until it is time to go to school. Mesmerizing gouache, acrylic, digital illustrations.
We Go to Shul
Douglas Florian
Illustrator: Hannah Tolson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A young family celebrates Shabbat, the weekly Jewish day of rest and prayer. Detailed mixed-media illustrations.
Douglas Florian
Illustrator: Hannah Tolson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A young family celebrates Shabbat, the weekly Jewish day of rest and prayer. Detailed mixed-media illustrations.
Welcome Flower Child: The Magic of Your Birth Flower
Brigette Barrager
Illustrator: Brigette Barrager
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Lyrical, rhyming poetry combines with sumptuous full-color illustrations to introduce young readers to twelve species of flowers celebrating birthday months.
Brigette Barrager
Illustrator: Brigette Barrager
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Lyrical, rhyming poetry combines with sumptuous full-color illustrations to introduce young readers to twelve species of flowers celebrating birthday months.