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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Night Creatures: Animals that Swoop, Crawl, and Creep While You Sleep
Rebecca E. Hirsch
Illustrator: Sonia Possentini
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A mother and child camp out in the backyard; from dusk to dawn, the breathtakingly-illustrated world of nocturnal animals reveals itself. Lyrical text, informative end notes.
Rebecca E. Hirsch
Illustrator: Sonia Possentini
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A mother and child camp out in the backyard; from dusk to dawn, the breathtakingly-illustrated world of nocturnal animals reveals itself. Lyrical text, informative end notes.
Noah's Seal
Layn Marlow
Illustrator: Layn Marlow
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
While waiting for Nana to fix their sailboat, Noah shapes a sand seal. A storm washes it out to sea, but then... Engaging watercolor and collage illustrations.
Layn Marlow
Illustrator: Layn Marlow
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
While waiting for Nana to fix their sailboat, Noah shapes a sand seal. A storm washes it out to sea, but then... Engaging watercolor and collage illustrations.
Nosotros Means Us: Un cuento bilingüe/A Bilingual Story
Paloma Valdivia
Illustrator: Paloma Valdivia
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A mother holds her child on her lap and expresses her enduring love. Soothing mixed-media illustrations.
Paloma Valdivia
Illustrator: Paloma Valdivia
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A mother holds her child on her lap and expresses her enduring love. Soothing mixed-media illustrations.
Odd Bods: The World's Unusual Animals
Julie Murphy
Illustrator: photographs from multiple sources
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Large clear text with magnified, boldly-colored photographs introduce various species whose unique physical features help them adapt to their environment. Extensive back matter.
Julie Murphy
Illustrator: photographs from multiple sources
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Large clear text with magnified, boldly-colored photographs introduce various species whose unique physical features help them adapt to their environment. Extensive back matter.
Off to See the Sea
Nikki Grimes
Illustrator: Elizabeth Zunon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A Black mother turns bath time into a magical adventure. Free verse with brightly colored playful mixed-media illustrations.
Nikki Grimes
Illustrator: Elizabeth Zunon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A Black mother turns bath time into a magical adventure. Free verse with brightly colored playful mixed-media illustrations.
Oh Look, A Cake!
J.C. McKee
Illustrator: J.C. McKee
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A sloth and lemur invent absurd reasons for not sharing the large, tempting cake they have found, but greed has consequences. Humorous illustrations of deprived animals.
J.C. McKee
Illustrator: J.C. McKee
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A sloth and lemur invent absurd reasons for not sharing the large, tempting cake they have found, but greed has consequences. Humorous illustrations of deprived animals.
One Day
Lee Juck
Illustrator: Kim Seung-youn
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Grandpa is gone. His grandson contemplates his belongings and imagines where he might be; perhaps among the stars? Appealing illustrations capture the child's loss.
Lee Juck
Illustrator: Kim Seung-youn
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Grandpa is gone. His grandson contemplates his belongings and imagines where he might be; perhaps among the stars? Appealing illustrations capture the child's loss.
Orange Is an Apricot, Green is a Tree Frog: Explore the Natural World through Color
Pascale Estellon
Illustrator: Pascale Estellon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
The colors of various objects are illustrated in a series of vivid gouache paintings.
Pascale Estellon
Illustrator: Pascale Estellon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
The colors of various objects are illustrated in a series of vivid gouache paintings.
Oscar's Tower of Flowers
Lauren Tobia
Illustrator: Lauren Tobia
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Colorful illustrations, including some full-page spreads, present touching, wordless scenes of a boy missing his special someone. A planting project shared with diverse neighbors turns sadness to joy.
Lauren Tobia
Illustrator: Lauren Tobia
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Colorful illustrations, including some full-page spreads, present touching, wordless scenes of a boy missing his special someone. A planting project shared with diverse neighbors turns sadness to joy.
Our Shed: A Father-Daughter Building Story
Robert Broder
Illustrator: Carrie O'Neill
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A daughter learns carpentry skills alongside her father and enjoys the work breaks they take together during the project. Colorful, playfully detailed illustrations.
Robert Broder
Illustrator: Carrie O'Neill
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A daughter learns carpentry skills alongside her father and enjoys the work breaks they take together during the project. Colorful, playfully detailed illustrations.
Out of Nowhere
Chris Naylor- Ballesteros
Illustrator: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
When Caterpillar disappears, Beetle's search for its friend ends in an amazing discovery. Stark black and white illustrations punctuated with red reveal Caterpillar's whereabouts.
Chris Naylor- Ballesteros
Illustrator: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
When Caterpillar disappears, Beetle's search for its friend ends in an amazing discovery. Stark black and white illustrations punctuated with red reveal Caterpillar's whereabouts.
Pocket Chaotic, The
Ziggy Hanaor
Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barbett
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Alexander finds life in his kangaroo mother's pouch crowded and chaotic. He tries to organize, but maybe it's time to move out? Simple appealing illustrations.
Ziggy Hanaor
Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barbett
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Alexander finds life in his kangaroo mother's pouch crowded and chaotic. He tries to organize, but maybe it's time to move out? Simple appealing illustrations.
Red
Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Illustrator: Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
An unusual poetic look at many shades of red: simple verse tells a story of a young fox who loses its family. Intense, painterly acrylics.
Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Illustrator: Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
An unusual poetic look at many shades of red: simple verse tells a story of a young fox who loses its family. Intense, painterly acrylics.
Red House, Brown Mouse
Jane Godwin
Illustrator: Blanca Gómez
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Rhyming text accompanies a little mouse's journey through a colorful city. Bold illustrations.
Jane Godwin
Illustrator: Blanca Gómez
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Rhyming text accompanies a little mouse's journey through a colorful city. Bold illustrations.
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.