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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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.
We Love Fishing
Ariel Bernstein
Illustrator: Marc Rosenthal
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Squirrel is not as enamored of the fishing trip as his buddies, but, despite his attitude and actions, their friendship endures. Humorous colorful pencil/digital illustrations.
Ariel Bernstein
Illustrator: Marc Rosenthal
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Squirrel is not as enamored of the fishing trip as his buddies, but, despite his attitude and actions, their friendship endures. Humorous colorful pencil/digital illustrations.
What If Wilhelmina: A Story of Imagination Run Wild
Joseph Belisle
Illustrator: Joseph Belisle
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Anxious after her cat is missing, a girl fantasizes about her beloved pet's possible fates. Sporadic text and cartoonish humorous illustrations capture family involvement.
Joseph Belisle
Illustrator: Joseph Belisle
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Anxious after her cat is missing, a girl fantasizes about her beloved pet's possible fates. Sporadic text and cartoonish humorous illustrations capture family involvement.
When We Say Black Lives Matter
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Illustrator: Maxine Beneba Clarke
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Warmth, strength, and hope stand side by side with anger as Black parents help their young child understand the significance of the movement. Pastels evoke stained glass imagery.
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Illustrator: Maxine Beneba Clarke
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Warmth, strength, and hope stand side by side with anger as Black parents help their young child understand the significance of the movement. Pastels evoke stained glass imagery.
Whole Hole Story, The
Vivian McInerny
Illustrator: Ken Lamug
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A little girl goes around the world and back again when she falls through a hole in her pocket. Colorful, humorous illustrations.
Vivian McInerny
Illustrator: Ken Lamug
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A little girl goes around the world and back again when she falls through a hole in her pocket. Colorful, humorous illustrations.
Wonder Walkers
Micha Archer
Illustrator: Micha Archer
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Exquisite evocative collage textured and patterned paper capture two children imaginatively pondering the structure and function of the natural world they encounter. (22)
Micha Archer
Illustrator: Micha Archer
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Exquisite evocative collage textured and patterned paper capture two children imaginatively pondering the structure and function of the natural world they encounter. (22)
Woodland Dance!
Sandra Boynton
Illustrator: Sandra Boynton
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
On special nights of the year, forest creatures meet for an important soiree. Rhyming text and earth-toned illustrations.
Sandra Boynton
Illustrator: Sandra Boynton
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
On special nights of the year, forest creatures meet for an important soiree. Rhyming text and earth-toned illustrations.
Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken, The
Jennifer Frank
Illustrator: David Ezra Stein
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
The oldest daughter wants the family portrait to be perfect, but will dressing up to hide their worminess do the trick? Amusing, mixed-media illustrations. (25)
Jennifer Frank
Illustrator: David Ezra Stein
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
The oldest daughter wants the family portrait to be perfect, but will dressing up to hide their worminess do the trick? Amusing, mixed-media illustrations. (25)
yes & no
Elisha Cooper
Illustrator: Elisha Cooper
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A day in the life of two very different companions: an exuberant puppy and a cool cat. Spare, imagined dialog; expressive ink and watercolor illustrations.
Elisha Cooper
Illustrator: Elisha Cooper
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
A day in the life of two very different companions: an exuberant puppy and a cool cat. Spare, imagined dialog; expressive ink and watercolor illustrations.
Zee Grows a Tree
Elizabeth Rusch
Illustrator: Will Hillenbrand
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Zee nurtures and grows with a tree that was planted on the day she was born. Information about trees weaves through the story. Mixed media illustrations, back matter.
Elizabeth Rusch
Illustrator: Will Hillenbrand
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2021
Zee nurtures and grows with a tree that was planted on the day she was born. Information about trees weaves through the story. Mixed media illustrations, back matter.
13 Stories About Harris
Amy Schwartz
Illustrator: Amy Schwartz
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Short playful vignettes are paired with simple line illustrations to capture moments in a toddler's urban childhood. Perfect for emergent readers and toddlers.
Amy Schwartz
Illustrator: Amy Schwartz
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Short playful vignettes are paired with simple line illustrations to capture moments in a toddler's urban childhood. Perfect for emergent readers and toddlers.
ABC Animals
Christopher Evans
Illustrator: Christopher Evans
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
An arresting ABC showcases a variety of mammals, reptiles, birds, and more. Artistic finely textured, digital woodcuts.
Christopher Evans
Illustrator: Christopher Evans
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
An arresting ABC showcases a variety of mammals, reptiles, birds, and more. Artistic finely textured, digital woodcuts.