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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When the Storm Comes
Linda Ashman
Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
How do people and animals shelter to protect themselves from storms? Simple rhyming text and colorful digital and pencil drawings provide some answers.
Linda Ashman
Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
How do people and animals shelter to protect themselves from storms? Simple rhyming text and colorful digital and pencil drawings provide some answers.
Where's Baby?
Anne Hunter
Illustrator: Anne Hunter
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Charming pen-and-pencil drawings in black and white against a pale blue sky and river reveal a rust-colored baby fox that Papa can never quite see.
Anne Hunter
Illustrator: Anne Hunter
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Charming pen-and-pencil drawings in black and white against a pale blue sky and river reveal a rust-colored baby fox that Papa can never quite see.
Who Will You Be?
Andrea Pippins
Illustrator: Andrea Pippins
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
A mother asks her child whether she will be loving, bold, joyful, curious, or adventurous like her relatives. How will she become uniquely wonderful? Digitally colored illustrations.
Andrea Pippins
Illustrator: Andrea Pippins
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
A mother asks her child whether she will be loving, bold, joyful, curious, or adventurous like her relatives. How will she become uniquely wonderful? Digitally colored illustrations.
Witchy Things
Mariasole Brusa
Illustrator: Marta Sevilla
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Worried that her blue hair doesn't make her scary enough, a witch decides to snatch a boy. This leads to unexpected and delightful consequences. Humorous illustrations. Available in Spanish.
Mariasole Brusa
Illustrator: Marta Sevilla
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Worried that her blue hair doesn't make her scary enough, a witch decides to snatch a boy. This leads to unexpected and delightful consequences. Humorous illustrations. Available in Spanish.
Woodland Dreams
Karen Jameson
Illustrator: Marc Boutavant
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
A girl, on her way home, stops to sketch woodland creatures and uses lyrical rhyming verse to beckon them to bed. Warm, earth-toned illustrations.
Karen Jameson
Illustrator: Marc Boutavant
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
A girl, on her way home, stops to sketch woodland creatures and uses lyrical rhyming verse to beckon them to bed. Warm, earth-toned illustrations.
You Are Ready! The World is Waiting
Eric Carle
Illustrator: Eric Carle
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Brightly colored animals offer their offspring advice and reassure them they will be able to face life's challenges on their own. Minimal text.
Eric Carle
Illustrator: Eric Carle
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2020
Brightly colored animals offer their offspring advice and reassure them they will be able to face life's challenges on their own. Minimal text.
12 Lucky Animals
by Vickie Lee
Illustrator: Joey Chou
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Friendly digital illustrations introduce readers to the animals of the Chinese zodiac and their traits. Chinese characters and pronunciation included.
by Vickie Lee
Illustrator: Joey Chou
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Friendly digital illustrations introduce readers to the animals of the Chinese zodiac and their traits. Chinese characters and pronunciation included.
A Day for Skating
by Sarah Sullivan
Illustrator: Madeline Valentine
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Winter's here and a family bundles up and heads out to the local pond to skate and maybe make some new friends. Seasonal digital illustrations.
by Sarah Sullivan
Illustrator: Madeline Valentine
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Winter's here and a family bundles up and heads out to the local pond to skate and maybe make some new friends. Seasonal digital illustrations.
An Owl at Sea
by susan Vande Griek
Illustrator: Ian Wallace
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Lost at sea, an owl takes refuge on an oil rig. Poetic text and gentle watercolor illustrations.
by susan Vande Griek
Illustrator: Ian Wallace
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Lost at sea, an owl takes refuge on an oil rig. Poetic text and gentle watercolor illustrations.
Ariba
written and illustrated by Masha Manapov
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Marcus' delight in his new sneakers leads his grandfather to recount an old story about a boy and his adventure with his footwear. Lively, energetic illustrations.
written and illustrated by Masha Manapov
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Marcus' delight in his new sneakers leads his grandfather to recount an old story about a boy and his adventure with his footwear. Lively, energetic illustrations.
Astro Girl
written and illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Astrid, who wants to be an astronaut when she grows up, has fun pretending to be an astronaut on a space mission. Textured painterly acrylic illustrations.
written and illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Astrid, who wants to be an astronaut when she grows up, has fun pretending to be an astronaut on a space mission. Textured painterly acrylic illustrations.
Baby Day
by Jane Godwin
Illustrator: Freya Blackwood
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Gently colored illustrations depict a variety of situations and emotions of a diverse group of children as they attend a first birthday party.
by Jane Godwin
Illustrator: Freya Blackwood
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Gently colored illustrations depict a variety of situations and emotions of a diverse group of children as they attend a first birthday party.
Baby Dream/Soñando con bebé
by Sunny Scribens
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Soothing verses to lull an infant to sleep. Bilingual in English and Spanish. Black-and-white photographs.
by Sunny Scribens
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Soothing verses to lull an infant to sleep. Bilingual in English and Spanish. Black-and-white photographs.
Ball & Balloon
by Rob Sanders
Illustrator: Helen Yoon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Colorful, spare illustrations accompany this poignant tale of two objects, each envious of the other, only to discover their worth when a child comes along.
by Rob Sanders
Illustrator: Helen Yoon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Colorful, spare illustrations accompany this poignant tale of two objects, each envious of the other, only to discover their worth when a child comes along.
Bear Is Awake!
written and illustrated by Hannah E. Harrison
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Bear wakes up too early ad seeks help from a little girl. After some mishaps she helps bear back to sleep. Fun-filled gouache illustrations.
written and illustrated by Hannah E. Harrison
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Bear wakes up too early ad seeks help from a little girl. After some mishaps she helps bear back to sleep. Fun-filled gouache illustrations.
Beep Beep Piip Piip
written and illustrated by Petr Horáček
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Bright pictures and playful sounds take a family on a car ride to Grandma's house. Durable die-cut pages and acrylic collage illustrations.
written and illustrated by Petr Horáček
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Bright pictures and playful sounds take a family on a car ride to Grandma's house. Durable die-cut pages and acrylic collage illustrations.
B Is for Baby
by Atinuke
Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
B is for Baby and everything else encountered when Brother bicycles her to visit Baba. Vivid acrylics of Baby's experiences in a small African village.
by Atinuke
Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
B is for Baby and everything else encountered when Brother bicycles her to visit Baba. Vivid acrylics of Baby's experiences in a small African village.
Bloom Boom!
written and photographed by April Pulley Sayre
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Brilliant full-color photographs and concise verse depict blooming plants and small animals in a variety of springtime flowering landscapes. Extensive informational back matter.
written and photographed by April Pulley Sayre
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Brilliant full-color photographs and concise verse depict blooming plants and small animals in a variety of springtime flowering landscapes. Extensive informational back matter.
Bruno, the Standing Cat
by Nadine Robert
Illustrator: Jean Jullien
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
The new cat on Peter's doorstep proves to be surprisingly human, with a silly sense of humor and an abundance of love. Bold outlined, energetic illustrations.
by Nadine Robert
Illustrator: Jean Jullien
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
The new cat on Peter's doorstep proves to be surprisingly human, with a silly sense of humor and an abundance of love. Bold outlined, energetic illustrations.
Bunny in the Middle
by Anika A. Denise
Illustrator: Christopher Denise
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
The joys and challenge of being a middle bunny in the family are vivified by soft color digitally enhanced pencil illustrations.
by Anika A. Denise
Illustrator: Christopher Denise
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
The joys and challenge of being a middle bunny in the family are vivified by soft color digitally enhanced pencil illustrations.
Burrowing Bunnies
by Cynthia Lord
Illustrator: Hazel Mitchell
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Discover how to successfully foster rabbits so that they thrive, learn to trust humans, and be adopted. Spot illustrations complement full-color illustrations.
by Cynthia Lord
Illustrator: Hazel Mitchell
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Discover how to successfully foster rabbits so that they thrive, learn to trust humans, and be adopted. Spot illustrations complement full-color illustrations.
By the Light of the Moon
written and illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
A little frog, singing alone, asks others to add their voices. Not until the littlest voice joins in is the sound complete. Large, colorful digital illustrations.
written and illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
A little frog, singing alone, asks others to add their voices. Not until the littlest voice joins in is the sound complete. Large, colorful digital illustrations.
Can I Keep It?
written and illustrated by Lisa Jobe
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Encouraging empathy, a young boy's mother helps him seek the “better” pet for their home. Brilliantly inventive watercolor and collage illustrations.
written and illustrated by Lisa Jobe
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Encouraging empathy, a young boy's mother helps him seek the “better” pet for their home. Brilliantly inventive watercolor and collage illustrations.
Caterpillar and Bean
by Martin Jenkins
Illustrator: Hannah Tolson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
The stages of growth of both a bean and a caterpillar are clearly explained. Colorful mixed-media illustrations enhance the text.
by Martin Jenkins
Illustrator: Hannah Tolson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
The stages of growth of both a bean and a caterpillar are clearly explained. Colorful mixed-media illustrations enhance the text.
Circle
by Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Evocative watercolor and graphite illustrations highlight three friends who experience adventure, fear, anger, and forgiveness.
by Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2019
Evocative watercolor and graphite illustrations highlight three friends who experience adventure, fear, anger, and forgiveness.