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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Good Morning, Good Night
Anita Lobel
Illustrator: Anita Lobel
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A young child walks through a French city with his parents, discovering myriad items to compare and contrast. Full-page boldly colored scenes.
Anita Lobel
Illustrator: Anita Lobel
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A young child walks through a French city with his parents, discovering myriad items to compare and contrast. Full-page boldly colored scenes.
Gray Fox in the Moonlight
Isaac Peterson
Illustrator: Isaac Peterson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A mother fox explores the sights and sounds of the forest at night before returning to her sleeping kits. Pensive, minimalist text and cool, two-toned illustrations.
Isaac Peterson
Illustrator: Isaac Peterson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A mother fox explores the sights and sounds of the forest at night before returning to her sleeping kits. Pensive, minimalist text and cool, two-toned illustrations.
Gustav Is Missing!: A Tale of Friendship and Bravery
Andrea Zuill
Illustrator: Andrea Zuill
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Little Cap, a mushroom, expands his comfort zone for the sake of his true friend, a slug named Gustav. Engaging ink and Photoshop illustrations.
Andrea Zuill
Illustrator: Andrea Zuill
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Little Cap, a mushroom, expands his comfort zone for the sake of his true friend, a slug named Gustav. Engaging ink and Photoshop illustrations.
Hamza Attends a Janaza
Shabana Hussain
Illustrator: Atefeh Mohammadzadeh
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
When a friend and neighbor passes away, Hamza must forgo a fun day with his grandparents to attend an Islamic funeral. Stylized illustrations. Extensive back matter.
Shabana Hussain
Illustrator: Atefeh Mohammadzadeh
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
When a friend and neighbor passes away, Hamza must forgo a fun day with his grandparents to attend an Islamic funeral. Stylized illustrations. Extensive back matter.
Hanukkah Upside Down
Elissa Brent Weissman
Illustrator: Omer Hoffmann
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Two cousins who live on opposite sides of the globe compete about whose holiday celebration is best. Urbane, witty illustrations.
Elissa Brent Weissman
Illustrator: Omer Hoffmann
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Two cousins who live on opposite sides of the globe compete about whose holiday celebration is best. Urbane, witty illustrations.
Happy
Mies van Hout
Illustrator: Mies van Hout
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An exuberant parade of two-page spreads: on one side, a one-word emotion, and on the other, a colorful, expressively drawn fish, rendered in chalk and pastel on paper.
Mies van Hout
Illustrator: Mies van Hout
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An exuberant parade of two-page spreads: on one side, a one-word emotion, and on the other, a colorful, expressively drawn fish, rendered in chalk and pastel on paper.
Happy Birthday to Me
Thao Lam
Illustrator: Thao Lam
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A girl's special day with diverse party guests brings a racing range of emotions, and ultimately, the comfort of her mom. Vibrant detailed cut-paper collage art.
Thao Lam
Illustrator: Thao Lam
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A girl's special day with diverse party guests brings a racing range of emotions, and ultimately, the comfort of her mom. Vibrant detailed cut-paper collage art.
Hidden Gem
Linda Liu
Illustrator: Linda Liu
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An ordinary looking pebble tumbles into a Museum of Rocks, and while wondering at the marvels there, finds worth in his plain self. Handsome design, striking digital and watercolor art.
Linda Liu
Illustrator: Linda Liu
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An ordinary looking pebble tumbles into a Museum of Rocks, and while wondering at the marvels there, finds worth in his plain self. Handsome design, striking digital and watercolor art.
Hidden World of Gnomes, The
Lauren Soloy
Illustrator: Lauren Soloy
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
This guide book introduces a merry band of gnomes, following their lunar calendar, customs, values, and joyful interactions with nature. Busy little figures inhabit earth-toned digital spreads.
Lauren Soloy
Illustrator: Lauren Soloy
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
This guide book introduces a merry band of gnomes, following their lunar calendar, customs, values, and joyful interactions with nature. Busy little figures inhabit earth-toned digital spreads.
Holey Moley
Bethan Clarke
Illustrator: Anders Frang
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An overly exuberant goat, using cumulative, silly, rhyming suggestions, insists on trying to guess where a mole lives. Engaging, amusing text and playful illustrations.
Bethan Clarke
Illustrator: Anders Frang
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An overly exuberant goat, using cumulative, silly, rhyming suggestions, insists on trying to guess where a mole lives. Engaging, amusing text and playful illustrations.
House with 100 Stories, The
Toshio Iwai
Illustrator: Toshio Iwai
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Tochi climbs a tower with 100 floors to meet a new friend, encountering many busy creatures along the way. Detailed, colorful illustrations. Vertical format.
Toshio Iwai
Illustrator: Toshio Iwai
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Tochi climbs a tower with 100 floors to meet a new friend, encountering many busy creatures along the way. Detailed, colorful illustrations. Vertical format.
How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide
Ame Dyckman
Illustrator: Jennifer Harney
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Don't run with scissors! Look both ways! Careful or you might end up like the dinosaurs! A father uses an encounter with extinction as a teaching moment. Humorous digital art.
Ame Dyckman
Illustrator: Jennifer Harney
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Don't run with scissors! Look both ways! Careful or you might end up like the dinosaurs! A father uses an encounter with extinction as a teaching moment. Humorous digital art.
How to Get Your Octopus to School
Becky Scharnhorst
Illustrator: Jaclyn Sinquett
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A little girl must persuade her pet octopus to attend school. Amusing, detailed digital illustrations. Facts about these intelligent creatures round out the fun.
Becky Scharnhorst
Illustrator: Jaclyn Sinquett
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A little girl must persuade her pet octopus to attend school. Amusing, detailed digital illustrations. Facts about these intelligent creatures round out the fun.
Human for Kingsley, A
Gabriel Evans
Illustrator: Gabriel Evans
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
The search for the proper human is quite perplexing for this dog, until the importance of feeling needed is considered. Simple, engaging color illustrations.
Gabriel Evans
Illustrator: Gabriel Evans
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
The search for the proper human is quite perplexing for this dog, until the importance of feeling needed is considered. Simple, engaging color illustrations.
I Help at Home!: I Can Clean My Room, Fold Laundry, Set the Table, and More (Montessori Life Skills series)
Saniyyah Khalilallah
Illustrator: Yu Kito Lee (illustrator) Jared Leeds and others (photographer)
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Youngsters proudly learn to independently complete 12 housekeeping tasks. Colorful illstrations and photographs. Includes child-friendly skills chart. Back matter.
Saniyyah Khalilallah
Illustrator: Yu Kito Lee (illustrator) Jared Leeds and others (photographer)
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Youngsters proudly learn to independently complete 12 housekeeping tasks. Colorful illstrations and photographs. Includes child-friendly skills chart. Back matter.
I Love You, Baby Burrito
Angela Dominguez
Illustrator: Angela Dominguez
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An infant is welcomed home with open arms. Some Spanish text. Delicate watercolor and pencil illustrations.
Angela Dominguez
Illustrator: Angela Dominguez
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An infant is welcomed home with open arms. Some Spanish text. Delicate watercolor and pencil illustrations.
I'm From
Gary R. Gray, Jr.
Illustrator: Oge Mora
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Paint and patterned paper are among the many artistic tools used to illustrate a young brown-skinned boy's perspective on where, what, and who he is from.
Gary R. Gray, Jr.
Illustrator: Oge Mora
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Paint and patterned paper are among the many artistic tools used to illustrate a young brown-skinned boy's perspective on where, what, and who he is from.
I'm Going to Build a Snowman
Jashar Awan
Illustrator: Jashar Awan
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A brown-skinned child has a snow day plan. His snowman may not be perfect, but it is his best yet. Emotive, expressive charcoal pencil and digital illustrations.
Jashar Awan
Illustrator: Jashar Awan
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A brown-skinned child has a snow day plan. His snowman may not be perfect, but it is his best yet. Emotive, expressive charcoal pencil and digital illustrations.
I'm Trying to Love Germs
Bethany Barton
Illustrator: Bethany Barton
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Playful dialogue and zany cartoon illustrations describe four categories of pathogens in a highly accessible manner for a young audience.
Bethany Barton
Illustrator: Bethany Barton
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Playful dialogue and zany cartoon illustrations describe four categories of pathogens in a highly accessible manner for a young audience.
In Every Life
Marla Frazee
Illustrator: Marla Frazee
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Inspired by a “call-and-response version of a Jewish baby-naming blessing,” this invitation to myriad reasons for gratitude is tenderly illustrated with wordless vignettes of the lives people live.
Marla Frazee
Illustrator: Marla Frazee
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Inspired by a “call-and-response version of a Jewish baby-naming blessing,” this invitation to myriad reasons for gratitude is tenderly illustrated with wordless vignettes of the lives people live.
In the Night Garden
Carin Berger
Illustrator: Carin Berger
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
In this lyrical bedtime story, a young girl observes all the nighttime activity in her garden as she and her cat head home to sleep. Intricate collage illustrations.
Carin Berger
Illustrator: Carin Berger
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
In this lyrical bedtime story, a young girl observes all the nighttime activity in her garden as she and her cat head home to sleep. Intricate collage illustrations.
Invisible Things
Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller
Illustrator: Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
There's more to life than meets the eye, such as sensory experiences, patience, and moods. Once you start noticing, you'll be surprised by what you find. Amusing digital art.
Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller
Illustrator: Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
There's more to life than meets the eye, such as sensory experiences, patience, and moods. Once you start noticing, you'll be surprised by what you find. Amusing digital art.
Ketchup On My Sundae (Mix-and-Match series)
Nelleke Verhoeff
Illustrator: Nelleke Verhoeff
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An invitation to explore multiple combinations of kid-friendly foods. Split-page board book format. Muted illustrations of anthropomorphized comestibles.
Nelleke Verhoeff
Illustrator: Nelleke Verhoeff
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An invitation to explore multiple combinations of kid-friendly foods. Split-page board book format. Muted illustrations of anthropomorphized comestibles.
Kind Crocodile
Leo Timmers
Illustrator: Leo Timmers
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A mouse, a warthog, an antelope, a rhinoceros, and a crocodile find that, with teamwork, they are invincible. Humorous, expressive illustrations. Longer board book format.
Leo Timmers
Illustrator: Leo Timmers
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A mouse, a warthog, an antelope, a rhinoceros, and a crocodile find that, with teamwork, they are invincible. Humorous, expressive illustrations. Longer board book format.
Later, When I'm Big
Bette Westera
Illustrator: Mattias De Leeuw
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A young white child on a visit to the local swimming pool imagines daring future adventures. Playful watercolor illustrations full of wonder and humor.
Bette Westera
Illustrator: Mattias De Leeuw
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A young white child on a visit to the local swimming pool imagines daring future adventures. Playful watercolor illustrations full of wonder and humor.