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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Sometimes It's Nice to Be Alone
Amy Hest
Illustrator: Philip Stead
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A celebration of a child's rich imagination during solitary activities. Serene yet lively mixed-media illustrations.
Amy Hest
Illustrator: Philip Stead
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A celebration of a child's rich imagination during solitary activities. Serene yet lively mixed-media illustrations.
Soon, Your Hands
Jonathan Stutzman
Illustrator: Elizabeth Lilly
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Three diverse families, all neighbors, savor time with their young children even as they foresee them growing less dependent. Colorful watercolor illustrations. American Sign Language glossary.
Jonathan Stutzman
Illustrator: Elizabeth Lilly
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Three diverse families, all neighbors, savor time with their young children even as they foresee them growing less dependent. Colorful watercolor illustrations. American Sign Language glossary.
Spicy Spicy Hot!
Lenny Wen
Illustrator: Lenny Wen
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Lintang perseveres until she is able to eat her grandmother's spicy traditional Indonesian dish, bridging their cultural divide. Bright humorous mixed-media art. Includes recipe for sambal.
Lenny Wen
Illustrator: Lenny Wen
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Lintang perseveres until she is able to eat her grandmother's spicy traditional Indonesian dish, bridging their cultural divide. Bright humorous mixed-media art. Includes recipe for sambal.
Stay My Baby
Lana Button
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Parents express love for their little ones. Told in verse. Illustrated with photographs of diverse families.
Lana Button
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Parents express love for their little ones. Told in verse. Illustrated with photographs of diverse families.
Stinkbird Has a Superpower
Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Bob Shea
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A father hoatzin explains their unique features to his chick. Bright digital illustrations.
Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Bob Shea
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A father hoatzin explains their unique features to his chick. Bright digital illustrations.
This Is a Story
John Schu
Illustrator: Lauren Castillo
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
The joy and life-changing power of reading shine in this ode to libraries, librarians, and young readers. Immersive watercolor and pastel artwork.
John Schu
Illustrator: Lauren Castillo
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
The joy and life-changing power of reading shine in this ode to libraries, librarians, and young readers. Immersive watercolor and pastel artwork.
Three Little Mittens, The
Linda Bailey
Illustrator: Natalia Shaloshvili
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Celebrate differences when mismatched, lone mittens pair up. Socks, shoes, and children follow suit. Soft mixed-media art.
Linda Bailey
Illustrator: Natalia Shaloshvili
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Celebrate differences when mismatched, lone mittens pair up. Socks, shoes, and children follow suit. Soft mixed-media art.
Time to Move South for Winter
Clare Helen Welsh
Illustrator: Jenny Løvlie
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Follow the tiny arctic tern on the world's longest animal migration, as it passes species like humpback whales and caribou, all searching for a warmer home. Lyrical text. Exquisite blue-toned illustrations.
Clare Helen Welsh
Illustrator: Jenny Løvlie
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Follow the tiny arctic tern on the world's longest animal migration, as it passes species like humpback whales and caribou, all searching for a warmer home. Lyrical text. Exquisite blue-toned illustrations.
Together We Swim
Valerie Bolling
Illustrator: Kaylani Juanita
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Spare text and mixed-media and digital illustrations tell the almost step-by-step process of a Black mother teaching her son to swim. A simple ode to overcoming fear.
Valerie Bolling
Illustrator: Kaylani Juanita
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Spare text and mixed-media and digital illustrations tell the almost step-by-step process of a Black mother teaching her son to swim. A simple ode to overcoming fear.
Together with You
Patricia Toht
Illustrator: Jarvis
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A grandmother and grandchild frolick through four seasons. Rhymed verse and colorfully illustrated activities depict joy and a loving relationship
Patricia Toht
Illustrator: Jarvis
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A grandmother and grandchild frolick through four seasons. Rhymed verse and colorfully illustrated activities depict joy and a loving relationship
Too Green! (Feelings & Firsts series)
Sumana Seeboruth
Illustrator: Maribel Castells
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
After a little taste, a toddler finds that the green soup is yummy! Amusing detailed illustrations depict a biracial family with two moms. Also available in a bilingual Spanish-English edition.
Sumana Seeboruth
Illustrator: Maribel Castells
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
After a little taste, a toddler finds that the green soup is yummy! Amusing detailed illustrations depict a biracial family with two moms. Also available in a bilingual Spanish-English edition.
Truth about Dragons, The
Julie Leung
Illustrator: Hanna Cha
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A child with grandmothers from different cultures learns the worldview of each through their traditional tales. Vibrant detailed mixed-media art.
Julie Leung
Illustrator: Hanna Cha
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A child with grandmothers from different cultures learns the worldview of each through their traditional tales. Vibrant detailed mixed-media art.
Truth about Max, The
Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen
Illustrator: Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A newly published story about a mischievous family cat introduces a new generation to the renowned author-illustrators. Includes reminiscences by the couple's daughter. Hand lettering. Watercolor and ink artwork
Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen
Illustrator: Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A newly published story about a mischievous family cat introduces a new generation to the renowned author-illustrators. Includes reminiscences by the couple's daughter. Hand lettering. Watercolor and ink artwork
Tumble
Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
Illustrator: Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Sparse rhyming text and evocative illustrations depict the trajectory of the tumbleweed and the life forms it passes on its way. Back matter.
Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
Illustrator: Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Sparse rhyming text and evocative illustrations depict the trajectory of the tumbleweed and the life forms it passes on its way. Back matter.
Twenty Questions
Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Neither the spare text nor the playful, colorful double-page illustrations reveal the answers to a set of intriguing questions, demanding imagination and language for myriad possibilities.
Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Neither the spare text nor the playful, colorful double-page illustrations reveal the answers to a set of intriguing questions, demanding imagination and language for myriad possibilities.
Umbrella, The
Beth Ferry
Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Dreary, rainy days don't stop an irrepressible young girl and her pup. Concise, simple rhyming text. Pencil and watercolor illustrations.
Beth Ferry
Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Dreary, rainy days don't stop an irrepressible young girl and her pup. Concise, simple rhyming text. Pencil and watercolor illustrations.
Under the Blanket Sky
Tim Fischer
Illustrator: Tim Fischer
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A boy and a large, mysterious bird spend the summer immersed in idyllic play, then bid each other a sweet goodbye when fall arrives. Hazy, pastel-toned digital illustrations.
Tim Fischer
Illustrator: Tim Fischer
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A boy and a large, mysterious bird spend the summer immersed in idyllic play, then bid each other a sweet goodbye when fall arrives. Hazy, pastel-toned digital illustrations.
Ups and Downs: A Book of Emotions
Mike Wohnoutka
Illustrator: Mike Wohnoutka
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A wide range of shifting emotions, labeled and modeled by three children throughout their school day, expand and encourage children's emotional literacy. Colorful animated illustrations.
Mike Wohnoutka
Illustrator: Mike Wohnoutka
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A wide range of shifting emotions, labeled and modeled by three children throughout their school day, expand and encourage children's emotional literacy. Colorful animated illustrations.
Very Good Hats
Emma Straub
Illustrator: Blanca Gómez
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
This imaginative ode to hats reveals many creative possibilities: raspberries are hats for fingers, and even a cat can be a hat. Colorful stylized digitally enhanced collage art.
Emma Straub
Illustrator: Blanca Gómez
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
This imaginative ode to hats reveals many creative possibilities: raspberries are hats for fingers, and even a cat can be a hat. Colorful stylized digitally enhanced collage art.
Wave, The
Tyler Charlton
Illustrator: Tyler Charlton
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A child describes depression as a threatening wave; thoughtful self-reflection and family support helps him through. Stark pencil and digital art. Back matter includes mental health resources.
Tyler Charlton
Illustrator: Tyler Charlton
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A child describes depression as a threatening wave; thoughtful self-reflection and family support helps him through. Stark pencil and digital art. Back matter includes mental health resources.
Ways to Play
Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Illustrator: Gabriel Alborozo
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Soft, watercolor artwork and the authentic voice of a young narrator reassure any child who has been ridiculed for playtime choices. A carefree dog amplifies the message.
Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Illustrator: Gabriel Alborozo
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Soft, watercolor artwork and the authentic voice of a young narrator reassure any child who has been ridiculed for playtime choices. A carefree dog amplifies the message.
Welcome to the World
Julia Donaldson
Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Rhyming text and lush watercolor illustrations show a diverse group of babies and toddlers beginning to explore the wide world.
Julia Donaldson
Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
Rhyming text and lush watercolor illustrations show a diverse group of babies and toddlers beginning to explore the wide world.
We Share This School: A Community Book
Dan Saks
Illustrator: Brooke Smart
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A rhyming tribute to the classroom and the importance it plays in the lives of young children. Vibrant illustrations.
Dan Saks
Illustrator: Brooke Smart
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
A rhyming tribute to the classroom and the importance it plays in the lives of young children. Vibrant illustrations.
What Does Little Crocodile Say at the Beach?
Eva Montanari
Illustrator: Eva Montanari
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An action-packed camping adventure at the beach moves along with joyful sound effects. Vibrant chalk art.
Eva Montanari
Illustrator: Eva Montanari
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
An action-packed camping adventure at the beach moves along with joyful sound effects. Vibrant chalk art.
What Happened to You?
James Catchpole
Illustrator: Karen George
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
On a playground, a boy with one leg tires of other kids asking about it. They conclude it's not important to know, and their play resumes. Gouache and colored pencil illustrations. Endnotes.
James Catchpole
Illustrator: Karen George
Ages: 5 & Under
Published: 2023
On a playground, a boy with one leg tires of other kids asking about it. They conclude it's not important to know, and their play resumes. Gouache and colored pencil illustrations. Endnotes.