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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What I Am
Divya Srinivasan
Illustrator: Divya Srinivasan
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Surrounded by a loving family, a young girl describes the complex, sometimes conflicting qualities she has that make her unique. Mixed-media illustrations.
Divya Srinivasan
Illustrator: Divya Srinivasan
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Surrounded by a loving family, a young girl describes the complex, sometimes conflicting qualities she has that make her unique. Mixed-media illustrations.
What If, Pig?
Linzie Hunter
Illustrator: Linzie Hunter
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
When Pig shares his worries about the success of his upcoming party, he encounters unexpected responses from the invitees. Splashes of color envelop comic-style characters.
Linzie Hunter
Illustrator: Linzie Hunter
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
When Pig shares his worries about the success of his upcoming party, he encounters unexpected responses from the invitees. Splashes of color envelop comic-style characters.
What Isabella Wanted: Isabella Stewart Gardner Builds a Museum
Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A lyrical, well-sourced account of an unconventional woman and the creation of her controversial, eclectic collection. Watercolor art.
Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A lyrical, well-sourced account of an unconventional woman and the creation of her controversial, eclectic collection. Watercolor art.
What's in Your Pocket? Collecting Nature's Treasures
Heather L. Montgomery
Illustrator: Maribel Lechuga
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Biographical sketches of nine diverse scientists and how they got their start. Colorful digital illustrations depict them as children and adults. Well-researched back matter and notes from illustrator and author.
Heather L. Montgomery
Illustrator: Maribel Lechuga
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Biographical sketches of nine diverse scientists and how they got their start. Colorful digital illustrations depict them as children and adults. Well-researched back matter and notes from illustrator and author.
What the Kite Saw
Anne Laurel Carter
Illustrator: Akin Duzakin
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
When a boy's father and brother are taken away in a war-torn town under curfew, flying kites wth his friends help him to cope. Evocative somber illustrations.
Anne Laurel Carter
Illustrator: Akin Duzakin
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
When a boy's father and brother are taken away in a war-torn town under curfew, flying kites wth his friends help him to cope. Evocative somber illustrations.
What the Road Said
Cleo Wade
Illustrator: Lucie de Moyencourt
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A road is a supportive and wise guide, answering a child's many questions and concerns about life. Free verse, ink and digitally colored illustrations.
Cleo Wade
Illustrator: Lucie de Moyencourt
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A road is a supportive and wise guide, answering a child's many questions and concerns about life. Free verse, ink and digitally colored illustrations.
What Will You Be?
Yamile Saied Méndez
Illustrator: Kate Alizadeh
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Asked what she wants to be when she grows up, a young girl imagines different possibilities with her Abuela's help. Colorful digital illustrations. Spanish edition available.
Yamile Saied Méndez
Illustrator: Kate Alizadeh
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Asked what she wants to be when she grows up, a young girl imagines different possibilities with her Abuela's help. Colorful digital illustrations. Spanish edition available.
When Cloud Became a Cloud
Rob Hodgson
Illustrator: Rob Hodgson
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A lighthearted account of the water cycle from lake to sky and from drizzle to snow to thunderstorm. Humorous illustrations drawn and Photoshopped.
Rob Hodgson
Illustrator: Rob Hodgson
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A lighthearted account of the water cycle from lake to sky and from drizzle to snow to thunderstorm. Humorous illustrations drawn and Photoshopped.
When Grandfather Flew
Patricia MacLachlan
Illustrator: Chris Sheban
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Impressionistic watercolor and pastel illustrations capture the legacy of a grandfather's shared love of birdwatching, inspiring a grieving youngest child to envision an avian afterlife.
Patricia MacLachlan
Illustrator: Chris Sheban
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Impressionistic watercolor and pastel illustrations capture the legacy of a grandfather's shared love of birdwatching, inspiring a grieving youngest child to envision an avian afterlife.
When Langston Dances
Kaija Langley
Illustrator: Keith Mallett
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Inspired by an Alvin Ailey dance performance, Langston, a young Black boy, supported by a loving mother, enrolls in a ballet class. Realistic digital illustrations.
Kaija Langley
Illustrator: Keith Mallett
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Inspired by an Alvin Ailey dance performance, Langston, a young Black boy, supported by a loving mother, enrolls in a ballet class. Realistic digital illustrations.
When Lola Visits
Michelle Sterling
Illustrator: Aaron Asis
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
The delicious smells of summer are used to describe the varied delights of an extended visit from Lola (Filipino for grandma). Carefree gouache and digital illustrations.
Michelle Sterling
Illustrator: Aaron Asis
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
The delicious smells of summer are used to describe the varied delights of an extended visit from Lola (Filipino for grandma). Carefree gouache and digital illustrations.
When My Cousins Come to Town
Angela Shanté
Illustrator: Keisha Morris
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Collage style art shows the strong connection in this Black extended family. A celebration of family bonds and the fun in earning a nickname.
Angela Shanté
Illustrator: Keisha Morris
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Collage style art shows the strong connection in this Black extended family. A celebration of family bonds and the fun in earning a nickname.
When We Fly
Jess McGeachin
Illustrator: Jess McGeachin
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Lucy is determined to help a bird with a broken wing, but can everything be fixed? Subtle clues in the sun-drenched illustrations deepen themes of loss and healing.
Jess McGeachin
Illustrator: Jess McGeachin
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Lucy is determined to help a bird with a broken wing, but can everything be fixed? Subtle clues in the sun-drenched illustrations deepen themes of loss and healing.
Wild Is the Wind
Grahame Baker-Smith
Illustrator: Grahame Baker-Smith
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A swift, in its global migration, bears witness to the extraordinary power of the wind, from carved desert landscape to swirling waves. Lyrical text paired with radiant dramatic illustrations.
Grahame Baker-Smith
Illustrator: Grahame Baker-Smith
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A swift, in its global migration, bears witness to the extraordinary power of the wind, from carved desert landscape to swirling waves. Lyrical text paired with radiant dramatic illustrations.
Wishes
Mượn Thị Văn
Illustrator: Victo Ngai
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
During the night, a Vietnamese family flees their home, beginning a perilous journey towards a new life across the sea. Emotive illustrations. Author's note.
Mượn Thị Văn
Illustrator: Victo Ngai
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
During the night, a Vietnamese family flees their home, beginning a perilous journey towards a new life across the sea. Emotive illustrations. Author's note.
Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation and the Case of Roberto Alvarez
Larry Dane Brimner
Illustrator: Maya Gonzalez
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
In 1931, a Mexican-American student sparked his immigrant community to use the courts for the first time to successfully fight school segregation. Colorful acrylic Mexican-style illustrations.
Larry Dane Brimner
Illustrator: Maya Gonzalez
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
In 1931, a Mexican-American student sparked his immigrant community to use the courts for the first time to successfully fight school segregation. Colorful acrylic Mexican-style illustrations.
World Record Animals
Oldřich Růžička
Illustrator: Tomás Pernický
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Which are the fastest runners, the most dangerous, the longest-lived? Engaging format and colorful illustrations enhance the facts.
Oldřich Růžička
Illustrator: Tomás Pernický
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
Which are the fastest runners, the most dangerous, the longest-lived? Engaging format and colorful illustrations enhance the facts.
Your Mama
NoNieqa Ramos
Illustrator: Jacqueline Alcántara
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A loving daughter parades lively banners proclaiming the strength and beauty of her Latina mom. Rhythmic text and exhuberant mixed-media illustrations.
NoNieqa Ramos
Illustrator: Jacqueline Alcántara
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
A loving daughter parades lively banners proclaiming the strength and beauty of her Latina mom. Rhythmic text and exhuberant mixed-media illustrations.
Zonia's Rain Forest
Juana Martinez-Neal
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
An Asháninka girl in the Peruvian Amazon is called to action when her beloved jungle comes under attack by developers. Illustrations on bark paper with delicate details. Back matter.
Juana Martinez-Neal
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Ages: 6+
Published: 2021
An Asháninka girl in the Peruvian Amazon is called to action when her beloved jungle comes under attack by developers. Illustrations on bark paper with delicate details. Back matter.
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl (Citizen Kid series)
Rina Singh
Illustrator: Marianne Ferrer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
An Indian father honors his dead daughter by encouraging neighbors to plant trees and educate girls. Paint and graphite illustrations show an emerging green village. Back matter.
Rina Singh
Illustrator: Marianne Ferrer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
An Indian father honors his dead daughter by encouraging neighbors to plant trees and educate girls. Paint and graphite illustrations show an emerging green village. Back matter.
ABCs of Black History, The
Rio Cortez
Illustrator: Lauren Semmer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
The important names, dates, and places in Black history and culture are related in rhyming text. Bright, boldly colored illustrations.
Rio Cortez
Illustrator: Lauren Semmer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
The important names, dates, and places in Black history and culture are related in rhyming text. Bright, boldly colored illustrations.
Addy's Cup of Sugar
Jon J. Muth
Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When her pet dies, Addy turns to the Panda Stillwater for wisdom and comfort. Adapted from a Buddhist tale. Evocative watercolor art.
Jon J. Muth
Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When her pet dies, Addy turns to the Panda Stillwater for wisdom and comfort. Adapted from a Buddhist tale. Evocative watercolor art.
Agent Lion
David Soman and Jacky Davis
Illustrator: David Soman and Jacky Davis
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Silliness abounds as a clueless detective searches for a missing pet cat. Pen and ink and watercolor illustrations highlight the humor.
David Soman and Jacky Davis
Illustrator: David Soman and Jacky Davis
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Silliness abounds as a clueless detective searches for a missing pet cat. Pen and ink and watercolor illustrations highlight the humor.
A is for Another Rabbit
Hannah Batsel
Illustrator: Hannah Batsel
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Lots of rabbits and protesting Dr. Owl roam through the alphabet in a clever, humorous style. Painted acrylic, black ink and gold leaf illustrations.
Hannah Batsel
Illustrator: Hannah Batsel
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Lots of rabbits and protesting Dr. Owl roam through the alphabet in a clever, humorous style. Painted acrylic, black ink and gold leaf illustrations.
All Because You Matter
Tami Charles
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A stirring ode to empowering children of color through love, comfort, hope, and pride in their heritage. Strong emotive illustrations. End papers, notes.
Tami Charles
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A stirring ode to empowering children of color through love, comfort, hope, and pride in their heritage. Strong emotive illustrations. End papers, notes.