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/.
How to Perform a Search and Save a List
Search
Advanced Search
Oldest Student, The: How Mary Walker Learned to Read
Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Illustrator: Oge Mora
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Enslaved but emancipated at 15, Walker fulfilled her life's dream to achieve literacy at age 114, receiving community recognition. Evocative expressive collage illustrations. Author's note. End papers contain photographs.
Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Illustrator: Oge Mora
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Enslaved but emancipated at 15, Walker fulfilled her life's dream to achieve literacy at age 114, receiving community recognition. Evocative expressive collage illustrations. Author's note. End papers contain photographs.
Old Truck, The
Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey
Illustrator: Jarett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A hard-working farm truck grows old alongside a girl who grows up to rescue and restore it. Distinctive retro art incorporates over 250 handmade stamps.
Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey
Illustrator: Jarett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A hard-working farm truck grows old alongside a girl who grows up to rescue and restore it. Distinctive retro art incorporates over 250 handmade stamps.
Once Upon a Winter Day
Liza Woodruff
Illustrator: Liza Woodruff
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Young Milo learns that nature is full of stories when he follows a mouse's tracks in a wintry wood. Lush, wordless spreads capture the activity.
Liza Woodruff
Illustrator: Liza Woodruff
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Young Milo learns that nature is full of stories when he follows a mouse's tracks in a wintry wood. Lush, wordless spreads capture the activity.
One Afternoon
Hsin Ya Sun
Illustrator: Hsin Ya Sun
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Exquisitely detailed illustrations follow a young art designer bicycling through Taipei performing his daily activities while his dog enjoys his own activities at home. Wordless.
Hsin Ya Sun
Illustrator: Hsin Ya Sun
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Exquisitely detailed illustrations follow a young art designer bicycling through Taipei performing his daily activities while his dog enjoys his own activities at home. Wordless.
One Girl
Andrea Beaty
Illustrator: Dow Phumiruk
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When a girl finds a book, her world opens up to incredible possibilities. Poetic text and beautiful illustrations celebrate the power of reading and imagination.
Andrea Beaty
Illustrator: Dow Phumiruk
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When a girl finds a book, her world opens up to incredible possibilities. Poetic text and beautiful illustrations celebrate the power of reading and imagination.
One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey
Henry Cole
Illustrator: Henry Cole
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Follow the journey of a brown paper bag through the story of a family in this wordless picture book. Detailed black-ink illustrations. Author's note.
Henry Cole
Illustrator: Henry Cole
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Follow the journey of a brown paper bag through the story of a family in this wordless picture book. Detailed black-ink illustrations. Author's note.
Our Corner Store
Robert Heidbreder
Illustrator: Chelsea O'Byrne
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
The local grocery store was the center of the world for the narrator and his sister. Poems fancifully depicted in gouache and colored pencil illustrations.
Robert Heidbreder
Illustrator: Chelsea O'Byrne
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
The local grocery store was the center of the world for the narrator and his sister. Poems fancifully depicted in gouache and colored pencil illustrations.
Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us
Lauren Castillo
Illustrator: Lauren Castillo
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When Hedgehog's beloved stuffed dog is carried away by a storm, new friends join her quest to find him. Chapter book format. Heartwarming color illustrations.
Lauren Castillo
Illustrator: Lauren Castillo
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When Hedgehog's beloved stuffed dog is carried away by a storm, new friends join her quest to find him. Chapter book format. Heartwarming color illustrations.
Our Little Kitchen
Jillian Tamaki
Illustrator: Jillian Tamaki
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Using donated food and produce from their garden, a wonderfully diverse group prepares a meal each week for their neighbors in need. Lively, colorful illustrations.
Jillian Tamaki
Illustrator: Jillian Tamaki
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Using donated food and produce from their garden, a wonderfully diverse group prepares a meal each week for their neighbors in need. Lively, colorful illustrations.
Outside In
Deborah Underwood
Illustrator: Cindy Derby
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Luminous watercolor, ink, and graphite illustrations and spare text assure us that, even if we are inside, we are always inextricably part of the wondrous world outside.
Deborah Underwood
Illustrator: Cindy Derby
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Luminous watercolor, ink, and graphite illustrations and spare text assure us that, even if we are inside, we are always inextricably part of the wondrous world outside.
Over and Under the Rainforest
Kate Messner
Illustrator: Christopher Silas Neal
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A child and older companion hike through the Costa Rican rainforest, observing and talking about the ecosystems native to that area. Bright mixed media illustrations.
Kate Messner
Illustrator: Christopher Silas Neal
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A child and older companion hike through the Costa Rican rainforest, observing and talking about the ecosystems native to that area. Bright mixed media illustrations.
Over the Moon
James Proimos
Illustrator: Zoey Abbott
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Can two wolves nurture and raise a human baby? Absolutely! A sweet story about family love with gouache, color pencil and ink illustrations.
James Proimos
Illustrator: Zoey Abbott
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Can two wolves nurture and raise a human baby? Absolutely! A sweet story about family love with gouache, color pencil and ink illustrations.
Packs: Strength in Numbers
Hannah Salyer
Illustrator: Hannah Salyer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Simple text and colorfully captivating mixed-media illustrations explore how different creatures live in communities using teamwork to survive and thrive.
Hannah Salyer
Illustrator: Hannah Salyer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Simple text and colorfully captivating mixed-media illustrations explore how different creatures live in communities using teamwork to survive and thrive.
Papa, Daddy, & Riley
Seamus Kirst
Illustrator: Devon Holzwarth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A classmate pressures a young girl to name which of her two dads is her real dad. A loving message, accompanied by colorful watercolor illustrations, offer a satisfying conclusion.
Seamus Kirst
Illustrator: Devon Holzwarth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A classmate pressures a young girl to name which of her two dads is her real dad. A loving message, accompanied by colorful watercolor illustrations, offer a satisfying conclusion.
Perkin's Perfect Purple: How a Boy Created Color with Chemistry
Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn
Illustrator: Francesca Sanna
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Trying for a medical breakthrough, a chemistry student discovered a new shade to satisfy Queen Victoria's wish for a purple gown. Playfully illustrated. Rich historical and scientific back matter.
Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn
Illustrator: Francesca Sanna
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Trying for a medical breakthrough, a chemistry student discovered a new shade to satisfy Queen Victoria's wish for a purple gown. Playfully illustrated. Rich historical and scientific back matter.
Phoenix of Persia, The
Sally Pomme Clayton
Illustrator: Amin Hassanzadeh Sharif
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A firebird rears a baby abandoned by his royal father. Deeply-colored scratchboard illustrations. A QR code gives access to the story told with music.
Sally Pomme Clayton
Illustrator: Amin Hassanzadeh Sharif
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A firebird rears a baby abandoned by his royal father. Deeply-colored scratchboard illustrations. A QR code gives access to the story told with music.
Pig War, The: How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share
Emma Bland Smith
Illustrator: Alison Jay
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
In 1859, the US and England almost go to war over the shooting of a pig. Alkyd paints on paper. Timeline, resources, and author's notes.
Emma Bland Smith
Illustrator: Alison Jay
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
In 1859, the US and England almost go to war over the shooting of a pig. Alkyd paints on paper. Timeline, resources, and author's notes.
Pika Country: Climate Change at the top of the World
Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and Marlo Garnsworthy
Illustrator: Dan Hartman (photographs) and Marlo Garnsworthy (diagrams)
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
The alpine habitat, shrinking due to climate change, threatens the pika's existence, which in turn threatens their ecosystem. Photographs and diagrams enhance text.
Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and Marlo Garnsworthy
Illustrator: Dan Hartman (photographs) and Marlo Garnsworthy (diagrams)
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
The alpine habitat, shrinking due to climate change, threatens the pika's existence, which in turn threatens their ecosystem. Photographs and diagrams enhance text.
Pitter Pattern
Joyce Hesselberth
Illustrator: Joyce Hesselberth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Lu, her family, and friends find patterns in nature, music, dance, the city, and their homes. Vibrant multimedia and digital pictures help readers detect these designs.
Joyce Hesselberth
Illustrator: Joyce Hesselberth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Lu, her family, and friends find patterns in nature, music, dance, the city, and their homes. Vibrant multimedia and digital pictures help readers detect these designs.
Plants Fight Back: Discover the Clever Adaptations Plants Use to Survive
Lisa J. Amstutz
Illustrator: Rebecca Evans
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Dynamic bold color illustrations and rhymed text introduce the various defenses plants employ from chemicals to help survive predators. Glossary, activities.
Lisa J. Amstutz
Illustrator: Rebecca Evans
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Dynamic bold color illustrations and rhymed text introduce the various defenses plants employ from chemicals to help survive predators. Glossary, activities.
Power of Her Pen, The: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrator: John Parra
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Fighting discrimination all her life, Ethel Payne combined her talent for writing and determination for justice to take her from her Chicago childhood to the White House press corps in 1954, where she remained for almost 50 years. Stylized acrylic illustrations.
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrator: John Parra
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Fighting discrimination all her life, Ethel Payne combined her talent for writing and determination for justice to take her from her Chicago childhood to the White House press corps in 1954, where she remained for almost 50 years. Stylized acrylic illustrations.
President of the Jungle, The
Paula Desgualdo, Pedro Markun
Illustrator: Andre Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Unhappy with things King Lion is doing, the animals decide to vote for a new president. Digital cut-paper and charcoal illustrations.
Paula Desgualdo, Pedro Markun
Illustrator: Andre Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Unhappy with things King Lion is doing, the animals decide to vote for a new president. Digital cut-paper and charcoal illustrations.
Queen of Physics
by Teresa Robeson
Illustrator: Rebecca Huang
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Madam Wu succeeded as a nuclear physicist but never received the Nobel Prize given to her male fellow researchers. Expressive illustrations. Back matter.
by Teresa Robeson
Illustrator: Rebecca Huang
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Madam Wu succeeded as a nuclear physicist but never received the Nobel Prize given to her male fellow researchers. Expressive illustrations. Back matter.
Quiet Girl, A
Peter Carnavas
Illustrator: Peter Carnavas
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Mary is keenly in tune with the natural world but so soft-spoken that her gentle ways are overlooked. Watercolor illustrations. Mindfulness tips included.
Peter Carnavas
Illustrator: Peter Carnavas
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Mary is keenly in tune with the natural world but so soft-spoken that her gentle ways are overlooked. Watercolor illustrations. Mindfulness tips included.
Rare and Blue: Finding Nature's Treasures
Constance Van Hoven
Illustrator: Alan Marks
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Eight species of blue coloration, their habitat and current status, are presented with simple, lyrical text. Detailed illustrations. Back matter includes bibliography and definitions.
Constance Van Hoven
Illustrator: Alan Marks
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Eight species of blue coloration, their habitat and current status, are presented with simple, lyrical text. Detailed illustrations. Back matter includes bibliography and definitions.