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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Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina
Lea Lyon and Alexandria LaFaye
Illustrator: Jessica Gibson
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
An African American girl, denied admittance to ballet school, teaches herself to dance using books from the bookmobile. Lively digitized illustrations and back matter.
Lea Lyon and Alexandria LaFaye
Illustrator: Jessica Gibson
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
An African American girl, denied admittance to ballet school, teaches herself to dance using books from the bookmobile. Lively digitized illustrations and back matter.
Remembering Ethan
Leslea Newman
Illustrator: Tracy Nishimura Bishop
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A little girl shows her parents how important it is to talk about sad things as well as happy ones. Warm illustrations. Back matter suggests how to talk about grief.
Leslea Newman
Illustrator: Tracy Nishimura Bishop
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A little girl shows her parents how important it is to talk about sad things as well as happy ones. Warm illustrations. Back matter suggests how to talk about grief.
Rescuing the Declaration of Independence: How We Almost Lost the Words that Built America
Anna Crowley Redding
Illustrator: Edwin Fotheringham
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
In 1814, Stephen Pleasonton, Secretary of State Monroe's clerk, skillfully secured the safety of crucial documents when the British threatened to burn Washington. Energetic illustrations. Well-documented.
Anna Crowley Redding
Illustrator: Edwin Fotheringham
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
In 1814, Stephen Pleasonton, Secretary of State Monroe's clerk, skillfully secured the safety of crucial documents when the British threatened to burn Washington. Energetic illustrations. Well-documented.
Ride To Remember: A Civil Rights Story, A
Sharon Langley & Amy Nathan
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Shirley Langley recalls being the first African-American child in 1963 to ride a carousel in a restricted amusement park after community protests. Author's note, timeline, bibliography.
Sharon Langley & Amy Nathan
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Shirley Langley recalls being the first African-American child in 1963 to ride a carousel in a restricted amusement park after community protests. Author's note, timeline, bibliography.
Rita & Ralph's Rotten Day
Carmen Agra Deedy
Illustrator: Pete Oswald
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
After a game goes bad, two friends find a way to meet in the middle. Based on a classic hand game. Playful digital art.
Carmen Agra Deedy
Illustrator: Pete Oswald
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
After a game goes bad, two friends find a way to meet in the middle. Based on a classic hand game. Playful digital art.
Rónán and the Mermaid: A Tale of Old Ireland
Marianne McShane
Illustrator: Jordi Solano
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A young boy, rescued by a monk, hears the song of the sea and searches for the mermaid who sang to him. Expressive ink and watercolor illustrations.
Marianne McShane
Illustrator: Jordi Solano
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A young boy, rescued by a monk, hears the song of the sea and searches for the mermaid who sang to him. Expressive ink and watercolor illustrations.
Run, Sea Turtle, Run: A Hatchling's Story
Stephen R. Swinburne
Illustrator: Guillaume Feuillet (photographer)
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Photographs depict the first months of the leatherback sea turtle, from hatching to its first swim in the ocean. Life cycle notes and actions for kids.
Stephen R. Swinburne
Illustrator: Guillaume Feuillet (photographer)
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Photographs depict the first months of the leatherback sea turtle, from hatching to its first swim in the ocean. Life cycle notes and actions for kids.
Salma the Syrian Chef
Danny Ramadan
Illustrator: Anna Bron
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Friends at a welcome center help Salma, a Syrian refugee, prepare a traditional dish, foul shami, to help ease her mother's sadness. Cheerful illustrations convey resilience.
Danny Ramadan
Illustrator: Anna Bron
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Friends at a welcome center help Salma, a Syrian refugee, prepare a traditional dish, foul shami, to help ease her mother's sadness. Cheerful illustrations convey resilience.
Sandcastle
Einat Tsarfati
Illustrator: Einat Tsarfati
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Explore each of the fanciful rooms in the sandcastle a young girl builds at the beach one summer day before the waves come. Imaginatively detailed illustrations.
Einat Tsarfati
Illustrator: Einat Tsarfati
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Explore each of the fanciful rooms in the sandcastle a young girl builds at the beach one summer day before the waves come. Imaginatively detailed illustrations.
Seed of Compassion, The: Lessons from the Life and Teaching of his Holiness the Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Illustrator: Bao Luu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Chosen from an ordinary family in Tibet, the great Buddhist spiritual leader shares his personal journey and ethical values inspired by his mother. Expressive, digital illustrations.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Illustrator: Bao Luu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Chosen from an ordinary family in Tibet, the great Buddhist spiritual leader shares his personal journey and ethical values inspired by his mother. Expressive, digital illustrations.
See the Cat: Three Stories about a Dog
David LaRochelle
Illustrator: Mike Wohnoutka
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Clever, short, repetitive sentences and expressive cartoon-like gouache illustrations create a laugh-out-loud story about a dog who everyone thinks is a cat.
David LaRochelle
Illustrator: Mike Wohnoutka
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Clever, short, repetitive sentences and expressive cartoon-like gouache illustrations create a laugh-out-loud story about a dog who everyone thinks is a cat.
She Leads: The Elephant Matriarch
June Smalls
Illustrator: Yumi Shimokawara
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Painterly illustrations on double-page spreads honor the female elephants whose love and leadership serve as enviable models for humankind. Factual matter accompanies simple, lyrical text.
June Smalls
Illustrator: Yumi Shimokawara
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Painterly illustrations on double-page spreads honor the female elephants whose love and leadership serve as enviable models for humankind. Factual matter accompanies simple, lyrical text.
She Was the First: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm
Katheryn Russell-Brown
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
With character strength evident even as a child and motivated by social consciousness, Shirley became the first Black presidential candidate. Watercolor illustrations enhance this life story.
Katheryn Russell-Brown
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
With character strength evident even as a child and motivated by social consciousness, Shirley became the first Black presidential candidate. Watercolor illustrations enhance this life story.
Simon at the Art Museum
Christina Soontornvat
Illustrator: Christine Davenier
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Simon is inclined to find visiting an art museum baffling and frustrating until he notices how people are reacting to the art. Lively, colorful illustrations.
Christina Soontornvat
Illustrator: Christine Davenier
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Simon is inclined to find visiting an art museum baffling and frustrating until he notices how people are reacting to the art. Lively, colorful illustrations.
Sleeping with the Lights On
David Unger
Illustrator: Carlos Vélez Aguilera
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
War in Guatemala changes the life of a young boy and his family. Ultimately, they flee to the United States. Black-and-white illustrations.
David Unger
Illustrator: Carlos Vélez Aguilera
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
War in Guatemala changes the life of a young boy and his family. Ultimately, they flee to the United States. Black-and-white illustrations.
Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature
Rachel Williams
Illustrator: Freya Hartas
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Selected animals and plants display the mysteries of the natural world. Accessible text and charming, painterly illustrations.
Rachel Williams
Illustrator: Freya Hartas
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Selected animals and plants display the mysteries of the natural world. Accessible text and charming, painterly illustrations.
Soraya and the Mermaid
Salima Alikhan
Illustrator: Atieh Sohrabi, Jennifer Naalehigar
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When Soraya helps a mermaid return to her ocean home, she learns that what friends want matters. Lively illustrations.
Salima Alikhan
Illustrator: Atieh Sohrabi, Jennifer Naalehigar
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
When Soraya helps a mermaid return to her ocean home, she learns that what friends want matters. Lively illustrations.
Speak Up!
Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Ebony Glenn
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Children at school find ways to make their voices heard. Colorful illustrations. Author's Note.
Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Ebony Glenn
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Children at school find ways to make their voices heard. Colorful illustrations. Author's Note.
Stand Up! Speak Out!: A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution
Andrew Joyner
Illustrator: Andrew Joyner
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Minimal text brilliantly captures a young girl's community activism, followed by examples of real young activists. Digital charcoal illustrations highlighted with green add to the charm.
Andrew Joyner
Illustrator: Andrew Joyner
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Minimal text brilliantly captures a young girl's community activism, followed by examples of real young activists. Digital charcoal illustrations highlighted with green add to the charm.
Strange Birds of Flannery O'Connor, The: A Life
Amy Alznauer
Illustrator: Ping Zhu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Flannery loved to write about all things strange and fantastical, especially birds. Bold illustrations, steeped in color, sweep across the pages. Background notes and sources.
Amy Alznauer
Illustrator: Ping Zhu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Flannery loved to write about all things strange and fantastical, especially birds. Bold illustrations, steeped in color, sweep across the pages. Background notes and sources.
Sugar in Milk
Thrity Umrigar
Illustrator: Khoa Le
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
An immigrant girl is lonely and homesick, when her auntie tells her an ancient story of Persian refugees finding a home in an Indian kingdom. Lush colorful illustrations.
Thrity Umrigar
Illustrator: Khoa Le
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
An immigrant girl is lonely and homesick, when her auntie tells her an ancient story of Persian refugees finding a home in an Indian kingdom. Lush colorful illustrations.
Swashby and the Sea
Beth Ferry
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Curmudgeonly Captain Swashby initially rebuffs his friendly new neighbors, but eventually has a change of heart after the sea intervenes. Warm, richly detailed illustrations.
Beth Ferry
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Curmudgeonly Captain Swashby initially rebuffs his friendly new neighbors, but eventually has a change of heart after the sea intervenes. Warm, richly detailed illustrations.
Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters
Suzanne Slade
Illustrator: Don Tate
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Despite racism, a black high school basketball team was catapulted to worldwide fame for their athleticism and theatrics. Energetic caricature illustrations, archival photographs. Timeline, sources, notes.
Suzanne Slade
Illustrator: Don Tate
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Despite racism, a black high school basketball team was catapulted to worldwide fame for their athleticism and theatrics. Energetic caricature illustrations, archival photographs. Timeline, sources, notes.
Teachers March! The: How Selma's Teachers Changed History
Wallace, Sandra Neil and Rich Wallace
Illustrator: Charly Palmer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A little-known aspect of the African-American fight for voting rights, the teachers' march is dramatically depicted with vibrant acrylic illustrations. Fictionalized dialogue. Timeline, bibliography.
Wallace, Sandra Neil and Rich Wallace
Illustrator: Charly Palmer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
A little-known aspect of the African-American fight for voting rights, the teachers' march is dramatically depicted with vibrant acrylic illustrations. Fictionalized dialogue. Timeline, bibliography.
Terry Fox and Me
Mary Beth Leatherdale
Illustrator: Milan Pavlovic
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Terry, once the shortest, worst athlete in his class, lost a leg to cancer but persevered to run across the width of Canada on a prosthetic leg. Pencil, crayon and ink illustrations.
Mary Beth Leatherdale
Illustrator: Milan Pavlovic
Ages: 6+
Published: 2020
Terry, once the shortest, worst athlete in his class, lost a leg to cancer but persevered to run across the width of Canada on a prosthetic leg. Pencil, crayon and ink illustrations.