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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Birds
by Penelope Arlon
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Fun facts about a variety of birds ranging from hummingbirds to eagles, depicted with amazing, detailed color photographs.
by Penelope Arlon
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Fun facts about a variety of birds ranging from hummingbirds to eagles, depicted with amazing, detailed color photographs.
Blizzard
written and illustrated by John Rocco
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Snowed in for days, a young boy devises a way to get to the store for supplies for his family and his neighbors. Pencil, watercolor and digital paintings.
written and illustrated by John Rocco
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Snowed in for days, a young boy devises a way to get to the store for supplies for his family and his neighbors. Pencil, watercolor and digital paintings.
Bow-Wow's Nightmare Neighbors
written and illustrated by Mark Newgarden
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Witty, weird, and wordless cartoons tell the story of Bow-Wow's attempt to rescue his stolen dog-bed from the odd cats across the street. Visual puns, puzzles.
written and illustrated by Mark Newgarden
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Witty, weird, and wordless cartoons tell the story of Bow-Wow's attempt to rescue his stolen dog-bed from the odd cats across the street. Visual puns, puzzles.
Brother Hugo and the Bear
by Katy Beebe
Illustrator: S. D. Schindler
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Brother Hugo must craft another manuscript after a bear eats the original--a library book that must be returned. Ink and watercolors illustrate medieval life.
by Katy Beebe
Illustrator: S. D. Schindler
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Brother Hugo must craft another manuscript after a bear eats the original--a library book that must be returned. Ink and watercolors illustrate medieval life.
Bruno and Lulu's Playground Adventures
by Patricia Lakin
Illustrator: Kirstie Edmunds
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Two friends, a squirrel and a chipmunk, enjoy a rollicking time together, by mixing pretend play with action. Bold, colorful digital illustrations.
by Patricia Lakin
Illustrator: Kirstie Edmunds
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Two friends, a squirrel and a chipmunk, enjoy a rollicking time together, by mixing pretend play with action. Bold, colorful digital illustrations.
Buried Sunlight
by Molly Bang
Illustrator: Molly Bang
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Fossil fuels, how humans have used them, and the effect on climate change are explained clearly from the sun's perspective. Full-page, brightly colored art.
by Molly Bang
Illustrator: Molly Bang
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Fossil fuels, how humans have used them, and the effect on climate change are explained clearly from the sun's perspective. Full-page, brightly colored art.
Catch that Cookie!
by Hallie Durand
Illustrator: David Small
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
A class follows clues to discover if gingerbread cookies run. Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations.
by Hallie Durand
Illustrator: David Small
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
A class follows clues to discover if gingerbread cookies run. Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations.
Chik Chak Shabbat
by Mara Rockliff
Illustrator: Kyrsten Brooker
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Every Sabbath, true to her grandmother's tradition, a young woman invites her neighbors to a cholent dinner, but when she becomes ill, they bring their own traditional dishes. Oil paint and collage illustrations create a folk-like atmosphere.
by Mara Rockliff
Illustrator: Kyrsten Brooker
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Every Sabbath, true to her grandmother's tradition, a young woman invites her neighbors to a cholent dinner, but when she becomes ill, they bring their own traditional dishes. Oil paint and collage illustrations create a folk-like atmosphere.
Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache
by Greg Rodgers
Illustrator: Leslie Stall Widener
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
In this Choctaw folk tale, Chukfi, the trickster rabbit, lets laziness and greed rule his choices. Humorous ink and watercolor illustrations.
by Greg Rodgers
Illustrator: Leslie Stall Widener
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
In this Choctaw folk tale, Chukfi, the trickster rabbit, lets laziness and greed rule his choices. Humorous ink and watercolor illustrations.
Circle, Square, Moose
by Kelly Bingham
Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Moose and Zebra continue their playful friendship while exploring shapes. Dynamic illustrations celebrate geometry.
by Kelly Bingham
Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Moose and Zebra continue their playful friendship while exploring shapes. Dynamic illustrations celebrate geometry.
Coming Home
written and illustrated by Greg Ruth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
In this nearly wordless picture book, a boy anxiously awaits a soldier's return. Handsome graphite, chalk, and watercolor illustrations stirringly capture his anticipation.
written and illustrated by Greg Ruth
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
In this nearly wordless picture book, a boy anxiously awaits a soldier's return. Handsome graphite, chalk, and watercolor illustrations stirringly capture his anticipation.
Coyote Run
written and illustrated by Gaetan Dorémus
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
In this wordless tale, coyote breaks out of jail and a wild chase ensues. Will she make her escape? Cross-hatched colored pencil illustrations.
written and illustrated by Gaetan Dorémus
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
In this wordless tale, coyote breaks out of jail and a wild chase ensues. Will she make her escape? Cross-hatched colored pencil illustrations.
Creature Features
by Steve Jenkins
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Animals explain why their faces have feathers, tusks, bright colors, long tongues, or big beaks. Colorful cut-paper collages.
by Steve Jenkins
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Animals explain why their faces have feathers, tusks, bright colors, long tongues, or big beaks. Colorful cut-paper collages.
Dear Malala, We Stand with You
by Rosemary McCarney
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Rich color photographs illustrate a composite letter to Malala Yousafzai from girls who have faced educational discrimination and were inspired by Malala's work for girls' rights.
by Rosemary McCarney
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Rich color photographs illustrate a composite letter to Malala Yousafzai from girls who have faced educational discrimination and were inspired by Malala's work for girls' rights.
Dear Wandering Wildebeest and Other Poems from the Water Hole
by Irene Latham
Illustrator: Anna Wadham
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Visit a water hole on an African savannah. Poems and soft illustrations describe the animals as they gather there to drink. Glossary, bibliography, web sites.
by Irene Latham
Illustrator: Anna Wadham
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Visit a water hole on an African savannah. Poems and soft illustrations describe the animals as they gather there to drink. Glossary, bibliography, web sites.
Dolphin Dive (Scholastic Discover More Readers)
by James Buckley, Jr.
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
These smart mammals live in pods, hunt and feed together, communicate, and swim fast. Color photographs above and below the water.
by James Buckley, Jr.
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
These smart mammals live in pods, hunt and feed together, communicate, and swim fast. Color photographs above and below the water.
Dolphin SOS
by Roy Miki
Illustrator: Julie Flett
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
When three dolphins get trapped by ice, a community bands together to save them. Spare, textured illustrations evoke the Newfoundland winter and keep the focus on the stranded mammals.
by Roy Miki
Illustrator: Julie Flett
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
When three dolphins get trapped by ice, a community bands together to save them. Spare, textured illustrations evoke the Newfoundland winter and keep the focus on the stranded mammals.
Drop It, Rocket
written and illustrated by Tad Hills
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Beloved character Rocket returns with his teacher, the little yellow bird, seeking new words to read. Gentle, expressive colored pencil and acrylic painted illustrations.
written and illustrated by Tad Hills
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Beloved character Rocket returns with his teacher, the little yellow bird, seeking new words to read. Gentle, expressive colored pencil and acrylic painted illustrations.
Edible Colors
written and illustrated by Jennifer Vogel Bass
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Well-known and very unusual vegetables and fruits are grouped by their colors with surprising results! Bright labeled photographs.
written and illustrated by Jennifer Vogel Bass
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Well-known and very unusual vegetables and fruits are grouped by their colors with surprising results! Bright labeled photographs.
Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas
by Lynne Cox
Illustrator: Brian Floca
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
An elephant seal finds a home on the Avon River in a New Zealand town. Based on a true story and illustrated in pen and ink and watercolor. Includes a photograph of Elizabeth.
by Lynne Cox
Illustrator: Brian Floca
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
An elephant seal finds a home on the Avon River in a New Zealand town. Based on a true story and illustrated in pen and ink and watercolor. Includes a photograph of Elizabeth.
Emily's Blue Period
by Cathleen Daly
Illustrator: Lisa Brown
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
When her parents divorce, artist Emily, inspired by Picasso, enters her “blue period.” Discovering collage helps her piece her life together. Unique cartoon features and text-matching palette.
by Cathleen Daly
Illustrator: Lisa Brown
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
When her parents divorce, artist Emily, inspired by Picasso, enters her “blue period.” Discovering collage helps her piece her life together. Unique cartoon features and text-matching palette.
Families Around the World
by Margriet Ruurs
Illustrator: Jessica Rae Gordon
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Celebrate diversity as you meet fourteen families from around the world and see their different structures, religions, culture, and food. Mixed-media illustrations.
by Margriet Ruurs
Illustrator: Jessica Rae Gordon
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Celebrate diversity as you meet fourteen families from around the world and see their different structures, religions, culture, and food. Mixed-media illustrations.
Firebird
by Misty Copeland
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
An African American dancer encourages a girl who is unsure of herself to live her stage dreams. Dramatic, full-color collages capture the beauty and drama of the Firebird ballet.
by Misty Copeland
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
An African American dancer encourages a girl who is unsure of herself to live her stage dreams. Dramatic, full-color collages capture the beauty and drama of the Firebird ballet.
Flora and the Penguin
written and illustrated by Molly Idle
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Ice-skating Flora discovers the joy of true friendship in a wordless tale that unfolds with flaps, fold-out pages and delicately hued illustrations.
written and illustrated by Molly Idle
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
Ice-skating Flora discovers the joy of true friendship in a wordless tale that unfolds with flaps, fold-out pages and delicately hued illustrations.
Fly Away
by Patricia MacLachlan
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
While in North Dakota helping her Aunt Frankie prepare for a possible flood, Lucy finds her voice as a poet.
by Patricia MacLachlan
Ages: 6+
Published: 2014
While in North Dakota helping her Aunt Frankie prepare for a possible flood, Lucy finds her voice as a poet.