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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Raquela's Seder
Joel Edward Stein
Illustrator: Sara Ugolotti
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A Passover seder celebrated during the Inquisition gives special meaning to freedom, hope, and possibility. Historical back matter. Warm, sensitive illustrations.
Joel Edward Stein
Illustrator: Sara Ugolotti
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A Passover seder celebrated during the Inquisition gives special meaning to freedom, hope, and possibility. Historical back matter. Warm, sensitive illustrations.
Revolutionary Prudence Wright: Leading the Minute Women in the Fight for Independence
Beth Anderson
Illustrator: Susan Reagan
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Freedom from British rule wasn't achieved only by men, as shown in this tribute to a courageous female warrior from Pepperell, Massachusetts. Traditional watercolor and digital illustrations.
Beth Anderson
Illustrator: Susan Reagan
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Freedom from British rule wasn't achieved only by men, as shown in this tribute to a courageous female warrior from Pepperell, Massachusetts. Traditional watercolor and digital illustrations.
Rosa's Song
Helena Ku Rhee
Illustrator: Pascal Campion
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Playful watercolor illustrations capture the mixed sadness and joy of a boy who is new to a country and highlight the power of friendship.
Helena Ku Rhee
Illustrator: Pascal Campion
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Playful watercolor illustrations capture the mixed sadness and joy of a boy who is new to a country and highlight the power of friendship.
Rosie and the Pre-loved Dress
Leanne Hatch
Illustrator: Leanne Hatch
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Finding a beautiful yellow dress at the thrift shop, Rosie imagines what the girl who once owned it did while she was wearing it. Digital illustrations with hand-painted textures.
Leanne Hatch
Illustrator: Leanne Hatch
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Finding a beautiful yellow dress at the thrift shop, Rosie imagines what the girl who once owned it did while she was wearing it. Digital illustrations with hand-painted textures.
Sal Boat (A Boat by Sal)
Thyra Heder
Illustrator: Thyra Heder
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Sal sets sail in a houseboat he created out of scraps and gumption, uniting his skeptical seaside town community. Watercolor art.
Thyra Heder
Illustrator: Thyra Heder
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Sal sets sail in a houseboat he created out of scraps and gumption, uniting his skeptical seaside town community. Watercolor art.
Sea in the Way, The
Sophie Gilmore
Illustrator: Sophie Gilmore
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Badger resents the sea for keeping him and his friend Bear far apart. But the sea teaches Badger that closeness and distance need not be mutually exclusive. Gentle watercolor and ink illustrations.
Sophie Gilmore
Illustrator: Sophie Gilmore
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Badger resents the sea for keeping him and his friend Bear far apart. But the sea teaches Badger that closeness and distance need not be mutually exclusive. Gentle watercolor and ink illustrations.
Secret of the Jade Bangle, The (Nguyen Kids series)
Linda Trinh
Illustrator: Clayton Nguyen
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Grandma Nội left gifts for each of her grandchildren. Anne discovers her gift just might help her make a place for herself in a community that is not always welcoming. Digital black-and-white illustrations.
Linda Trinh
Illustrator: Clayton Nguyen
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Grandma Nội left gifts for each of her grandchildren. Anne discovers her gift just might help her make a place for herself in a community that is not always welcoming. Digital black-and-white illustrations.
Serengeti: Plains of Grass
Leslie Bulion
Illustrator: Becca Stadtlander
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
The survival of plant and animal life in delicate balance are described in poetic form taken from Swahili utendi verse. Immersive gouache and pastel artwork. Glossary. Back matter.
Leslie Bulion
Illustrator: Becca Stadtlander
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
The survival of plant and animal life in delicate balance are described in poetic form taken from Swahili utendi verse. Immersive gouache and pastel artwork. Glossary. Back matter.
Snow Horses: A First Night Story
Patricia MacLachlan
Illustrator: Micha Archer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
In a snow-covered countryside, a horse-drawn sleigh picks up young and old for a joyous community New Year's Eve celebration. Collage and ink capture sparkling wintry landscapes.
Patricia MacLachlan
Illustrator: Micha Archer
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
In a snow-covered countryside, a horse-drawn sleigh picks up young and old for a joyous community New Year's Eve celebration. Collage and ink capture sparkling wintry landscapes.
Song of the Nightingale, The
Tanya Landman
Illustrator: Laura Carlin
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Rich, lyrical prose and lively mixed-media illustrations bring to life a fable of how the animals got their colors and the nightingale got its song.
Tanya Landman
Illustrator: Laura Carlin
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Rich, lyrical prose and lively mixed-media illustrations bring to life a fable of how the animals got their colors and the nightingale got its song.
Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Journey through more than 400 years of Black history, from enslavement to the Black Lives Matter movement, by way of this popular spiritual. Rich oil illustrations.
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Journey through more than 400 years of Black history, from enslavement to the Black Lives Matter movement, by way of this popular spiritual. Rich oil illustrations.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost
Illustrator: P. J. Lynch
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Atmospheric gouache and watercolor illustrations depict a brave young girl traveling through snowy woods on horseback at night, giving this classic, century-old poem a new interpretation.
Robert Frost
Illustrator: P. J. Lynch
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Atmospheric gouache and watercolor illustrations depict a brave young girl traveling through snowy woods on horseback at night, giving this classic, century-old poem a new interpretation.
Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Mara Rockliff
Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
An early civil rights hero's legendary cooking sustained both the celebrated and the unsung champions of the 1956 Montgomery bus boycott. Painterly artwork.
Mara Rockliff
Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
An early civil rights hero's legendary cooking sustained both the celebrated and the unsung champions of the 1956 Montgomery bus boycott. Painterly artwork.
Sweet New Year for Ren, A
Michelle Sterling
Illustrator: Dung Ho
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Ren is finally old enough to participate in making her favorite Lunar New Year dessert, the pineapple cake. Vivid illustrations bring a New Year feast alive. Recipe included.
Michelle Sterling
Illustrator: Dung Ho
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Ren is finally old enough to participate in making her favorite Lunar New Year dessert, the pineapple cake. Vivid illustrations bring a New Year feast alive. Recipe included.
Talk, The
Alicia D. Williams
Illustrator: Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Jay, excited about growing older, has the difficult conversation with his family about growing up Black in a racist society. Digital illustrations.
Alicia D. Williams
Illustrator: Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Jay, excited about growing older, has the difficult conversation with his family about growing up Black in a racist society. Digital illustrations.
This Will Pass
J. Donnini
Illustrator: Luke Scriven
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A great-uncle helps tame his timid great-nephew's anxiety about storms by explaining that they are temporary. Full-page watercolor and gouache illustrations.
J. Donnini
Illustrator: Luke Scriven
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A great-uncle helps tame his timid great-nephew's anxiety about storms by explaining that they are temporary. Full-page watercolor and gouache illustrations.
Three Billy Goats Gruff, The
Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Two goats cross a hungry troll's bridge without being eaten by tricking him into believing that the next goat will be even larger and tastier. Muted, dramatic mixed media art.
Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Two goats cross a hungry troll's bridge without being eaten by tricking him into believing that the next goat will be even larger and tastier. Muted, dramatic mixed media art.
Tide Pool Waits, The
Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Amy Hevron
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Myriad inhabitants of a coastal tide pool adapt to the twice-daily dry periods, awaiting the rush of ocean water at high tide. Vibrant illustrations. Comprehensive back matter.
Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Amy Hevron
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Myriad inhabitants of a coastal tide pool adapt to the twice-daily dry periods, awaiting the rush of ocean water at high tide. Vibrant illustrations. Comprehensive back matter.
Told and Retold: Around the World with Aesop's Fables
Holly Berry
Illustrator: Holly Berry
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Collaged linoleum block prints on colored paper support and extend "The Ants and the Grasshopper," "The Lion and the Mouse," and other tales collected from many regions.
Holly Berry
Illustrator: Holly Berry
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Collaged linoleum block prints on colored paper support and extend "The Ants and the Grasshopper," "The Lion and the Mouse," and other tales collected from many regions.
Too Pig to Fail (A Batpig Book series)
Rob Harrell
Illustrator: Rob Harrell
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
With his sidekicks and quick wits, Batpig faces new villains! Colorful cartoon illustrations.
Rob Harrell
Illustrator: Rob Harrell
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
With his sidekicks and quick wits, Batpig faces new villains! Colorful cartoon illustrations.
Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls (Too Small Tola series)
Atinuke
Illustrator: Onyinye Iwu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Tola is a great help to her family in Lagos, Nigeria, because although she's small, her wits and determination aren't. Detailed black-and-white illustrations.
Atinuke
Illustrator: Onyinye Iwu
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Tola is a great help to her family in Lagos, Nigeria, because although she's small, her wits and determination aren't. Detailed black-and-white illustrations.
Treasure Box, The
Dave Keane
Illustrator: Rahele Jomepour Bell
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Colorful realistic illustrations -- scanned handmade textures digitally collaged -- and simple text depict the special bond between a young girl and her grandparents.
Dave Keane
Illustrator: Rahele Jomepour Bell
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Colorful realistic illustrations -- scanned handmade textures digitally collaged -- and simple text depict the special bond between a young girl and her grandparents.
Tree of Hope, The: The Miraculous Rescue of Puerto Rico's Beloved Banyan
Anna Orenstein-Cardona
Illustrator: Juan Manuel Moreno
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A beloved, ancient tree is brought back to life by the people of San Juan after Hurricane Maria hits Puerto Rico in 2017. Realistic illustrations.
Anna Orenstein-Cardona
Illustrator: Juan Manuel Moreno
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A beloved, ancient tree is brought back to life by the people of San Juan after Hurricane Maria hits Puerto Rico in 2017. Realistic illustrations.
Tunnel, The
Sarah Howden
Illustrator: Erika Rodriguez Medina
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A young boy's sorrow is rendered in mostly greyscale illustrations and poignantly simple text, showing how healing is incremental and different for everyone.
Sarah Howden
Illustrator: Erika Rodriguez Medina
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
A young boy's sorrow is rendered in mostly greyscale illustrations and poignantly simple text, showing how healing is incremental and different for everyone.
Uncle John's City Garden
Bernette G. Ford
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Having permission to garden a city lot, Uncle John's two nieces and nephew help him there, from plowing and planting to harvesting and eating. Oil and spray-painted illustrations.
Bernette G. Ford
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Ages: 6+
Published: 2022
Having permission to garden a city lot, Uncle John's two nieces and nephew help him there, from plowing and planting to harvesting and eating. Oil and spray-painted illustrations.