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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Adventures of Invisible Boy, The (The Adventures of Invisible Boy series)
Doogie Horner
Illustrator: Doogie Horner
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
After two boys become invisible when a science project goes awry. they each use their invisibility for very different purposes. Fast-paced dialogue and bright illustrations convey a story of humor and heart.
Doogie Horner
Illustrator: Doogie Horner
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
After two boys become invisible when a science project goes awry. they each use their invisibility for very different purposes. Fast-paced dialogue and bright illustrations convey a story of humor and heart.
Amazing Abe: How Abraham Cahan's Newspaper Gave a Voice to Jewish Immigrants
Norman H. Finkelstein
Illustrator: Vesper Stamper
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
An immigrant from Russia cofounded, and for 50 years edited, the Yiddish language newspaper Forverts (the Forward), offering guidance and advice along with the news. Colorful gouache illustrations. Back matter.
Norman H. Finkelstein
Illustrator: Vesper Stamper
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
An immigrant from Russia cofounded, and for 50 years edited, the Yiddish language newspaper Forverts (the Forward), offering guidance and advice along with the news. Colorful gouache illustrations. Back matter.
Amil and the After
Veera Hiranandani
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
After fleeing with his family from Pakistan to India in 1947 following the partition, Amil, 12, struggles to cope through his drawings. Spot pencil illustrations. Glossary. Author's note.
Veera Hiranandani
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
After fleeing with his family from Pakistan to India in 1947 following the partition, Amil, 12, struggles to cope through his drawings. Spot pencil illustrations. Glossary. Author's note.
And Yet You Shine: The Kohinoor Diamond, Colonization, and Resistance
Supriya Kelkar
Illustrator: Supriya Kelkar
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Two South Asian children guide readers through the tumultuous, centuries-long journey of their land's magnificent gem. Stolen by oppressors, recut, and resized, it remains undimmed. Lyrical text. Stylized collage illustrations. Back matter.
Supriya Kelkar
Illustrator: Supriya Kelkar
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Two South Asian children guide readers through the tumultuous, centuries-long journey of their land's magnificent gem. Stolen by oppressors, recut, and resized, it remains undimmed. Lyrical text. Stylized collage illustrations. Back matter.
Animal Climate Heroes!
Alison Pearce Stevens
Illustrator: Jason Ford
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Whales, sea otters, elephants, echidnas and other creatures contribute to improving the climate in surprising ways. Cartoon-style greyscale art. Advice on participating in climate activism
Alison Pearce Stevens
Illustrator: Jason Ford
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Whales, sea otters, elephants, echidnas and other creatures contribute to improving the climate in surprising ways. Cartoon-style greyscale art. Advice on participating in climate activism
Animal Tales from India: Ten Stories from the Panchatantra (Nosy Crow Classics series )
Nikita Gill
Illustrator: Chaaya Prabhat
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Fables about clever jackals, proud elephant queens, singing donkeys, and other animals from the famous Sanskrit text, with a voice that speaks directly to readers. Deeply colored lush illustrations.
Nikita Gill
Illustrator: Chaaya Prabhat
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Fables about clever jackals, proud elephant queens, singing donkeys, and other animals from the famous Sanskrit text, with a voice that speaks directly to readers. Deeply colored lush illustrations.
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness
Mai K. Nguyen
Illustrator: Mai K. Nguyen, colors by Diana Tsai Santos
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A Japanese American girl, facing racist taunts at school, finds herself whisked to the Shinto underworld, where she is called on to rescue spirits of the departed from limbo. Energetic illustrations.
Mai K. Nguyen
Illustrator: Mai K. Nguyen, colors by Diana Tsai Santos
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A Japanese American girl, facing racist taunts at school, finds herself whisked to the Shinto underworld, where she is called on to rescue spirits of the departed from limbo. Energetic illustrations.
Asteroid vs. Comet (Cosmic Collisions series)
Dr. Marc J. Kuchner
Illustrator: Matt Schu
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Who will survive the smackdown between a dense minor planet and a speedy falling star in this celestial contest? Dramatic accessible text. Vivid detailed illustrations. Illuminating endpapers.
Dr. Marc J. Kuchner
Illustrator: Matt Schu
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Who will survive the smackdown between a dense minor planet and a speedy falling star in this celestial contest? Dramatic accessible text. Vivid detailed illustrations. Illuminating endpapers.
Aunt Sue's Stories
Langston Hughes
Illustrator: Gary Kelley
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
In this Harlem Renaissance poem, paired with bold, emotional illustrations, a child listens intently to his aunt's tales of life as an enslaved person.
Langston Hughes
Illustrator: Gary Kelley
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
In this Harlem Renaissance poem, paired with bold, emotional illustrations, a child listens intently to his aunt's tales of life as an enslaved person.
Barracoon
Zora Neale Hurston, adapted by Ibram X. Kendi
Illustrator: Jazzmen Lee-Johnson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
In 1927 anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston interviewed Cudjo Lewis, one of the last people living who had been brought from Africa and enslaved in the United States. Dramatic black-and-white prints throughout. Young readers edition.
Zora Neale Hurston, adapted by Ibram X. Kendi
Illustrator: Jazzmen Lee-Johnson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
In 1927 anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston interviewed Cudjo Lewis, one of the last people living who had been brought from Africa and enslaved in the United States. Dramatic black-and-white prints throughout. Young readers edition.
Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World
Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A young girl who became one of the leading naturalists of the 20th century helped save and restore important wetlands and other wild places. Watercolor illustrations. Back matter.
Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A young girl who became one of the leading naturalists of the 20th century helped save and restore important wetlands and other wild places. Watercolor illustrations. Back matter.
Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood
Leah Johnson, editor
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Upbeat collection of short stories and poems by contemporary Black female authors, reflecting the joy, strength, and experiences of Black girls today.
Leah Johnson, editor
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Upbeat collection of short stories and poems by contemporary Black female authors, reflecting the joy, strength, and experiences of Black girls today.
Bog Myrtle
Sid Sharp
Illustrator: Sid Sharp
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Happy-go-lucky Beatrice receives magic yarn from a spider witch, but her crabby sister Magnolia exploits the material to start a business. Wacky mixed-media panel illustrations.
Sid Sharp
Illustrator: Sid Sharp
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Happy-go-lucky Beatrice receives magic yarn from a spider witch, but her crabby sister Magnolia exploits the material to start a business. Wacky mixed-media panel illustrations.
Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park
Lori Alexander
Illustrator: Jenn Ely
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A wealthy socialite saved a threatened California desert, by bringing elaborate natural displays to major cities to inspire awe and encourage stewardship. Mixed-media illustrations. Extensive back matter.
Lori Alexander
Illustrator: Jenn Ely
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A wealthy socialite saved a threatened California desert, by bringing elaborate natural displays to major cities to inspire awe and encourage stewardship. Mixed-media illustrations. Extensive back matter.
Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos
Nathalie Alonso
Illustrator: Rudy Gutierrez
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Press and fans initially devalued the contributions of one of baseball's greatest players, who always wore his Black and Puerto Rican heritage with pride. Impressionistic illustrations. Time line, glossary, sources.
Nathalie Alonso
Illustrator: Rudy Gutierrez
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Press and fans initially devalued the contributions of one of baseball's greatest players, who always wore his Black and Puerto Rican heritage with pride. Impressionistic illustrations. Time line, glossary, sources.
Circuit, The
Francisco Jiménez, adapted by Andrew J. Rostan
Illustrator: Celia Jacobs
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A young family from Guadalajara, Mexico, are now migrant farm workers in California and constantly fearful of immigration authorities. Together they resolutely face exhausting labor and meager comforts. Warmly colored panels. Glossary.
Francisco Jiménez, adapted by Andrew J. Rostan
Illustrator: Celia Jacobs
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
A young family from Guadalajara, Mexico, are now migrant farm workers in California and constantly fearful of immigration authorities. Together they resolutely face exhausting labor and meager comforts. Warmly colored panels. Glossary.
Color of Sound, The
Emily Barth Isler
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Everyone knows that 12-year-old Rosie is a violin prodigy, but no one knows that she sees music in colors. Can she confide in Shanna, the mysterious girl?
Emily Barth Isler
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Everyone knows that 12-year-old Rosie is a violin prodigy, but no one knows that she sees music in colors. Can she confide in Shanna, the mysterious girl?
Colossal Words for Kids: 75 Tremendous Words— Neatly Defined to Stick in the Mind.
Colette Hiller
Illustrator: Tor Freeman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Selected vocabulary, defined in rhymed poems and peppered with wordplay and quotes from literary figures, challenges children to discover the richness of language. Colorful, whimsical illustrations.
Colette Hiller
Illustrator: Tor Freeman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Selected vocabulary, defined in rhymed poems and peppered with wordplay and quotes from literary figures, challenges children to discover the richness of language. Colorful, whimsical illustrations.
Comet Chaser: The True Cinderella Story of Caroline Herschel, the First Professional Woman Astronomer
Pamela S. Turner
Illustrator: Vivien Mildenberger
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
With the aid of her brother, an 18th-century German girl destined for a life of housework became a feted cosmologist. Dark impressionistic illustrations evoke a sense of the cosmos. Endnotes. Bibliography.
Pamela S. Turner
Illustrator: Vivien Mildenberger
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
With the aid of her brother, an 18th-century German girl destined for a life of housework became a feted cosmologist. Dark impressionistic illustrations evoke a sense of the cosmos. Endnotes. Bibliography.
Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story/Tutuqaykingaqw Nima Hopisino Pahan Tutqayiwuy Ep Yorhomti
Mavasta Honyouti
Illustrator: Mavasta Honyouti
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Mavasta retells the story of his grandfather's unhappy life at a residential boarding school for Native Americans. Hand-carved painted wood panels recreate the events effectively. Extensive back matter
Mavasta Honyouti
Illustrator: Mavasta Honyouti
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Mavasta retells the story of his grandfather's unhappy life at a residential boarding school for Native Americans. Hand-carved painted wood panels recreate the events effectively. Extensive back matter
Continental Drifter
Kathy MacLeod
Illustrator: Kathy MacLeod
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Kathy's blended Thai American family lives in Bangkok. A trip to her father's family in Maine has her wondering where, if anywhere, she belongs. Detailed digital illustrations.
Kathy MacLeod
Illustrator: Kathy MacLeod
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Kathy's blended Thai American family lives in Bangkok. A trip to her father's family in Maine has her wondering where, if anywhere, she belongs. Detailed digital illustrations.
Coyote Lost and Found (Coyote Sunrise series)
Dan Gemeinhart
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
After a year of processing the tragic loss of her mother and sisters, Coyote uncovers a secret that leads her and her father on a journey of change and discovery.
Dan Gemeinhart
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
After a year of processing the tragic loss of her mother and sisters, Coyote uncovers a secret that leads her and her father on a journey of change and discovery.
Crown of Stories, A: The Life and Language of Beloved Writer Toni Morrison
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Khalif Tahir Thompson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Passionate about books even as a young child, Morrison grew up to become the first Black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. Acrylic, oil, collage, and homemade paper illustrations. Time line. Back matter.
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Khalif Tahir Thompson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Passionate about books even as a young child, Morrison grew up to become the first Black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. Acrylic, oil, collage, and homemade paper illustrations. Time line. Back matter.
Cruzita and the Mariacheros
Ashley Granillo
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Cruzita, 12, works in the family's failing bakery during summer vacation. Pressured to take mariachi lessons, she learns about a music contest that could save the family business.
Ashley Granillo
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Cruzita, 12, works in the family's failing bakery during summer vacation. Pressured to take mariachi lessons, she learns about a music contest that could save the family business.
Curveball
Pablo Cartaya
Illustrator: Miguel Díaz Rivas, colors by Lauren "Perry" Wheeler
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Latinx baseball-playing middle schooler Elena Rueda uses a minor injury to escape her mother's pressures and tries live-action role-playing with her brother and his friends. Vibrant cartoon panels.
Pablo Cartaya
Illustrator: Miguel Díaz Rivas, colors by Lauren "Perry" Wheeler
Ages: 9+
Published: 2024
Latinx baseball-playing middle schooler Elena Rueda uses a minor injury to escape her mother's pressures and tries live-action role-playing with her brother and his friends. Vibrant cartoon panels.