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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Blister
by Susan Shreve
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Ten-year-old Alyssa struggles with family problems and a new unfriendly school. Her spunky grandmother is an important ally.
by Susan Shreve
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Ten-year-old Alyssa struggles with family problems and a new unfriendly school. Her spunky grandmother is an important ally.
Blue
by James DeVita
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Morgan's fascination with the magnificent blue marlin leads to his own physical metamorphosis.
by James DeVita
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Morgan's fascination with the magnificent blue marlin leads to his own physical metamorphosis.
Bo & Mzzz Mad
by Sid Fleischman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
An orphan's visit to long-lost enemy relatives in the Mojave Desert becomes wilder and zanier than he expects.
by Sid Fleischman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
An orphan's visit to long-lost enemy relatives in the Mojave Desert becomes wilder and zanier than he expects.
Dad, in Spirit
by A. LaFaye
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
A closeknit family's experience with the supernatural. A humorous, uplifting tale.
by A. LaFaye
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
A closeknit family's experience with the supernatural. A humorous, uplifting tale.
Destination Gold!
by Julie Lawson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
High adventure as three young people join the 1897 Yukon Gold Rush.
by Julie Lawson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
High adventure as three young people join the 1897 Yukon Gold Rush.
Don't Bug Me!
by Pam Zollman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Finding and keeping the twenty-five bugs that she needs for a science project is a major challenge for a sixth grader.
by Pam Zollman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Finding and keeping the twenty-five bugs that she needs for a science project is a major challenge for a sixth grader.
Don't You Know There's A War On?
by Avi
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
In 1943 Howie and Denny are deeply committed to Brooklyn's war effort, but first they must prevent their teacher from being fired.
by Avi
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
In 1943 Howie and Denny are deeply committed to Brooklyn's war effort, but first they must prevent their teacher from being fired.
Everything on a Waffle
by Polly Horvath
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
An eleven-year-old is convinced that her parents, missing and presumed dead, survived a storm at sea. Spunky, macabre humor.
by Polly Horvath
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
An eleven-year-old is convinced that her parents, missing and presumed dead, survived a storm at sea. Spunky, macabre humor.
Fair Weather
by Richard Peck
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Thirteen-year-old Rosie and family members journey from their peaceful farm to bustling Chicago and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
by Richard Peck
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Thirteen-year-old Rosie and family members journey from their peaceful farm to bustling Chicago and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
Girl in Blue
by Ann Rinaldi
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Sarah grows up fast when she joins the Union Forces in 1861 and serves as a soldier, a nurse and a detective.
by Ann Rinaldi
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Sarah grows up fast when she joins the Union Forces in 1861 and serves as a soldier, a nurse and a detective.
Girl of Kosovo
by Alice Mead
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
The senseless brutality of war is chillingly conveyed by an eleven-year-old Albanian girl in Serbian Kosovo.
by Alice Mead
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
The senseless brutality of war is chillingly conveyed by an eleven-year-old Albanian girl in Serbian Kosovo.
Goose Chase
by Patrice Kindl
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
A feisty heroine in this tongue-in-cheek fairy tale wins her way to happiness despite a bumbling prince charming and various villians.
by Patrice Kindl
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
A feisty heroine in this tongue-in-cheek fairy tale wins her way to happiness despite a bumbling prince charming and various villians.
Hank's Story
by Jane Buchanan
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Twelve-year-old Hank has come west on the Orphan Train. In caring for injured animals, he learns to care for himself, too.
by Jane Buchanan
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Twelve-year-old Hank has come west on the Orphan Train. In caring for injured animals, he learns to care for himself, too.
Harry and the Poisonous Centipede
by Lynne Reid Banks
Illustrator: Tony Ross
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Harry and his best friend George venture once more into the world of “Hoo-Mins” and other dangerous animals.
by Lynne Reid Banks
Illustrator: Tony Ross
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Harry and his best friend George venture once more into the world of “Hoo-Mins” and other dangerous animals.
Horse Sense
by Jan Neubert Schultz
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Young Will Sasse shares a love of horses with Jesse James, but must come to terms with the violence of the James gang.
by Jan Neubert Schultz
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Young Will Sasse shares a love of horses with Jesse James, but must come to terms with the violence of the James gang.
How I Became an American
by Karin Gündisch
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
The difficult trip from central Europe to Youngstown, Ohio in the early 1900s as told by ten-year-old Johann. A warm family story.
by Karin Gündisch
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
The difficult trip from central Europe to Youngstown, Ohio in the early 1900s as told by ten-year-old Johann. A warm family story.
How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay
by Julia Alvarez
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
A Dominican American mother and her two children move from New York City to a Vermont famhouse. Then their very ethnic aunt comes to stay. Warm humorous.
by Julia Alvarez
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
A Dominican American mother and her two children move from New York City to a Vermont famhouse. Then their very ethnic aunt comes to stay. Warm humorous.
In the Shadow of the Alamo
by Sherry Garland
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Too young to be a soldier, Lorenzo Bonifacio, joins General Santa Anna's ragged army in Mexico's struggle to hold on to Texas.
by Sherry Garland
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Too young to be a soldier, Lorenzo Bonifacio, joins General Santa Anna's ragged army in Mexico's struggle to hold on to Texas.
Jakarta Missing
by Jane Kurtz
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Dakar's family moves back to the United States from their home in East Africa. Good depiction of the dislocation of growing up in two cultures.
by Jane Kurtz
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Dakar's family moves back to the United States from their home in East Africa. Good depiction of the dislocation of growing up in two cultures.
Jake Drake Teacher's Pet
by Andrew Clements
Illustrator: Dolores Avendano
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Third-grader Jake can't do anything wrong in his teacher's eyes, no matter how hard he tries.
by Andrew Clements
Illustrator: Dolores Avendano
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Third-grader Jake can't do anything wrong in his teacher's eyes, no matter how hard he tries.
Joshua's Song
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
After his father's death, Joshua is forced to take a job as a Boston newspaper boy and make a new life for himself.
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
After his father's death, Joshua is forced to take a job as a Boston newspaper boy and make a new life for himself.
Lord of the Deep
by Graham Salisbury
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
For thirteen-year-old Mikey, nothing can lessen the thrill of fishing off the Hawaiian coast until he encounters a troubling moral dilemma.
by Graham Salisbury
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
For thirteen-year-old Mikey, nothing can lessen the thrill of fishing off the Hawaiian coast until he encounters a troubling moral dilemma.
Love, Ruby Lavender
by Deborah Wiles
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Ruby's grandmother goes to Hawaii leaving Ruby to rescue chickens and deal with her grandfather's death. Quirky, humorous, heartfelt.
by Deborah Wiles
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
Ruby's grandmother goes to Hawaii leaving Ruby to rescue chickens and deal with her grandfather's death. Quirky, humorous, heartfelt.
Mansa Musa
by Khephra Burns
Illustrator: Leo and Diane Dillon
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
For seven years Kankan wanders across Africa listening to and learning from the tales of Tariq. He then returns to Mali, ultimately becoming king. Brilliant illustrations.
by Khephra Burns
Illustrator: Leo and Diane Dillon
Ages: 9+
Published: 2001
For seven years Kankan wanders across Africa listening to and learning from the tales of Tariq. He then returns to Mali, ultimately becoming king. Brilliant illustrations.