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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Don't Stand So Close to Me
Eric Walters
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Thirteen-year-old Quinn and her classmates work through their new realities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Eric Walters
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Thirteen-year-old Quinn and her classmates work through their new realities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon
Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrator: Laura Freeman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A math and art loving child grows up to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mixed-media illustrations, endnotes.
Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrator: Laura Freeman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A math and art loving child grows up to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mixed-media illustrations, endnotes.
Duck Days
Sara Leach
Illustrator: Rebecca Bender
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Initially wary of new friendships and a school mountain biking day, third grader Lauren learns strategies to navigate life situations with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Line drawings.
Sara Leach
Illustrator: Rebecca Bender
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Initially wary of new friendships and a school mountain biking day, third grader Lauren learns strategies to navigate life situations with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Line drawings.
Embassy of the Dead
Will Mabbitt
Illustrator: Taryn Knight
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
The Embassy governs the use of magic, but Jake has no idea there are ghosts until he opens the wrong package. Engaging black-and-white illustrations.
Will Mabbitt
Illustrator: Taryn Knight
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
The Embassy governs the use of magic, but Jake has no idea there are ghosts until he opens the wrong package. Engaging black-and-white illustrations.
Escape of Robert Smalls, The
Jehan Jones-Radgowski
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A perilous plan to steal a loaded Confederate munitions ship at night hinges on the enslaved man's ability to impersonate a white captain. Evocative illustrations, glossary, map, sources.
Jehan Jones-Radgowski
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A perilous plan to steal a loaded Confederate munitions ship at night hinges on the enslaved man's ability to impersonate a white captain. Evocative illustrations, glossary, map, sources.
Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch (Eva Evergreen series)
Julie Abe
Illustrator: Shan Jiang
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
With some help from her friends, an apprentice witch learns to believe in herself. Then her magic grows!
Julie Abe
Illustrator: Shan Jiang
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
With some help from her friends, an apprentice witch learns to believe in herself. Then her magic grows!
Eye by Eye: Comparing How Animals See
Sara Levine
Illustrator: T. S. Spookytooth
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
What animal's eyes are at the end of its arms? How many eyes does a spider have? Humorous illustrations help you see the answers.
Sara Levine
Illustrator: T. S. Spookytooth
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
What animal's eyes are at the end of its arms? How many eyes does a spider have? Humorous illustrations help you see the answers.
Farmers Unite!
Lindsay H. Metcalf
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
In the late 1970s, when they earned less selling crops than it cost to produce them, farmers took to the streets on their tractors, demanding support from the government. Archival photographs. Meticulously sourced.
Lindsay H. Metcalf
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
In the late 1970s, when they earned less selling crops than it cost to produce them, farmers took to the streets on their tractors, demanding support from the government. Archival photographs. Meticulously sourced.
Five Things About Ava Andrews
Margaret Dilloway
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Struggling with her anxiety and heart disease, 11-year-old Ava uses improv to help herself and her community.
Margaret Dilloway
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Struggling with her anxiety and heart disease, 11-year-old Ava uses improv to help herself and her community.
Follow the Recipe
by Marilyn Singer
Illustrator: Marjorie Priceman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A feast of poems both varied in style and increasingly more complex ingredients provides step-by-step directios to stir the imagination. Vibrant colorful illustrations.
by Marilyn Singer
Illustrator: Marjorie Priceman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A feast of poems both varied in style and increasingly more complex ingredients provides step-by-step directios to stir the imagination. Vibrant colorful illustrations.
Follow Those Zebras: Solving a Migration Mystery (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries series)
Sandra Markle
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Scientists using GPS trackers discover where and why a herd of 2,000 South African plain zebras migrate during the dry season. Captioned photographs, maps and back matter.
Sandra Markle
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Scientists using GPS trackers discover where and why a herd of 2,000 South African plain zebras migrate during the dry season. Captioned photographs, maps and back matter.
Forest in the City, A (ThinkCities series)
Andrea Curtis
Illustrator: Pierre Pratt
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
How can urban areas take care of their trees so that they not only survive but thrive? Lush, playful illustrations. Glossary, selected sources.
Andrea Curtis
Illustrator: Pierre Pratt
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
How can urban areas take care of their trees so that they not only survive but thrive? Lush, playful illustrations. Glossary, selected sources.
Foreverland
Nicole C. Kear
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
With trouble at home, 12-year-old Margaret runs away to her family's favorite amusement park. Another resourceful runaway helps her navigate the challenges of life's roller coaster ride.
Nicole C. Kear
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
With trouble at home, 12-year-old Margaret runs away to her family's favorite amusement park. Another resourceful runaway helps her navigate the challenges of life's roller coaster ride.
From the Desk of Zoe Washington
Janae Marks
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
After unexpectedly receiving a letter from her incarcerated father on her 12th birthday, Zoe spends the summer getting to know him and working to prove his innocence.
Janae Marks
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
After unexpectedly receiving a letter from her incarcerated father on her 12th birthday, Zoe spends the summer getting to know him and working to prove his innocence.
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!
Sarah Kapit
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
An unlikely friendship between a major-league Black knuckleball pitcher and autistic 11-year-old Vivy leads to e-mail exchanges as both struggle with life and the knuckleball.
Sarah Kapit
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
An unlikely friendship between a major-league Black knuckleball pitcher and autistic 11-year-old Vivy leads to e-mail exchanges as both struggle with life and the knuckleball.
Glitch
Laura Martin
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Will Regan and Elliott overcome their differences as they travel through time to save the “Academy” and prevent the disruption of American history?
Laura Martin
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Will Regan and Elliott overcome their differences as they travel through time to save the “Academy” and prevent the disruption of American history?
Gloom Town
Ronald L. Smith
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
When biracial Rory becomes valet of Foxglove Manor he doesn't anticipate the danger and adventure involved in recovering stolen shadows with his friend Izzy.
Ronald L. Smith
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
When biracial Rory becomes valet of Foxglove Manor he doesn't anticipate the danger and adventure involved in recovering stolen shadows with his friend Izzy.
Gold Rush Girl
Avi
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
In 1848, Tory stows away to San Francisco and, with the help of two boys, one white, one Black, eventually finds her kidnapped brother.
Avi
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
In 1848, Tory stows away to San Francisco and, with the help of two boys, one white, one Black, eventually finds her kidnapped brother.
Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math
Jeannine Atkins
Illustrator: Victoria Assanelli
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
In poetic language, Atkins celebrates the lives and work of women who used math and ingenuity to rise above discrimination and make change. Well documented.
Jeannine Atkins
Illustrator: Victoria Assanelli
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
In poetic language, Atkins celebrates the lives and work of women who used math and ingenuity to rise above discrimination and make change. Well documented.
Great Upending, The
Beth Kephart
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Twelve-year-old Sara, facing a rare disease, and her brother Hawk hatch a dangerous plan to unravel the mystery of the strange tenant on their troubled farm.
Beth Kephart
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Twelve-year-old Sara, facing a rare disease, and her brother Hawk hatch a dangerous plan to unravel the mystery of the strange tenant on their troubled farm.
Grow: Secrets of Our DNA
Nicola Davies
Illustrator: Emily Sutton
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
How plants and animals are governed by a set of instructions that differentiate us and unite us as living beings. Watercolor illustrations.
Nicola Davies
Illustrator: Emily Sutton
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
How plants and animals are governed by a set of instructions that differentiate us and unite us as living beings. Watercolor illustrations.
Hatful of Dragons, A: And More Than 13.8 Billion Other Funny Poems
Vikram Madan
Illustrator: Vikram Madan
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Expect the unexpected from the pangolins, aliens, oysters, and other creatures in these antic verses. Rollicking, playful language and comical black-and-white illustrations.
Vikram Madan
Illustrator: Vikram Madan
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Expect the unexpected from the pangolins, aliens, oysters, and other creatures in these antic verses. Rollicking, playful language and comical black-and-white illustrations.
Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera
Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Follow a worker bee as she grows and performs many tasks: tending to the queen, building the honeycomb, gathering nectar, and more. Meticulously detailed oil illustrations.
Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Follow a worker bee as she grows and performs many tasks: tending to the queen, building the honeycomb, gathering nectar, and more. Meticulously detailed oil illustrations.
House by the Lake: The True Story of a House, its History, and the Four Families Who Made it Home
Thomas Harding
Illustrator: Britta Teckentrup
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A reclaimed country villa near Berlin bears witness to a turbulent time through a window into the lives of its different inhabitants. Poignant multimedia illustrations Back matter.
Thomas Harding
Illustrator: Britta Teckentrup
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
A reclaimed country villa near Berlin bears witness to a turbulent time through a window into the lives of its different inhabitants. Poignant multimedia illustrations Back matter.
How to Build an Orchestra (in association with the London Symphony Orchestra)
Mary Auld with Rachel Leach
Illustrator: Elisa Paganelli
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Every orchestral instrument is described from audition to rehearsal to classical music concert with links to coordinated music played. Descriptions of each piece. Line drawings, glossary, index.
Mary Auld with Rachel Leach
Illustrator: Elisa Paganelli
Ages: 9+
Published: 2020
Every orchestral instrument is described from audition to rehearsal to classical music concert with links to coordinated music played. Descriptions of each piece. Line drawings, glossary, index.