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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Better With Butter
Victoria Piontek
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Marvel, 12, paralyzed by anxiety disorder, finds herself defending a goat against bullies - a goat who faints when startled. Their growing bond changes them both.
Victoria Piontek
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Marvel, 12, paralyzed by anxiety disorder, finds herself defending a goat against bullies - a goat who faints when startled. Their growing bond changes them both.
Big Brain Book: How It Works And All Its Quirks
Leanne Boucher Gill, PhD
Illustrator: Collaborate Agency LTD
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
"What is the brain made of?" and "Why can't we tickle ourselves?" are among the questions answered in an acessible engaging format highlighted with multicolored illustrations.
Leanne Boucher Gill, PhD
Illustrator: Collaborate Agency LTD
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
"What is the brain made of?" and "Why can't we tickle ourselves?" are among the questions answered in an acessible engaging format highlighted with multicolored illustrations.
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood
Kwame Mbalia, Editor
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Short pieces by acclaimed contemporary Black male and nonbinary authors center on Black boys and their power and interests, from skateboarding to saving the universe.
Kwame Mbalia, Editor
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Short pieces by acclaimed contemporary Black male and nonbinary authors center on Black boys and their power and interests, from skateboarding to saving the universe.
Blancaflor, the Hero With Secret Powers: A Folktale From Latin America
Nadja Spiegelman
Illustrator: Sergio García Sánchez
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A young ogre with powerful magical skills must outwit her father and save a hapless prince. Stunning, energetic humorous illustrations convey suspense. Informative back matter. Also available in Spanish.
Nadja Spiegelman
Illustrator: Sergio García Sánchez
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A young ogre with powerful magical skills must outwit her father and save a hapless prince. Stunning, energetic humorous illustrations convey suspense. Informative back matter. Also available in Spanish.
Book of Amazing Trees, The
Nathalie Tordjman
Illustrator: Julien Norwood & Isabelle Simler
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Including species, growth, reproduction, champions of adaptation, extensive tree facts are organized in an interesting accessible format. Detailed illustrations accompany the short explanatory text. Quizzes.
Nathalie Tordjman
Illustrator: Julien Norwood & Isabelle Simler
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Including species, growth, reproduction, champions of adaptation, extensive tree facts are organized in an interesting accessible format. Detailed illustrations accompany the short explanatory text. Quizzes.
Borders
Thomas King
Illustrator: Natasha Donovan
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
On the way to Salt Lake City, a 13-year-old and his mother are caught between the US and Canadian border when they claim Blackfoot citizenship. Vibrant graphic illustrations.
Thomas King
Illustrator: Natasha Donovan
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
On the way to Salt Lake City, a 13-year-old and his mother are caught between the US and Canadian border when they claim Blackfoot citizenship. Vibrant graphic illustrations.
Born Behind Bars
Padma Venkatraman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Kabir, 9, has always lived in a prison with his mother in India. Suddenly released, he must learn to make his way alone in an unfamiliar world.
Padma Venkatraman
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Kabir, 9, has always lived in a prison with his mother in India. Suddenly released, he must learn to make his way alone in an unfamiliar world.
Bounce Back
Misako Rocks!
Illustrator: Misako Rocks!
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
In NYC, Japanese Lilico faces bullying, but with the help of a talking cat, she finds friends and basketball again. Manga drawings and backmatter on how to draw Manga.
Misako Rocks!
Illustrator: Misako Rocks!
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
In NYC, Japanese Lilico faces bullying, but with the help of a talking cat, she finds friends and basketball again. Manga drawings and backmatter on how to draw Manga.
Bump
Matt Wallace
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A bullying classmate causes MJ, 12, to abandon gymnastics. Then watching professional wrestling leads her to a wrestling club, but will her mother support her?
Matt Wallace
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A bullying classmate causes MJ, 12, to abandon gymnastics. Then watching professional wrestling leads her to a wrestling club, but will her mother support her?
Butterfly for a King: Saving Hawai‘i's Kamehameha Butterflies
Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore
Illustrator: Susan L. Roth
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Realistic collages adorn this history of the lovely Kamehameha butterfly and of Hawai'i, its native habitat. Informative photographs. Back matter.
Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore
Illustrator: Susan L. Roth
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Realistic collages adorn this history of the lovely Kamehameha butterfly and of Hawai'i, its native habitat. Informative photographs. Back matter.
Carry Me Home
Janet Fox
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
When Lulu's father disappears from the RV park where the family have been living since their mother's death, she vows to take care of herself and her younger sister.
Janet Fox
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
When Lulu's father disappears from the RV park where the family have been living since their mother's death, she vows to take care of herself and her younger sister.
Chance to Fly, The
Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
After her family's recent move, wheelchair racer, Nat Beacon, 13, pursues her love of musical theater by joining a community youth production of Wicked.
Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
After her family's recent move, wheelchair racer, Nat Beacon, 13, pursues her love of musical theater by joining a community youth production of Wicked.
Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua
Gloria Amescua
Illustrator: Duncan Tonatiuh
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
When her indigenous culture is threatened, one young woman holds fast to her traditions and language becoming an iconic model and teacher. Distinctive Mixtec inspired art, authoriative back matter.
Gloria Amescua
Illustrator: Duncan Tonatiuh
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
When her indigenous culture is threatened, one young woman holds fast to her traditions and language becoming an iconic model and teacher. Distinctive Mixtec inspired art, authoriative back matter.
Chunky
Yehudi Mercado
Illustrator: Yehudi Marcado
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Hudi, Mexican American amd Jewish, laughs his way through his struggles with sports and his health issues, with the help of an imaginary mascot. Bold, dynamic artwork.
Yehudi Mercado
Illustrator: Yehudi Marcado
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Hudi, Mexican American amd Jewish, laughs his way through his struggles with sports and his health issues, with the help of an imaginary mascot. Bold, dynamic artwork.
Cuba In My Pocket
Adrianna Cuevas
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Sent to the United States to escape Fidel's Cuba in 1961, homesick Cumba,12, must adapt to his new home, school, and language. Author's note. Glossary
Adrianna Cuevas
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Sent to the United States to escape Fidel's Cuba in 1961, homesick Cumba,12, must adapt to his new home, school, and language. Author's note. Glossary
Curse of the Mummy, The: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb
Candace Fleming
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
The search for ancient Egyptian burial sites by British explorers leads to an important archeological discovery, but misfortune comes to many in contact with it. Archival photos. Bibliography, source notes.
Candace Fleming
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
The search for ancient Egyptian burial sites by British explorers leads to an important archeological discovery, but misfortune comes to many in contact with it. Archival photos. Bibliography, source notes.
Deadliest Diseases Then and Now, The (The Deadliest series)
Deborah Hopkinson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A meticulously researched and resourced study focuses on the enormous strides in science and medicine in treating diseases from the Black Plague to COVID-19. Glossary, bibliography, source notes.
Deborah Hopkinson
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A meticulously researched and resourced study focuses on the enormous strides in science and medicine in treating diseases from the Black Plague to COVID-19. Glossary, bibliography, source notes.
Dreyer's English: Good Advice for Good Writing
Benjamin Dreyer
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A longtime copywriter's entertaining and informative guide to rules and current practices. Includes an amusing, helpful chapter on "trimmables" -- redundancies such as "blend together," "closed fist,” and "fall down." Young readers edition of Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style.
Benjamin Dreyer
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
A longtime copywriter's entertaining and informative guide to rules and current practices. Includes an amusing, helpful chapter on "trimmables" -- redundancies such as "blend together," "closed fist,” and "fall down." Young readers edition of Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style.
Egg Marks the Spot (Skunk and Badger series, #2)
Amy Timberlake
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Odd-couple housemates Skunk and Badger have surprising adventures involving a gigantic dinosaur egg and a treasure-hunting cousin during a rock-collecting expedition. Expressive black-and-white and color illustrations.
Amy Timberlake
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Odd-couple housemates Skunk and Badger have surprising adventures involving a gigantic dinosaur egg and a treasure-hunting cousin during a rock-collecting expedition. Expressive black-and-white and color illustrations.
Einstein: The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse through Space and Time (Mouse Adventures series)
Torben Kuhlmann
Illustrator: Torben Kuhlmann
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
After traveling through time, a mouse inadvertently lands in Switzerland in 1905, where he gets Einstein's unwitting help in order to return to the present. Detailed watercolor illustrations.
Torben Kuhlmann
Illustrator: Torben Kuhlmann
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
After traveling through time, a mouse inadvertently lands in Switzerland in 1905, where he gets Einstein's unwitting help in order to return to the present. Detailed watercolor illustrations.
Elephant Doctor of India, The
Janie Chodosh
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
An entertaining, informative account of Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma's lifelong love of Asian elephants and his career treating and saving them. Photos. Glossary.
Janie Chodosh
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
An entertaining, informative account of Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma's lifelong love of Asian elephants and his career treating and saving them. Photos. Glossary.
Elephants Come Home, The: A True Story of Seven Elephants,Two People, and One Extraordinary Friendship
Kim Tomsic
Illustrator: Hadley Hooper
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
When a herd of bullied, hunted, angry elephants is offered a home in an African sanctuary, they develop an unusual friendship with the owners. Sepia-toned illustrations. Backmatter.
Kim Tomsic
Illustrator: Hadley Hooper
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
When a herd of bullied, hunted, angry elephants is offered a home in an African sanctuary, they develop an unusual friendship with the owners. Sepia-toned illustrations. Backmatter.
Equal (Bakers Mountain Stories series)
Joyce Moyer Hostetter
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
In 1959 North Carolina, Jackie, 13 and White, meets Thomas, 13 and Black. Can the two boys overcome society's prejudices and become friends. Historical back matter and photographs.
Joyce Moyer Hostetter
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
In 1959 North Carolina, Jackie, 13 and White, meets Thomas, 13 and Black. Can the two boys overcome society's prejudices and become friends. Historical back matter and photographs.
Escape: One Day We Had to Run
Ming Chen & Wah Chen
Illustrator: Carmen Vela
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Twelve true accounts of people forced to leave their homes highlight their courage in overcoming incredible hardships. Colorful digital illustrations.
Ming Chen & Wah Chen
Illustrator: Carmen Vela
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
Twelve true accounts of people forced to leave their homes highlight their courage in overcoming incredible hardships. Colorful digital illustrations.
Finding Junie Kim
Ellen Oh
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
After interviewing her grandparents about the Korean War, Junie decides if she should speak up against a racist act at school.
Ellen Oh
Ages: 9+
Published: 2021
After interviewing her grandparents about the Korean War, Junie decides if she should speak up against a racist act at school.