The Children's Book Committee was founded more than 100 years ago to help parents, teachers, and librarians choose the books that children will find captivating and transforming.
One of the most comprehensive annotated book lists for children, aged infant-18. The Committee reviews over 6000 titles each year for accuracy and literary quality and considers their emotional impact on children. It chooses the best 600 books, both fiction and nonfiction, which it lists with annotations, according to age and category.
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Azadeh Westergaard Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2025 Acceptance Speech
Azadeh Westergaard
Author Azadeh Westergaard wins the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2025 for The One and Only Googoosh: Iran's Beloved Superstar from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
Established in 1994 to honor Flora Straus, who led the Children’s Book Committee for many years, this award is presented annually for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people. Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth. She championed diverse opinions and points of view and was a person of high principles, unfailing courtesy, and deep understanding.
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Barney Saltzberg Claudia Lewis Award 2025 Acceptance Speech
Barney Saltzberg
Author Barney Saltzberg wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2025 (younger readers) for The Smell of Wet Dog: And Other Dog Poems and Drawings from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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Gayle Forman Josette Frank Award 2025 Acceptance Speech
Gayle Forman
Author Gayle Forman wins the Josette Frank Award 2025 for Not Nothing from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Josette Frank Award
This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. The award has been given annually since 1943. Josette Frank, the editor of anthologies for children, served for many years as the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America of which this committee was a part.
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Jason Chin Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2025 Acceptance Speech
Jason Chin
Illustrator Jason Chin wins the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2025 for Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
Established in 1994 to honor Flora Straus, who led the Children’s Book Committee for many years, this award is presented annually for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people. Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth. She championed diverse opinions and points of view and was a person of high principles, unfailing courtesy, and deep understanding.
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John Schu : The Inaugural Youth Choice Award 2025 Acceptance Speech
John Schu
Author John Schu wins the Inaugural Youth Choice Award 2025 for Louder than Hunger from the Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Youth Choice Award
The Children’s Book Committee (CBC) and the Young Ambassadors are delighted to announce the winner of the Inaugural Youth Choice Award, selected from the Best Books of the Year List honoring a book of outstanding literary merit on sensitive subjects written for a youth audience.
The Young Ambassadors developed criteria for selecting a shortlist of books that are inspiring and resonate with their peers from CBC-approved titles during 2024. The CBC is most grateful to the Young Ambassadors for their commitment to ensuring that youth choices are heard.
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Renée Watson Claudia Lewis Award 2025 Acceptance Speech
Renée Watson
Author Renée Watson wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2025 (older readers) for Black Girl You Are Atlas from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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![The Best Children's Books of the Year [2025 edition] by Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.](https://educate.bankstreet.edu/cbc_awards/1027/thumbnail.jpg "The Best Children's Books of the Year [2025 edition] by Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.")
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2025 edition]
Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.
Includes more than 600 titles chosen by the Children’s Book Committee as the best of the best published in 2024. In choosing books for the annual list, committee members consider literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes.
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Carole Boston Weatherford Claudia Lewis Award 2024 Acceptance Speech
Carole Boston Weatherford
Author Carole Boston Weatherford wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2024 for Kin Rooted in Hope from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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David Elliott Claudia Lewis Award 2024 Acceptance Speech
David Elliott
Author David Elliott wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2024 for At the Poles from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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Ellen Rooney Claudia Lewis Award 2024 Acceptance Speech
Ellen Rooney
Illustrator Ellen Rooney wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2024 for At the Poles from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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Gary D. Schmidt Josette Frank Award 2024 Acceptance Letter
Gary D. Schmidt
Author Gary D. Schmidt wins the Josette Frank Award 2024 for The Labors of Hercules Beal
The Josette Frank Award
This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. The award has been given annually since 1943. Josette Frank, the editor of anthologies for children, served for many years as the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America of which this committee was a part.
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Jennifer Thermes Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2024 Acceptance Speech
Jennifer Thermes
Author Jennifer Thermes wins the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2024 for The Indestructible Tom Crean from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
Established in 1994 to honor Flora Straus, who led the Children’s Book Committee for many years, this award is presented annually for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people. Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth. She championed diverse opinions and points of view and was a person of high principles, unfailing courtesy, and deep understanding.
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Susan Hood Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2024 Acceptance Speech
Susan Hood
Author Susan Hood wins the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2024 for Harboring Hope: The True Story of How Henny Sinding Helped Denmark’s Jews Escape the Nazis from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
Established in 1994 to honor Flora Straus, who led the Children’s Book Committee for many years, this award is presented annually for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people. Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth. She championed diverse opinions and points of view and was a person of high principles, unfailing courtesy, and deep understanding.
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The Best Children's Books of 2024: Summer Reading Guide
Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.
Notable titles that have captured the attention of our members as well as experts in the field of children’s literature, such as librarians, authors, teachers, psychologists, and editors. This is the perfect place to find a book that will delight young readers during the long days of summer.
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![The Best Children's Books of the Year [2024 edition] by Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.](https://educate.bankstreet.edu/ccl/1027/thumbnail.jpg "The Best Children's Books of the Year [2024 edition] by Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.")
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2024 edition]
Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee.
Includes more than 600 titles chosen by the Children’s Book Committee as the best of the best published in 2023. In choosing books for the annual list, committee members consider literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes.
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Janelle Washington Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2023 Acceptance Speech
Janelle Washington
Illustrator Janelle Washington wins the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2023 for Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked a Civil Rights Movement from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
Established in 1994 to honor Flora Straus, who led the Children’s Book Committee for many years, this award is presented annually for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people. Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth. She championed diverse opinions and points of view and was a person of high principles, unfailing courtesy, and deep understanding.
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Margaret Wise Brown Board Book Award and Educational Program
Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee
Developed by the Children’s Book Committee (CBC), the Margaret Wise Brown Board Book Award honors the legacy of the late award-winning children’s book author and her brilliant contributions to the canon of children’s literature.
2023 Award Ceremony
Thursday, March 9, 2023 (via Zoom) 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET In partnership with KidLit TV
Introductory Comments
Cynthia Weill, Director, Center for Children’s Literature, Shael Polakow-Suransky, President, Bank Street College
Keynote Presentation
“Board Books in the Pediatric Exam Room: Something to Chew On” Dr. Perri Klass, National Medical Director, Reach Out and Read
Panel Discussion
“The Ones They Come Back To: What Makes a Best Board Book?” Moderator: Rachel Payne Panelists: Antonette Portis, I’m Up!; LeUyen Pham, Whose Knees Are These?; Anne Wynter, One Big Day; Steven Light, Black Bird Yellow Sun; Carole Boston Weatherford, Me and the Family Tree
Acceptance Speeches
Alisha Sevigny, Give Me A Snickle (for 0-18 months) Carole Boston Weatherford and Ashleigh Corrin, Me and the Family Tree (for 19-36 months)
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Marilyn Nelson Claudia Lewis Award 2023 Acceptance Speech
Marilyn Nelson
Author Marilyn Nelson wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2023 for Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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Ruta Sepetys Josette Frank Award 2023 Acceptance Speech
Ruta Sepetys
Author Ruta Sepetys wins the Josette Frank Award (for older readers) 2023 for I Must Betray You from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Josette Frank Award
This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. The award has been given annually since 1943. Josette Frank, the editor of anthologies for children, served for many years as the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America of which this committee was a part.
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![The Best Children's Books of the Year [2023 edition] by Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee](https://educate.bankstreet.edu/cbc_awards/1012/thumbnail.jpg "The Best Children's Books of the Year [2023 edition] by Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee")
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2023 edition]
Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee
Includes more than 600 titles chosen by the Children’s Book Committee as the best of the best published in 2022. In choosing books for the annual list, committee members consider literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes.
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Angela Joy Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2023 Acceptance Speech
Angela Joy
Author Angela Joy wins the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 2023 for Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked a Civil Rights Movement from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
Established in 1994 to honor Flora Straus, who led the Children’s Book Committee for many years, this award is presented annually for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people. Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth. She championed diverse opinions and points of view and was a person of high principles, unfailing courtesy, and deep understanding.
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Angeline Boulley Josette Frank Award 2022 Acceptance Speech
Angeline Boulley
Author Angeline Boulley wins the Josette Frank Award (for older readers) 2022 for Firekeeper's Daughter from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Josette Frank Award
This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. The award has been given annually since 1943. Josette Frank, the editor of anthologies for children, served for many years as the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America of which this committee was a part.
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Christian Robinson Josette Frank Award 2022 Acceptance Speech
Christian Robinson
Illustrator Christian Robinson wins the Josette Frank Award (for young readers) 2022 for Milo Imagines the World from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Josette Frank Award
This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. The award has been given annually since 1943. Josette Frank, the editor of anthologies for children, served for many years as the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America of which this committee was a part.
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Diana Whitney Claudia Lewis Award 2022 Acceptance Speech
Diana Whitney
Editor Diana Whitney wins the Claudia Lewis Award 2022 for You Don't Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Claudia Lewis Award
The Claudia Lewis Award, given for the first time in 1998, honors the best poetry book of the year. The award commemorates the late Claudia Lewis, distinguished children’s book expert and longtime member of the Bank Street College faculty and Children’s Book Committee. She conveyed her love and understanding of poetry with humor and grace.
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Matt de la Peña Josette Frank Award 2022 Acceptance Speech
Matt de la Peña
Author Matt de la Peña wins the Josette Frank Award (for young readers) 2022 for Milo Imagines the World from Bank Street College Children's Book Committee.
The Josette Frank Award
This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. The award has been given annually since 1943. Josette Frank, the editor of anthologies for children, served for many years as the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America of which this committee was a part.