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The Center for Children's Literature

The Center for Children's Literature

The mission of the Bank Street College Center for Children's Literature is to create, identify, and advocate for the highest quality literature for all children from infancy through adolescence. We ensure that such literature is readily accessible to every child, and to foster in parents, educators, and policy makers a commitment to the principle that good literature is fundamental to literacy.

The components of the Center are the Children’s Book Committee, Irma Simonton and James H. Black Award, The Cook Prize, BookFest@ Bank Street, and the Writers Lab. The Center is housed in the Bank Street College Library.

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The Best Board Books of the Year [2025 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

Please enjoy our annotated list of the very best board books for ages zero to four that were published in 2023 and 2024.
The Best Children's Books of 2025: Holiday Gift Edition

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

Notable titles that have captured the attention of Children's Book Committee members just in time for the holidays!
The Best Children's Books of the Year in Spanish [2025 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2024. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles del año 2025.
The Best Children's Books of 2024: Holiday Gift Edition

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

Notable titles that have captured the attention of Children's Book Committee members just in time for the holidays!
The Best Children's Books of the Year in Spanish [2024 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2023. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles del año 2024.
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.
Anti-Racist Resource Guide

Bank Street College of Education

An annotated list of anti-racist children's literature that meets the criteria of having a BIPOC protagonist, the experience of self discovery, self-advocacy, and realizations on the part of the main character and/or a joy or celebration of one's cultural or ethnic identity.

For further information and updates, see the Library Research Guide
The Best Board Books of the Year [2023 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

The inaugural edition of our annotated list of the very best board books for ages zero to four that were published in 2021 and 2022.
The Best Children's Books of 2023: Holiday Gift Edition

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

Notable titles that have captured the attention of Children's Book Committee members just in time for the holidays!
The Best Children's Books of the Year in Spanish [2023 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2022. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles en Español.
The Best Children's Books of 2022: Holiday Gift Edition

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

Notable titles that have captured the attention of Children's Book Committee members just in time for the holidays!
The Best Children's Picture Books of the Year in Spanish [2022 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2021. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles en Español.
David Bowles Spanish Language Picture Book Award 2022 Acceptance Speech

David Bowles

Author David Bowles gives an acceptance speech for Mis dos pueblos fronterizos illustrated by Erika Meza (Kokila)
Monica Brown Spanish Language Picture Book Award 2022 Acceptance Speech

Monica Brown

Author Monica Brown gives an acceptance speech for Sharuko: El arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello illustrated by Elisa Chavarri (Lee & Low)
Elisa Chavarri Spanish Language Picture Book Award 2022 Acceptance Speech

Elisa Chavarri

Illustrator Elisa Chavarri gives an acceptance speech for Sharuko: El arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello written by Monica Brown (Lee & Low)
The Best Children's Books of 2021: Holiday Gift Edition

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

Notable titles that have captured the attention of Children's Book Committee members just in time for the holidays!
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2021 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 2020. 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.
The Best Children's Picture Books of the Year in Spanish [2021 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2020. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles en Español.
Asian American Pacific Islander Booklist

Children's Book Committee. Bank Street College of Education

For grown-ups of all races who are having conversations with children to expand inquiry and empathy among Asian and non-Asian peoples, we offer a selection of books from the Children’s Book Committee’s Best Books of the Year, organized by age with child development in mind.
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2020 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 2019. 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.
The Best Children's Picture Books of the Year in Spanish [2020 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2019. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles en Español.
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2019 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 2018. 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.
The Best Children's Picture Books of the Year in Spanish [2019 edition]

Bank Street College of Education. Children's Book Committee

An annotated list of the best children's books in Spanish published or translated in 2018. In English and Spanish.

Spanish title: Los mejores libros infantiles en Español.
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2018 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 2017. 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.
From Refugees to Voting Rights, Books to Inspire a Just, Inclusive Society

Bank Street College of Education

This list - which includes contributions from the Bank Street Children's Book Committee, the Bank Street College Library, and School Library Journal - is intended to be a starting place (not a comprehensive list) to help educators and librarians create a supportive space to explore these issues and help promote an inclusive, democratic, and just society. Sections include: Immigrants/Immigration, Refugees, Islam, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Questioning, Transgender/Binary, Intersex, Sexual Harassment/Sexual Assault, Disability, Women in Leadership, English/Spanish Bilingual, Voting Rights, Democratic Process, Children's Rights, History, Bullying, Racism/Injustice Nonfiction, Climate Change, Protest and Activism, Racism in Fiction.