The Children's Book Committee


The Book Lists

The Best Children's Books of the Year: One of the most comprehensive annotated book lists for children, aged infant-14. The Committee reviews over 4000 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 according to age and category.

Books to Read Aloud for Children of All Ages: Published in 2003, this popular annotated list contains over 400 classic and new titles of both fiction and nonfiction.

Teen books: The committee has chosen several excellent books that are appropriate for mature teenagers. This list is posted exclusively on this website.

The Awards

The Committee gives three awards annually: The Josette Frank Award (fiction), the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award (nonfiction) and the Claudia Lewis Award (poetry).

Young Reviewers

Young reviewers from all over the country, ages 5 to 15, read and evaluate many of the books considered. Their reviews are carefully considered in the Committee's deliberations.

Reading Aloud

The Committee strongly recommends the tradition of reading aloud to children both in classroom situations and at home. A love of literature and sharing of books can become a lifelong habit, especially when nurtured at a young age.


The Committee's Monthly Pick:

May 2009

birds:

Birds

written by Kevin Henkes
illustrated by Laura Dronzek
published by Greenwillow

Fine-art painting of a variety of birds engages a girl in color, counting, and imagination. (ages 3-5)

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The CHILDREN'S BOOK COMMITTEE was founded almost 100 years ago to help parents, teachers and librarians choose the books that children will find captivating and transforming.

Our Publications: The Best Children's Books of the Year

2008 edition:




Our Publications:

The Best Children's
Books of the Year

2008 edition:

ORDER ONLINE




Books to Read Aloud

Latest edition: (2003)

ORDER ONLINE