Across the BayCarlos AponteIn search of his father, Carlitos ferries from his serene home in Cataño to San Juan, taking in the vibrant sights and sounds of Puerto Rico’s capital. (Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile 570LATOS 3.1View book detailsALSC Notable Children's Books 2020
Books selected by ALSC for children from birth through age 14.
2020 ALSC Notable Children's BooksSee the original list
Selections115
Published byAssociation for Library Service to Children (ALA)
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Younger Readers
60 selections
Across the BayCarlos AponteIn search of his father, Carlitos ferries from his serene home in Cataño to San Juan, taking in the vibrant sights and sounds of Puerto Rico’s capital. (Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile 570LATOS 3.1View book details
Art This WayTamara ShopsinAn interactive board book to help foster art appreciation in young childrenYounger ReadersView book details
At the Mountain's BaseTraci SorellA lyrical story of a Cherokee family bonding through song and weaving as they celebrate a family member’s service in the militaryYounger ReadersView book details
B Is for BabyAtinukeThe letter B is cleverly featured in this story of a baby’s day in her African villageYounger ReadersWord count 125View book details
The BalconyMelissa CastrillónA whimsical, wordless picturebook that shows a young girl making her new house a homeYounger ReadersView book details
Bear Came AlongRichard T. MorrisA bear’s river journey accumulates a number of other animals, resulting in an amazing ride. (Caldecott Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile 261LATOS 2.1View book details
The Bell RangJames E. RansomeA young enslaved girl’s daily routine is altered by her brother’s escape to freedomYounger ReadersLexile 360LATOS 1.8View book details
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the BorderMitali PerkinsA family visits the border fence dividing California and Mexico to share gifts with their grandmother at La PosadaYounger ReadersView book details
A Big Bed for Little SnowGrace LinIn spite of Mommy’s warnings, Little Snow simply cannot resist jumping on his big, new feather bedYounger ReadersView book details
The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of PhotographsFiona RobinsonAnna Atkins’ curiosity about science led her to experiment with the new art of photography, particularly cyanotypesYounger ReadersView book details
Brown: My Alter Ego Is a SuperheroHåkon ØvreåsWhen bullies destroy his fort, Rusty dons superhero garb and seeks revenge. (Batchelder Award Book)Younger ReadersView book details
The Book HogGreg PizzoliA beret-wearing pig who loves books as objects learns to love reading them, too. (Geisel Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile 221LATOS 1.9View book details
The Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to ComeSue MacyWith dramatic art, this picturebook biography tells the story of Aaron Lansky’s mission to save Yiddish literatureYounger ReadersView book details
Carter Reads the NewspaperDeborah HopkinsonThis engaging nonfiction picturebook highlights the life and determination of little-known civil rights pioneer, Dr. Carter WoodsonYounger ReadersView book details
Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot!Cece BellChick (a baby chicken) instructs his friend Brain (underwear-clad human with an exposed brain) in good manners. (Geisel Honor Book)Younger ReadersView book details
Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President LincolnMargarita EngleThis picturebook biography follows young Venezuelan musician, Teresa Carreño, from her homeland to New York, famous concert halls, and a White House performance for President Lincoln. (Belpré Illustrator Award Book)Younger ReadersView book details
Dinosaur FeathersDennis NolanThis tongue-twisting, brightly illustrated poetry book introduces readers to a gaggle of dinosaursYounger ReadersView book details
Do Fish Sleep?Jens RaschkeTen-year-old Jette comes to terms with her younger brother’s death in this honest story about loss and the search for understanding. (Batchelder Honor Book)Younger ReadersView book details
Double Bass BluesAndrea J. LoneyAspiring musician Nic navigates two worlds—his suburban school and the bustling city streets of his home—in this picturebook about community, family, and the power of music. (Caldecott Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile AD270LATOS 2.1View book details
Field Trip to the MoonJohn HareWhen a child is left behind on a class field trip to the moon, an unexpected adventure unfoldsYounger ReadersView book details
Firefighters' HandbookMeghan McCarthyDo you want to become a firefighter? Learn about their rigorous training in this informative picturebookYounger ReadersLexile 720LATOS 4.5View book details
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!J. E. MorrisFlubby, a very lazy, but loveable, cat can always be counted on to bring comfort and kindness when they are needed most. (Geisel Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile 140LATOS 0.7View book details
Fry Bread: A Native American Family StoryKevin Noble MaillardA sweetly illustrated account of the cultural and historical importance of fry bread to a Native American family. (Sibert Medal Book)Younger ReadersView book details
Going Down Home with DaddyKelly Starling LyonsIn this picturebook homage to familial bonds, a boy contemplates the perfect way to honor his great-grandmother. (Caldecott Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile 660LATOS 3.5View book details
Grandpa's Top ThreesWendy MeddourHenry uses Grandpa's favorite game, “Top Three,” to help his grandfather grieveYounger ReadersView book details
Hey, Water!Antoinette PortisThis early nonfiction book examines how the water cycle surrounds you every day. (Sibert Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile AD410LATOS 2View book details
How to Read a BookKwame AlexanderBright collage illustrations and poetic imagery depict many of the countless ways to savor a bookYounger ReadersLexile AD770LATOS 2.8View book details
It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the WayKyo MaclearThis biography for young readers recounts the life of a trailblazing Japanese American picturebook artistYounger ReadersView book details
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks PlanetCurtis ManleyAn exploration of the solar system and humanity’s search for another planet that can support lifeYounger ReadersView book details
The Last PeachGus GordonUnfolding through animated dialogue comes a tale of two insects debating who gets to eat the last peachYounger ReadersLexile 390LATOS 1.7View book details
Let's Scare BearYuko KatakawaIn a humorous story influenced by Japanese oral tradition, four small animals take a turn trying to scare a big bearYounger ReadersView book details
Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All SeasonsLaura Purdie SalasA collection of haiku riddles that celebrates the cycle of the year’s seasonsYounger ReadersView book details
Luca's Bridge/El Puente de LucaMariana LlanosLlanos' bilingual book offers a glimpse into how some children affected by deportation find comfort in musicYounger ReadersView book details
The Many Colors of Harpreet SinghSupriya KelkarIndian American Singh wears different color patkas to match his mood or occasion of the dayYounger ReadersLexile 530LATOS 2.6View book details
A Map into the WorldKao Kalia YangA young Hmong girl comforts her new neighbor with a chalk drawing that reflects the past year’s changesYounger ReadersLexile 561LATOS 3.7View book details
MothIsabel Thomas, illustrated by Daniel EgnéusRich illustrations help describe the survival and evolutionary adaptations of the peppered mothYounger ReadersLexile 511LATOS 3.4View book details
My FootprintsBao PhiAfter facing school bullies, Thuy works through her emotions by using her imaginationYounger ReadersLexile 630LATOS 3.2View book details
My Grandma and MeMina JavaherbinSet in Iran, this picturebook honors the power of grandmothers as models of tradition, family, and loveYounger ReadersLexile 619LATOS 4View book details
My Papi Has a MotorcycleIsabel QuinteroDaisy enjoys exploring her changing neighborhood from the back of her papi’s motorcycle. (Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)Younger ReadersLexile AD750LATOS 3.7View book details
A New HomeTania de RegilTwo young children’s families help them adjust to moving from Mexico City to New York City and vice versaYounger ReadersLexile 281LATOS 2.2View book details
Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a TimeLinda Sue ParkIn South Sudan, Nya must carry both her younger sister and the water they collected for the long journey homeYounger ReadersLexile AD530LATOS 2.9View book details
One Fox: A Counting Book ThrillerKate Read, illustrated by Kate ReadA hungry fox gets more than he expects in this suspenseful counting bookYounger ReadersLexile NPView book details
Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and ArtistJulie LeungAs a boy, Wong Geng Yeo assumed a fake identity to immigrate to the U.S., eventually becoming a Disney artistYounger ReadersView book details
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura BelpréAnika Aldamuy DeniseA riveting picturebook biography of Pura Belpré that captures her professional life and legacy. (Belpré Author Honor Book)Younger ReadersView book details
Pokko and the DrumMatthew ForsytheWhen Pokko's dad sends her outside with her drum, she soon begins leading a band of forest animalsYounger ReadersLexile AD520LATOS 2.7View book details
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and FamilyIbtihaj Muhammad with S. K. AliA back-to-school book that focuses on the beauty and symbolism of a young girl's hijabYounger ReadersView book details
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the AtomTeresa RobesonThe contributions of overlooked scientist Wu Chien Shiung are celebrated here, and the many obstacles she overcame acknowledgedYounger ReadersView book details
SaturdayOge MoraSaturdays are when Mom and Ava do special things together, even when they don't go as plannedYounger ReadersLexile 329LATOS 2.4View book details
Sing a Song: How “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Inspired GenerationsKelly Starling LyonsThis story behind the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” shows its impact over the generationsYounger ReadersView book details
Small in the CitySydney SmithWhile searching for his cat, a child offers advice on how to survive the big city when you're smallYounger ReadersLexile AD530LATOS 3.5View book details
A Stone Sat StillBrendan WenzelA stone quietly sits as time passes, different creatures make use of it, and the world changesYounger ReadersLexile NP0LATOS 0.1View book details
Stop! Bot!James YangAs a child’s run-away bot drifts up past each floor of a skyscraper, the tenants attempt creative strategies to capture it, leading to a surprise and an ingenious rooftop rescue. (Geisel Medal Book)Younger ReadersLexile AD250LATOS 1View book details
Stormy: A Story about Finding a Forever HomeGuojingBeautifully illustrated, this wordless story emotionally depicts the relationship between a woman and homeless dogYounger ReadersView book details
Thinker: My Puppy Poet and MeEloise GreenfieldIn narrative verse, a puppy named Thinker and his boy ponder life, play, and go about their dayYounger ReadersView book details
Todos Iguales / All Equal: Un Corrido De Lemon Grove / A Ballad of Lemon GroveChristy HaleThis bilingual picturebook depicts the events of the Lemon Grove Incident, the first successful school desegregation case in the U.SYounger ReadersView book details
¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the MarketRaúl GonzalezLittle Lobo and his trusty dog Bernabé deliver goods to the eclectic and bustling Mercado. (Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)Younger ReadersView book details
What Is Given from the HeartPatricia C. McKissackAfter his neighbors lose everything in a fire, a young child finds his own way to contribute to the community’s responseYounger ReadersLexile AD660LATOS 3.3View book details
When Aidan Became a BrotherKyle LukoffA transgender boy and his parents prepare for a new babyYounger ReadersLexile AD570LATOS 3.3View book details
When Spring Comes to the DMZUk-Bae LeeA grandfather brings his family to visit Korea’s demilitarized zone, which inadvertently has evolved into a nature preserve with rich flora and fauna amid the barbed wire and warning signs. (Batchelder Honor Book)Younger ReadersView book details
Why?Laura Vaccaro SeegerBear answers rabbit’s many questions in a thought-provoking picturebookYounger ReadersView book detailsMiddle Readers
18 selections
All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible WorldLori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger Houghton Miffl in Harcourt Books for Young ReadersWith accessible language and illustrations, this biography introduces readers to the everyday man who invented a powerful microscope that could magnify the living world to an astonishing scale. (Sibert Honor Book)Middle ReadersView book details
The Beast PlayerNahoko UehashiIn this complex fantasy, a young girl is caught (pitted?) between the welfare of animals with whom she can communicate and a warring kingdom that only she can save. (Batchelder Honor Book)Middle ReadersLexile 840LATOS 6.1View book details
Because of the RabbitCynthia LordEmma helps her father rescue a pet rabbit that supports her socialization as she transitions into public schoolMiddle ReadersWord count 29444View book details
The Bridge HomePadma VenkatramanDetermined to escape their abusive father, Viji and her sister run away and make a new home on a bridge in Chennai, IndiaMiddle ReadersLexile 680LATOS 4.4View book details
The Distance Between Me and the Cherry TreePaola PerettiFifth-grader Mafalda discovers what is important in life as she loses her sight to a degenerative disease in this thoughtful, coming-of-age novel. (Batchelder Honor Book)Middle ReadersView book details
Each Tiny SparkPablo CartayaEmilia faces family challenges when her dad returns from overseas military serviceMiddle ReadersLexile 680LATOS 4.4View book details
For Black Girls Like MeMariama J. LockingtonMakeda, adopted into a white family, struggles to fit in and find herself at home and in schoolMiddle ReadersLexile HL500LATOS 3.5View book details
The Forgotten GirlIndia Hill BrownTwo classmates discover an abandoned grave, launching a ghost story that brings the history of segregation to lifeMiddle ReadersLexile 670LATOS 4.7View book details
Hector: A Boy, a Protest, and the Photograph That Changed ApartheidAdrienne WrightThe true story of the dramatic photograph of a young boy’s tragic death that became a symbol of the injustice of ApartheidMiddle ReadersView book details
Indian No MoreCharlene Willing McManis, Traci SorellIn 1954, Regina and her family move from their reservation to Los Angeles after their tribe is terminated by the U.S. governmentMiddle ReadersLexile 720LATOS 4.4View book details
It Rained Warm Bread: Moishe Moskowitz's Story of HopeGloria Moskowitz-Sweet, Hope Anita SmithSpare poetry documents Moishe's struggle for survival during the HolocaustMiddle ReadersView book details
Lalani of the Distant SeaErin Entrada KellyA young girl sets out to save her island of Sanlagita, which is struggling with drought and sicknessMiddle ReadersView book details
Let 'er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's ChampionVaunda Micheaux NelsonGeorge Fletcher’s rise to fame as a rodeo champion is recounted with colorful language, à la old Westerns, and expressive oil paintingsMiddle ReadersView book details
Lety Out LoudAngela CervantesWhile spending the summer volunteering in an animal shelter, English language learner Lety Muñoz learns to use her voice to stand up for others. (Belpré Author Honor Book)Middle ReadersLexile 701LATOS 4.5View book details
Pie in the SkyRemy LaiTold with heart and humor, Jingwen adjusts to a new culture and language after his family immigrates to AustraliaMiddle ReadersLexile 720LATOS 4.5View book details
Scary Stories for Young FoxesJunyi WuTwo fox kits encounter a variety of terrifying episodes in this chilling and skillfully crafted horror book for children. (Newbery Honor Book)Middle ReadersLexile 640LATOS 4.4View book details
Some Places More than OthersRenée WatsonAmara copes with family tensions during a trip from her home in Oregon to visit her father’s family in HarlemMiddle ReadersLexile 750LATOS 4.6View book details
StargazingJen WangDespite opposite personalities, Moon and Christine develop an unlikely friendship in this lively graphic novelMiddle ReadersLexile GN510LATOS 3.4View book detailsOlder Readers
30 selections
Accused! The Trials of the Scottsboro Boys: Lies, Prejudice, and the Fourteenth AmendmentLarry Dane BrimnerThe impeccably researched story of nine African American young men falsely accused of raping two white girls in 1931 Scottsboro, AlabamaOlder ReadersView book details
All the Greys on Greene StreetLaura TuckerOlympia must navigate both the disappearance of her father and her mother's growing struggle with depressionOlder ReadersView book details
Beverly, Right HereKate DiCamilloAfter the loss of her beloved dog, Beverly runs away from home and starts a new lifeOlder ReadersLexile 480LATOS 3.5View book details
Born to Fly: The First Women's Air Race across AmericaSteve SheinkinThe well-researched, compellingly written account of 20 aviators competing in the first all-female, cross-country air derbyOlder ReadersView book details
Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler's GermanyAndrew MaranissThis brief history of how basketball became an Olympic sport looks at the ethical issues surrounding the U.S. team’s decision to participate in the 1936 OlympicsOlder ReadersView book details
Genesis Begins AgainAlicia D. WilliamsPainfully self-conscious about her dark skin, 13-year-old Genesis faces new challenges when her family moves to suburban Detroit and she starts a new school. (Newbery Honor Book)Older ReadersLexile 670LView book details
I Can Make This PromiseChristine DayTwelve-year-old Edie discovers a box in her family’s attic that reveals her mother’s Suquamish/Duwamish heritageOlder ReadersLexile HL610LATOS 4.4View book details
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young PeopleRoxanne Dunbar-OrtizThis unflinching adaptation makes crucial history accessible for children and teensOlder ReadersView book details
Infinite Hope: A Black Artist's Journey from World War II to PeaceAshley BryanA moving memoir recounts the WWII experiences of an artistic young man through his contemporaneous writing and illustration on the front lineOlder ReadersView book details
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten BlocksJason ReynoldsWhat happens after school? These 10 interconnected stories will tell you, block by blockOlder ReadersView book details
Maybe He Just Likes YouBarbara DeeMila, a seventh-grader, experiences sexual harassment and unwanted attention from a group of classmatesOlder ReadersLexile 630LATOS 4.1View book details
New KidJerry CraftA funny, thought-provoking graphic novel that details Jordan Banks’ seventh-grade year as one of the few African American kids in an elite suburban school. (Newbery Medal Book)Older ReadersLexile GN320LView book details
Ordinary Hazards: A MemoirNikki GrimesThis distinguished memoir in verse highlights bestselling author and poet Nikki Grimes’ formative years, detailing the people, places, and events that shaped her life. (Sibert Honor Book)Older ReadersView book details
The Other Half of HappyRebecca BalcárcelA biracial girl explores her Guatemalan heritage and deals with family struggles, while navigating the realities of middle school. (Belpré Author Honor Book)Older ReadersView book details
Other Words for HomeJasmine WargaThemes of conflict, home, identity, the arts, and prejudice are interwoven in this powerful verse novel about a Syrian girl’s new life in America. (Newbery Honor Book)Older ReadersLexile 930LATOS 5.3View book details
A Place to BelongCynthia KadohataAfter her Japanese American parents are released from an internment camp, twelve-year-old Hanako travels with her family to start a new life in post-war JapanOlder ReadersLexile 690LATOS 4.59View book details
The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in our Food and DrugsGail JarrowFrom formaldehyde in your milk to borax in your beans comes this fun, informative exploration of the FDA and how it works to keep our food safeOlder ReadersView book details
Sal & Gabi Break the UniverseCarlos HernandezSci-fi adventure and Cuban culture blend as Sal Vidón and his friend Gabi travel to parallel universes and try to survive middle school. (Belpré Author Award Book)Older ReadersLexile 700LView book details
A Story about Cancer (with a Happy Ending)India DesjardinsIn this illustrated book for older children, a teenage girl waits for test results and reflects on her five-year battle with leukemiaOlder ReadersView book details
Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling FeathersCelia C. PérezFour wildly different middle-school girls join together in social activism to protest an outdated traditionOlder ReadersView book details
Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary ChildrenKath ShackletonA compelling collection of six little-known, true stories of child Holocaust survivors, told in graphic novel formatOlder ReadersView book details
They Called Us EnemyGeorge Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven ScottA graphic memoir of a Japanese American family during the internment years in CaliforniaOlder ReadersLexile GN680LATOS 4.6View book details
This Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School EqualityJo Ann Allen Boyce, Debbie LevyA first-person, verse account of the challenges faced by the first African American students to integrate into an American high school. (Sibert Honor Book)Older ReadersView book details
Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship."Deborah HeiligmanThe incredible, nonfiction tale of the German submarine attack on a ship carrying 100 child refugees during WWIIOlder ReadersView book details
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the SkyKwame MbaliaWhile visiting his grandparents in Alabama, Tristan enters into a parallel universe populated by characters from African and African American traditional storiesOlder ReadersLexile HL680LATOS 4.4View book details
Wait, What? A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing UpHeather CorinnaThe founder of Scarleteen.com takes a head-on approach to discussing gender, sexuality, identities, and moreOlder ReadersView book details
We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls around the WorldMalala YousafzaiYousafzai recounts her story of displacement and introduces refugee girls worldwide, putting faces and stories to the demographics of immigrationOlder ReadersView book details
Where the Heart IsJo KnowlesRachel negotiates a summer of changing friendships, family financial disaster, a new job, and a growing awareness of her sexual identityOlder ReadersView book details
Words on FireJennifer NielsenSet during the nineteenth-century Russian occupation of Lithuania, Audra and her family smuggle books to save Lithuanian language and cultureOlder ReadersWord count 72232View book details
The Year We Fell from SpaceAmy Sarig KingAs Liberty’s family struggles with divorce and mental illness, her life begins to spin out of controlOlder ReadersLexile 580LATOS 3.7View book detailsAll Ages
7 selections
I Remember: Poems and Pictures of HeritageLee Bennett HopkinsSixteen illustrators and fourteen poets come together to address themes of culture, identity, and communityAll AgesView book details
Liberty Arrives!: How America's Grandest Statue Found Her HomeRobert ByrdThis informational picturebook introduces many people involved in Lady Liberty's journey from France to her final destination in New York HarborAll AgesView book details
A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a NationBarry Wittenstein andA look at how Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” was written and the voices that shaped its messageAll AgesView book details
Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great WarDuncan TonatiuhA fascinating picturebook biography of Mexican American José de la Luz Sáenz’s fight for equality as a U.S. soldier during WWI. (Belpré Author Honor Book)All AgesView book details
Thanku: Poems of GratitudeMiranda PaulThirty-two diverse poets explore moments of gratitude found throughout the yearAll AgesView book details
The UndefeatedKwame AlexanderAlexander's poetry and Nelson's illustration pair wonderfully in this stunning ode to the courage and strength of African Americans. (Caldecott Medal Book, Newbery Honor Book)All AgesLexile 361LATOS 2.6View book details
You Are Home: An Ode to the National ParksEvan TurkBold illustrations and poetic text showcase America’s famous and lesser-known National ParksAll AgesView book details