How Elegant the Elephant: Poems About Animals and InsectsMary Ann HobermanWhimsical pencil and watercolor illustrations depict a busy hotel for animals in this rollicking collection of poems, both new and previously published, with a variety of forms and meters.Five to NineView book detailsBank Street Best Children's Books of the Year 2026
A large annual list organized by age group and subject.
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2026 edition]See the original list
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Published byBank Street College of Education
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Five to Nine
60 of 216 selections on this pageContinued from page 4Continues on page 6
How Elegant the Elephant: Poems About Animals and InsectsMary Ann HobermanWhimsical pencil and watercolor illustrations depict a busy hotel for animals in this rollicking collection of poems, both new and previously published, with a variety of forms and meters.Five to NineView book details
In the DesertDavid Elliott, illustrated by Gordy WrightClever rhymes invite readers to look at the wide variety of creatures that inhabit the Sahara Desert. Rich gouache and acrylic illustrations, finished digitally. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Winner of the 2026 Claudia Lewis AwardFor a Girl BecomingJoy HarjoAs a brown-skinned baby is welcomed into her family, they give her loving, empowering messages about her special place in the world. Free verse. Richly hued, tactile illustrations.Five to NineView book details
A Forest SongKirsten Hall, illustrated by Evan TurkA boy takes a rapturous journey through the autumn woods. Melodic text in the form of a cento (all lines are taken from classic poems). Swirling, jewel-toned gouache illustrations.Five to NineLexile AD560LView book details
Girls on the RiseAmanda GormanA powerful and lyrical message affirming the special wisdom, beauty, and strength in all girls. Collage and digital graphics.Five to NineLexile AD610LView book details
Growing Green: A First Book of GardeningCandlewick PressSimple, clear instructions along with clear, detailed color illustrations will help aspiring gardeners plant and harvest their vegetables.Five to NineView book details
How to Love the Whole World: A Story About Artist Agnes MartinHenry MartinLoving her natural surroundings, a Canadian American painter expressed her intense feelings in lines and grids, which were initially misunderstood. Illustrations capture her minimalist style.Five to NineView book details
JIM!: Six True Stories About One Great Artist: James MarshallJerrold Connors, illustrated by Jerrold ConnorsThis somewhat fictionalized account recreates the renowned illustrator’s cartoon style and depicts aspects of his life through animal characters. Hilarious!Five to NineView book details
A Line Can Go Anywhere: The Brilliant, Resilient Life of Artist Ruth AsawaCaroline McAlister, illustrated by Jamie GreenA California Nisei, interned during World War II, achieved acclaim by creating soaring wire sculptures and teaching. Expressive charcoal, watercolor, and digital illustrations. Archival photos. Author’s note. Bibliography.Five to NineView book details
Miffy and the Artists (Miffy series)Dick BrunaThe author takes us on an art museum tour featuring 24 artists that directly influenced his art style. Thought-provoking for young art critics and aficionados. Bold color graphics and photographs and reproductions of paintings and sculptures. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
When I Hear SpiritualsCheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by London LaddLyrics of songs that express joy and sorrow interweave with a young narrator’s emotional responses. Excellent resource for pairing with audio recordings. Realistic artwork. Glossary and extensive back matter.Five to NineView book details
Amazing Annie: The Spectacular and Mostly True Adventures of Annie KopchovskyStephen KrenskyIn 1894 a Jewish Latvian immigrant woman broke societal barriers by biking around the world, entertaining audiences along the way with imagined adventures. Colorful, detailed illustrations.Five to NineView book details
The Apprenticeship of Andrew Wyeth: Painting a Family LegacyGene BarrettaThe son of N. C. Wyeth, a renowned painter and illustrator with an outsized personality, Andrew developed his own artistic vocabulary and achieved a lifetime of creative success. Watercolor and colored pencil illustrations.Five to NineView book details
A Banquet for Cecilia: How Cecilia Chiang Revolutionized Chinese Food in AmericaJulie LeungThe daughter of once wealthy parents escaped China after the Communist Revolution and used memories of delicious home-cooked meals to evolve into a celebrated restaurateur. Evocative illustrations. Archival photographs. Maps. Author’s note.Five to NineView book details
Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama (Big Words series)Doreen RappaportThe 44th president’s personal background, achievements, and message, with notable quotes and colorful paintings, inspire and inform. Back matter includes an extensive time line.Five to NineView book details
Becoming a Ballerina: The Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrinceLaura ObuobiSierra Leonean adoptee DePrince faced discrimination in the American ballet world for her skin color and vitiligo, yet became a prima ballerina. Colorful digital illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Becoming Real: The True Story of the Velveteen RabbitMolly GoldenAuthor Margery Williams grew up with imaginary friends. Later, she wrote books about them. Period illustrations. Activities with toys. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
The Girl Who Tested the Waters: Ellen Swallow, Environmental ScientistPatricia Daniele, illustrated by Junyi WuA woman defied 19th-century norms by pursuing a career in science at an all-male university and then identified contaminated food and water. Colored pencil artwork evokes the period.Five to NineView book details
The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. PeiJeanne Walker HarveyAn outsider in France, Chinese American designer Pei worked in secret before unveiling his iconic new entrance to the Louvre. Striking digital artwork. STEM connections in back matter.Five to NineView book details
Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a WriterQuartez Harris, illustrated by Gordon C. JamesAs a boy, a brilliant and celebrated writer Black writer with an angry stepfather sought escape in his love of words and writing. Lush, painterly art.Five to NineLexile 781LATOS 5.0View book details
His Fairytale Life: A Book About Hans Christian AndersenJane YolenNarrator Yolen, the renowned children’s book author, interweaves the struggles and triumphs of a legendary storyteller’s life with detailed luminous illustrations of some of the more than 150 fairy tales that he wrote. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Lady of the Lines: How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the DesertMichaela MacCollEnchanted by Peru and its ancient civilization, a German mathematician and archaeologist devoted her life to uncovering enormous drawings hidden under sand. Realistic illustrations. Archival photographs. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World About Water PollutionJulie WinterbottomMicroscopic views of pond scum galvanized a young girl to devote her life to protecting waterways and their myriad life forms. Watercolor with delicate line art.Five to NineLexile 770LView book details
Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins—The First Lady of Children’s MusicTraci N. ToddA Black girl from Chicago who always loved music grew up to become a legendary children’s music teacher, folk singer, and composer. Expressive digital color artwork. Time line. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Making Light Bloom: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany LampsSandra NickelWorking for a renowned glassmaker in the mid-1900s, Driscoll incorporated nature and landscape designs in world-famous cut-glass garden lamps. Painting and ink illustrations showcase examples of her work. Extensive back matter.Five to NineView book details
The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma & His Gifts to the WorldJames Howe, illustrated by Jack WongMa’s journey from child prodigy to ambassador for world music and harmony is explored in evocative prose and emotional paintings. Readers are encouraged to treasure their own gifts. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
The One and Only RumiRabiah YorkExiled from Afghanistan as a child, the 13th-century poet Rumi drew joy from music, nature, and inner journeys. Drawings infused with gold.Five to NineView book details
One Girl’s Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the LandVivian KirkfieldStone, a 19th-century activist, was an abolitionist and an early champion of women’s rights. Detailed acrylic ink and colored pencil illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Outside In and the Inside Out: A Story About Arnold LobelEmmy Kastner, illustrated by Emmy KastnerA second grader who started drawing during an extended illness grew up to become a beloved author- illustrator. Rich, charming illustrations convey much of the storytelling. Sources and list of Lobel’s works. Heartfelt author’s note.Five to NineView book details
The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid WWII ArmyPenny Parker Klostermann, illustrated by Anne LambeletA young girl’s interest in bugs evolved into a fascination with spiders. She taught herself how to harvest spider silk for crosshairs in gunsights and other equipment. Detailed mixed-media illustrations.Five to NineLexile 940LView book details
Pedal Pusher: How One Woman’s Bicycle Adventure Helped Change the WorldMary BooneIn 1894 a dynamic young Latvian Jewish mother of three became the first woman to ride her bike around the world. Detailed, dynamic illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Wanda Hears The Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the UniverseAmy S. Hansen, Wanda Díaz Merced, illustrated by Rocío Arreola MendozaAlthough she became blind, by using sonification— presenting data through sound—Díaz Merced achieved her dream of becoming an astronomer. Vibrant illustrations. Excellent back matter.Five to NineLexile 540LATOS 3.6View book details
The Prince of Stars: Ulugh Beg’s Quest to Map the Stars and SeasonsM. O. YukselIn the 15th century, a brilliant Muslim prince built the largest observatory of his time and made extraordinary discoveries, laying the foundation for modern astronomy. Detailed digital art. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Revolutionary Mary: The True Story of One Woman, the Declaration of Independence, and America’s Fight for FreedomKaren Blumenthal, Jen McCartneyThe only woman whose name appears on the Declaration of Independence was Mary Goddard, the passionate patriot who risked her life to print it. Mixed-media art. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibiities for Brain Research and DisabilityDanna Zeiger, illustrated by Josée BisaillonChildhood experiences due to cerebral palsy led a girl to pioneer research to develop therapies to improve function in children with similar conditions. Animated, colorful illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineFountas & Pinnell QView book details
The Bi BookA. J. IrvingA depiction of the many ways that “bi” at the beginning of a word, including bisexuality, means two. Charming crayon-like drawings.Five to NineView book details
The Camel Library: A True Story from PakistanMarzieh AbbasAfter the arrival of a viral pandemic, a camel and his human switch from delivering firewood to delivering books to children. Cartoon-style digital illustrations. Back matter features color photos.Five to NineView book details
Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United StatesRajani LaRoccaThe difficult journey to become a citizen in our nation is beautifully shared through inspiring language and expressive mixed-media art.Five to NineView book details
The Air We Share: A Pollution Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It (Books for a Better Earth collection)Dee RomitoThree events—the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883; Black Sunday, a massive Oklahoma dust storm in 1935; and the Great Smog of 1952 in London—illustrate the global effects of airborne particulates. Colorful illustrations. Glossary, index, sources.Five to NineView book details
Bird Brothers: A Delhi StoryRina SinghTwo Muslim Indian brothers learn to rescue black kites in a city where those birds, ironically, are wounded by the glass-coated strings used for paper-kite fighting. Mixed-media illustrations. Author’s note.Five to NineView book details
DawnMarc Martin, illustrated by Marc MartinSee the world come alive as the sun rises and animals, insects, and flowers greet the day. Spare text and elaborate watercolor, pencil, and digital illustrations.Five to NineView book details
I Am We: How Crows Come Together to SurviveLeslie Barnard Booth, illustrated by Alexandra FinkeldeyWhen the seasons change, thousands of crows take refuge together at night, huddling for warmth and protection. Stunning dark and evocative illustrations. Lyrical language. Comprehensive back matter.Five to NineLexile AD510LATOS 2.3View book details
Ice Journey of the Polar BearMartin JenkinsA polar bear and her two cubs wander the Arctic looking for food and shelter amid changing conditions and melting ice. Bright, textured mixed-media illustrations.Five to NineView book details
Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed VaultMegan Clendenan, illustrated by Brittany CiccheseBuried deep underground in the Arctic, a Norwegian facility stores more than 580 million global crop seeds, preserving them for future food supplies. Animated, colorful illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineLexile 850LATOS 4.8View book details
Mighty: The Story of an Oak Tree EcosystemHenry ColeAn acorn grows into a great oak, evolving as part of an ecosystem and becoming a beloved town landmark. Finely detailed black-and-white pencil drawings.Five to NineView book details
My Pollinator Garden: How I Plant for Bees, Butterflies, Beetles, and More (Books for a Better Earth collection)Jordan Zwetchkenbaum, illustrated by Kate CosgroveA colorful and inviting guide with detailed information about how pollination works and the vital role of pollinators. Striking pencil and digital art drawing.Five to NineView book details
Plight of the Pelican: How Science Saved a Species (Books for a Better Earth collection)Jessica StremerIn the late 1960s and early 1970s, DDT, a pesticide, was endangering the population of pelicans (and other living creatures). Scientists discovered why and fought to solve the problem. Full-page gouache and acrylic illustrations.Five to NineView book details
Recycling Day: What Happens to the Things We Throw AwayPolly FaberLearn about the many useful ways that metal, plastic, paper, fabric, and food scraps can be repurposed after we discard them. Colorful descriptive illustrations. Suggested conservation practices.Five to NineView book details
Whales in the CityNancy F. Castaldo, illustrated by Chuck GroeninkAfter many years of being driven away by overfishing, pollution, and other consequences of human activity, whales were brought back to New York Harbor through staunch efforts of activists. Dramatic mixed- media illustrations. Sources.Five to NineLexile AD600LATOS 3.9View book details
When a Tree Falls: Nurse Logs and Their Incredible Forest PowerKirsten PendreighWhat happens when a tree falls in the forest? Sometimes it continues nursing life. Simple, poetic text and full-page digital illustrations transport readers into the woods.Five to NineView book details
Worm Makes a SandwichBrianne FarleyA humorous explanation of the critical role worm poop plays in a successful garden. Mixed-media color illustrations.Five to NineView book details
The Friendship Train: A True Story of Helping and Healing After World War IIDebbie Levy, illustrated by Boris KulikovIn 1947 children played an important role in filling boxcars traveling across the U.S. with essential food to be shipped to hungry Europeans. Striking illustrations evoke the time period. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
The History of WeNikkolas Smith, illustrated by Nikkolas SmithEnter the African continent, where communication, the arts, sciences, and exploration originiated, creating our shared global humanity. Lyrical text. Acrylic art. Back matter.Five to NineLexile 680LFountas & Pinnell RView book details
The House on the CanalThomas Harding, illustrated by Britta TeckentrupFollow the 400-year history of 263 Prinsengracht, the building on a plot of marshland in Amsterdam where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II. Mixed-media illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineATOS 4.5AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
The Keeper of StoriesCaroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Selina AlkoIn 1966, when fire destroyed many precious volumes at the Jewish Theological Seminary library, the wider community rallied in a massive salvage operation, known as ”Operation Booklift.” Striking illustrations.Five to NineATOS 4.0AR interest Lower Grades (LG K-3)View book details
Mature contentOne Day: A True Story of Survival in the HolocaustMichael Rosen, illustrated by Benjamin PhillipsA Hungarian Jewish father and son fought the Nazis with the Resistance in Paris, but were captured. Would they escape the Auschwitz-bound train that they were on? Mixed-media illustrations.Five to NineView book details
Returning the Sword: How a Japanese Sword of War Became a Symbol of Friendship and PeaceCaren StelsonYears after World War II, a retired American soldier returned a treasured Japanese artifact, taken as plunder but unflaggingly cared for, to its original owner’s family. Warm digital illustrations. Bibliography, notes.Five to NineView book details
The Secret RecipeIlan StavansWhile making a traditional pastry with his grandmother, using her recipe written in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), a boy learns about the language’s origins and survival. Bold color illustrations. Glossary. Recipe.Five to NineView book details
Akeem Keeps Bees!: A Close-Up Look at the Honey Makers and Pollinators of Sankofa FarmsKamal Eugene William Bell, Akeem Bell, illustrated by Darnell JohnsonA Black boy describes how his family farm’s apiary operates. Colorful, detailed graphic-novel-style illustrations. Back matter.Five to NineView book details
Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la PapaSara Andrea Fajardo, illustrated by Juana Martinez-NealAn Andean-born agronomist’s fluency in both Spanish and Quechua helped make him an unprecedentedly effective plant collector and protector of biodiversity. Rich, earthy illustrations. Glossary, biographical information. Also available in Spanish.Five to NineATOS 3.6AR interest LG K-3View book details