Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year

About this book list

The Best Children's Books of the Year is an annual list produced by the Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education. Each edition covers hundreds of books, first by age range and then by subject. Bank Street says reviewers consider literary quality, presentation, emotional impact, credible characters and plots, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes. At least two committee members read and review every accepted book before the committee discusses it as a group. This makes the list especially useful for broad discovery: it includes many subjects and formats rather than naming a single winner. The age headings provide a manageable place to begin, while the subject sections help narrow a large edition to a child's current interest. Within a section, the annotations help families compare a book's premise and approach. Because the annual list is extensive, older editions can be just as helpful as the newest one when library availability matters.