Children’s Book Committee
The Children’s Book Committee (CBC) was founded more than 100 years ago to help parents, teachers, and librarians choose the books that children will find captivating and transforming. Every year it produces comprehensive annotated book lists for children aged infant through 18.
Our Mission
The CBC reviews over 6000 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 with annotations according to age and category.
The Children’s Book Committee strives to guide librarians, educators, parents, grandparents, and other interested adults to the best books for children published each year. The list includes more than 600 titles chosen by reviewers for 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.
To contact us, please email bookcom@bankstreet.edu.
Children's Book Committee December Pick
A Hindu boy’s family must relocate and reinvent their lives, when India’s long-anticipated independence from British rule pits Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims against each other. Free verse.
Our Young Reviewer Says:
“A Hindu boy’s family must relocate and reinvent their lives, when India’s long-anticipated independence from British rule pits Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims against each other. Free verse.
I liked how this book portrays the story in a poem-like format. I loved how friendship and peace were the important themes in this book. This book is special because it reminds us how war continues to break apart lives. It shows how peace can mend family and relationships.The language of this book was very poetic. It was written in verses. I liked it because the poetic language made the story flow better to me. I also liked that the plot had many twists. This book inspires me to think deeper about peace, religion, and friends. I want to care for my family more.”
–Aika, age 11, New York, NY.