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 March Pick
Illustrator: Ekua Holmes
With various poetic forms, the semi-autobiographical collection celebrates Black girlhood, Black sisterhood, and encourages young people to embrace their future boldly. Vibrant, mixed-media illustrations.
Our Young Reviewer Says:
” Renée Watson has achieved something unique through this collection of semi-autobiographical poetry. With strong characterization, Watson has written a powerful ‘herstory.’ Reflecting on the journey of a young person on the margins at the crossroads of gender, class, and race, Watson delivers a powerful piece of American literature. She does it in 81 pages using various poetry forms, including free verse, haiku, tanks, and pantoum.
Black Girl You Are Atlas is an original and distinct work of literary excellence and contribution to American literature for children. There are parts of this book I would have appreciated at age 7 and others that make more sense to me now at age 15. It is relevant and meaningful in its approach to history and perspective. As my experience expands, so will my ability to apply the material. I think that text like “Be a best friend to yourself” (p.50) calls to kids of every age and everyone who has been one. Read more…
–Quade, age 15, San Diego, CA.