Children’s Book Committee

Young Reviewers Program

The Young Reviewers Program welcomes children from toddlers through high school students who read and review books that are currently being considered by the Children’s Book Committee (CBC). Started more than 20 years ago, the program supports the CBC’s longstanding mission to evaluate books for children, parents, librarians, and educators by focusing on how books can affect young readers.

Purpose of Becoming a Young Reviewer

Reviews help the CBC to create our Best Children’s Books of the Year lists and Children’s Book Awards. Some Young Reviewers have been in the program for years and many have highlighted their experience on school and scholarship resumés.

For more information about our program, please email youngreviewers@bankstreet.edu or click the button below to fill out our registration form.

Registration Form Submit a Review Children’s Book Committee

The Children’s Book Committee

Members of the CBC have a wide range of experience in the world of education, writing, and book publishing, but the voices of children through the Young Reviewers Program provide the committee with valuable insights into the literature we read throughout each year. Reviews are shared with committee members at weekly meetings and, at the end of the year, the CBC will consider many criteria when compiling the Best Children’s Books of the Year List, including the thoughts of our Young Reviewers. Excerpts from some reviews are shared on social media and at our awards ceremony in the spring.

Children's Book Committee January Pick

Not Nothing

Authors: Gayle Forman

Alex, 12, is assigned to Shady Glen Retirement home for community service following a juvenile offense. There, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor helps them both to heal.

Our Young Reviewers Say:

“There are many things I liked about this book. One was the addition of antihero (Alex) as the co-protagonist, or an atypical hero who insults people and lashes out but eventually learns to be kind as the story goes on. Another was the compare-and-contrast between Alex and Josey. Both of them have had hard lives, but deal with it in different way (i.e. Josey not talking for a year, Alex not trusting people.) I find this book to be very special because of its intriguing plot and wonderfully diverse cast of characters.

The plot most of all interested me because even though the book itself isn’t a mystery, the author withholds information until the closing chapters, allowing the readers to hunt for clues about Alex’s mysterious crime. Speaking of Alex, he goes through a lot of character development in the book.”

–Hannah, age 12, Monroe, LA.

“Heartfelt and sweet and showed how people aren’t always who they appear to be and love can help you through hard times.”

–Sofia, 10, Arlington, MA

Past Monthly Picks