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 April Pick
Twelve-year old Carlos’ idyllic life is shattered when Castro’s forces take over Cuba, but can his family survive the dangerous journey to America? Lush, action-packed art, back matter.
Our Young Reviewer Says:
I liked that it was based on something that actually happened. The characters were real people. I liked that it was narrated by someone who is my age which makes it more relatable. I liked that it was a graphic novel because it made such a big event easier to understand for a middle schooler. There are illustrations throughout the book and photographs at the end of the family. The photographs made the story come to life. The picture of the family looks like it could be any family. Thinking this family was able to make it from Cuba to Florida without getting caught is amazing. Read more…
–Emma, grade 7, Eastchester, NY