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 November Pick
Illustrator: Sally Deng
The life and accomplishments of German Jewish youth advocate who, post-WWII, established the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Retro-style color illustrations. Archival photos. Acknowledgements.
Our Young Reviewer Says:
I liked that no matter what life threw at Jella Lepman she always found a way to get what she wanted. I found this book special because it showed me no matter how many people doubt you, there is always a way to reach your goal. The illustrations helped to paint a better picture in my head of how Germany looked after the war and how Jella overcame all the obstacles in her way of making her dream Children’s Library true.
The book inspires me and other young people by showing us that no matter who we are or what time in the world it is you can always be the change in the world you want to see.
–Natalie, age 11, Mifflintown, PA.