Bank Street’s Best Books of the Year include:
1. All About Grandmas by Roni Schotter, illustrated by Janice Nadeau (Dial)
2. Almost Home by Joan Bauer (Viking)
3. Amber Brown Is Tickled Pink by Bruce Coville, and Elizabeth Levy (Putnam)
4. The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco (Putnam)
5. Bea at Ballet by Rachel Isadora (Nancy Paulsen)
6. Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen)
7. The Best Bike Ride Ever by James Proimos and Johanna Wright (Dial)
8. Betty Bunny Wants Everything by Michael B. Kaplan, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch (Dial)
9. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer, and Elizabeth Zunon (Dial)
10. Buddy by M.H. Herlong (Viking)
11. Burning Blue by Paul Griffin (Dial)
12. The Camping Trip that Changed America by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mordecai Gerstein (Dial)
13. The Case of the Deadly Desperados by Caroline Lawrence (Putnam)
14. Christmastime by Alison Jay (Dial)
15. Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz (Razorbill)
16. Colorful Dreamer by Marjorie Blain Parker, illustrated by Holly Berry (Dial)
17. Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen (Philomel)
18. Darkwater by Catherine Fisher (Dial)
19. Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey (Putnam)
20. A Diamond in the Desert by Kathryn Fitzmaurice (Viking)
21. Dog In Charge by K. L. Going, illustrated by Dan Santat (Dial)
22. Double Dog Dare by Lisa Graff (Philomel)
23. Duck Sock Hop by Jane Kohuth, illustrated by Jane Porter (Dial)
24. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Nancy Paulsen)
25. The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George (Viking)
26. Electric Ben by Robert Byrd (Dial)
27. Ellen’s Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter (Putnam)
28. EllRay Jakes Walks the Plank by Sally Warner, illustrated by Jamie Harper (Viking)
29. Every Cowgirl Loves a Rodeo by Rebecca Janni, illustrated by Lynne Avril (Dial)
30. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (Razorbill)
31. Fangbone! by Michael Rex (Putnam)
32. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Dutton)
33. The Final Four by Paul Volponi (Viking)
34. Forever Four by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel (Grosset & Dunlap)
35. Frog and Fly by Jeff Mack (Philomel)
36. Hands Around the Library by Susan L. Roth and Karen Leggett Abouraya (Dial)
37. Heroes of the Surf by Elisa Carbone, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Viking)
38. The Homemade Stuffing Caper by John Madormo (Philomel)
39. The Hueys in The New Sweater by Oliver Jeffers (Philomel)
40. In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz (Dutton)
41. It’s All About Me-Ow by Hudson Talbott (Nancy Paulsen)
42. The Journey Back by Priscilla Cummings (Dutton)
43. Keeping Safe the Stars by Sheila O’Connor (Putnam)
44. Kepler’s Dream by Juliet Bell (Putnam)
45. Last of the Gullivers by Carter Crocker (Philomel)
46. Leading Ladies by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel (Grosset & Dunlap)
47. The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine (Putnam)
48. Little Dog Lost by Mônica Carnesi (Nancy Paulsen)
49. Llama Llama Time To Share by Anna Dewdney (Viking)
50. Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman (Nancy Paulsen)
51. Love? Maybe. by Heather Hepler (Dial)
52. Make a Wish Bear by Greg Foley (Viking)
53. Max and Ruby’s Treasure Hunt by Rosemary Wells (Viking)
54. Michael at the Invasion of France, 1943 by Laurie Calkhoven (Dial)
55. Mossy by Jan Brett (Putnam)
56. My Big Boy Undies by Karen Katz (Grosset & Dunlap)
57. My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve (Dial)
58. My No, No, No Day! by Rebecca Patterson (Viking)
59. Nasty Bugs selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Will Terry (Dial)
60. No Jumping on the Bed! by Tedd Arnold (Dial)
61. Obi, Gerbil on a Mission by M.C. Delaney (Dial)
62. One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Nancy Paulsen)
63. Origin by Jessica Khoury (Razorbill)
64. Pearl and Wagner: Five Days Till Summer by Kate McMullan, illustrated by R. W. Alley (Dial)
65. Penelope Crumb by Shawn K. Stout, with art by Valeria Docampo (Philomel)
66. Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood (Nancy Paulsen)
67. Puss in Boots by Jerry Pinkney (Dial)
68. Rabbit’s Snow Dance as told by James and Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Jeff Newman (Dial)
69. Radiant Days by Elizabeth Hand (Viking)
70. The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony (Putnam)
71. Ripper by Stefan Petrucha (Philomel)
72. Robbie Forester and the Outlaws of Sherwood Street by Peter Abrahams (Philomel)
73. Royal Princess Academy by Laura Joy Rennert, illustrated by Melanie Florian (Dial)
74. Small Damages by Beth Kephart (Philomel)
75. Sophie’s Fish by A. E. Cannon, illustrated by Lee White (Viking)
76. Squid and Octopus Tao Nyeu (Dial)
77. There Was a Tree by Rachel Isadora (Nancy Paulsen)
78. This Monster Needs a Haircut by Bethany Barton (Dial)
79. The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat (Putnam)
80. Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage (Dial)
81. Time Snatchers by Richard Ungar (Putnam)
82. Too Tall Houses by Gianna Marino (Viking)
83. Trafficked by Kim Purcell (Viking)
84. When Dads Don’t Grow Up by Marjorie Blain Parker, illustrated by R.W. Alley (Dial)
85. The World’s Greatest Lion by Ralph Helfer, illustrated by Ted Lewin (Philomel)
86. Zip by Ellie Rollins (Razorbill)
The Children’s Book Committee at the Bank Street College of Education strives to guide librarians, educators, parents, grandparents, and other interested adults to the best books for children published each year. In choosing books for the annual list, reviewers consider 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. Nonfiction titles are further evaluated for accuracy and clarity. Each book accepted for the list is read and reviewed by at least two committee members and then discussed by the committee as a whole. To learn more about the process, review their guidelines.
For further details about Bank Street, please visit: http://bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/childrens-book-committee/best-books-year/best-books-year-2013/
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