THE CHILDREN’S BOOK COMMITTEE at 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.
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2017 Edition includes more than 600 titles chosen by the Children’s Book Committee as the best of the best published in 2016. 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.
* Denotes outstanding merit.
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Lucy and Linh
by Alice Pung
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Young Adults
Feb 2017
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Young Adults
Lucy and Linhby Alice Pung
Sharp and honest, Alice Pung's novel examines what it means to grow into the person you want to be without leaving yourself behind. ISBN
9780399550492
Awards & Honors
The Kirkus Prize 2016 Nominee, Young Readers
National Public Radio’s Guide to 2016 Great Reads Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2016, Teen Booklist Top 10 Books for Youth 2017, Diverse Fiction YALSA 2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults 2017 Capitol Choices, Fourteen and Up CSMCL Best Multicultural Books of 2016 Potentially Sensitive Areas
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When the Moon Was Ours
by Anna-Marie McLemore
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Mature Young Adults Plus
Feb 2017
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Mature Young Adults Plus
When the Moon Was Oursby Anna-Marie McLemore
2017 Stonewall Book Award, Honor ISBN
9781250058669
Awards & Honors
National Book Awards: Young People’s Literature, 2016 Longlist
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2016, Teen Booklist 2016 Editors’ Choice, Books for Youth, Older Readers, Fiction 2017 Rainbow Book List, Young Adult Fiction YALSA 2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults 2016 Cybils Finalist, Young Adult Speculative Fiction Potentially Sensitive Areas
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My Name Is James Madison Hemings
by Jonah Winter
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Intermediate Readers Plus
Jan 2017
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Intermediate Readers Plus
My Name Is James Madison Hemingsby Jonah Winter
This powerful historical picture book is an evocative first-person account by the child of founding father Thomas Jefferson and the enslaved Sally Hemings. Author's note. Full-color illustrations rendered in acrylic on bristol board. ISBN
9780385383431
Awards & Honors
The New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2016, Picture Books
CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2017, K–2 Potentially Sensitive Areas
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A Torch Against the Night
by Sabaa Tahir
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Fantasy/Science Fiction High Plus
Dec 2016
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$12.00 $5.00 Member Price |
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Fantasy/Science Fiction High Plus
A Torch Against the Nightby Sabaa Tahir
Helene’s mission is horrifying, unwanted, and clear: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape—and kill them both. ISBN
9781101998878
Series
Awards & Honors
Goodreads Choice Awards 2016, Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction
BuzzFeed Best YA Books of 2016 Potentially Sensitive Areas
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Still Life with Tornado
by A. S. King
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Mature Young Adults Plus
Dec 2016
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Mature Young Adults Plus
Still Life with Tornadoby A. S. King
A heartbreaking story of a talented teenage artist's surreal awakening to the horrifically unoriginal brokenness of her family. ISBN
9781101994887
Awards & Honors
SLJ’s Best Books of 2016, Young Adult
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2016, Young Adult The New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2016, Young Adult Booklist Top 10 Books for Youth 2016, Arts Booklist 2016 Editors’ Choice, Top of the List, Youth Fiction Shelf Awareness 2016 Best Books of the Year, Teen Novels YALSA 2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults 2017 Capitol Choices, Fourteen and Up 2016 Cybils Finalist, Young Adult Speculative Fiction Booklist Carte Blanche: Columinist’s Choice 2016 Potentially Sensitive Areas
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Unscripted Joss Byrd: A Novel
by Lygia Day Peñaflor
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Young Adults
Dec 2016
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Young Adults
Unscripted Joss Byrd: A Novelby Lygia Day Peñaflor
Joss Byrd is America's most celebrated young actress but she struggles to find herself on a film set where all that matters is what she's not prepared to do. ISBN
9781626723696
Potentially Sensitive Areas
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Riverkeep
by Martin Stewart
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Fantasy/Science Fiction High Plus
Nov 2016
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$12.00 $5.00 Member Price |
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Fantasy/Science Fiction High Plus
Riverkeepby Martin Stewart
Wulliam’s father’s job is to keep the river clear of weeds, ice, and corpses. When he is pulled under the water one day and emerges possessed, Wull embarks on an epic journey in search of a cure. ISBN
9781101998298
Awards & Honors
The Kirkus Prize 2016 Nominee, Young Readers
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2016, Teen BCCB 2016 Blue Ribbons, Fiction Potentially Sensitive Areas
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Kids of Appetite
by David Arnold
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Mature Young Adults Plus
Nov 2016
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Mature Young Adults Plus
Kids of Appetiteby David Arnold
After his father's death, Vic falls in with a mysterious and alluring band of kids that wanders his New Jersey neighborhood. ISBN
9780451470782
Awards & Honors
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2016, Young Adult
YALSA 2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults Indies Choice Book Awards 2017 Book of the Year Finalist, Young Adult Potentially Sensitive Areas
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As I Descended
by Robin Talley
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Current Trends High Plus
Nov 2016
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Current Trends High Plus
As I Descendedby Robin Talley
Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school's ultimate power couple—but one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey. ISBN
9780062409232
Awards & Honors
Rainbow List Choice - 2018
The Kirkus Prize 2016 Nominee, Young Readers Potentially Sensitive Areas
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Sea Change
by Frank Viva
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Intermediate Readers Plus
Jul 2016
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$12.75 $5.00 Member Price |
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Intermediate Readers Plus
Sea Changeby Frank Viva
Spending the summer in Point Aconi, Nova Scotia, feels like a punishment. But then Eliot earns his sea legs on Uncle Earl's boat, tastes delicious lobster, and meets mysterious, pretty Mary Beth. Three-color illustrations drawn in pencil and india ink and colored digitally. ISBN
9781935179924
Awards & Honors
Shelf Awareness 2016 Best Books of the Year, Middle Grade
Potentially Sensitive Areas
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