The Best Children’s Books of the Year 2021 Edition Books Published in 2020 https://www.bankstreet.edu/cbc BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION THE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2021 EDITION OFBOOKS THE PUBLISHED YEAR IN 2020 SELECTED BY THE CHILDREN’S BOOK COMMITTEE The 2021 edition of The Best Children’s Books of the Year is dedicated to Roberta “Bobbi” Mitchell and Ellen Rappaport, two valued committee members of long standing who passed away during the previous year. The Committee gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions that their families have made in their memory. The publication of the 2021 edition of The Best Children’s Books of the Year was made possible with the assistance of the many publishers who helped the Children’s Book Committee receive books in non-traditional ways throughout the pandemic. Special thanks to John Rolander, our “bike courier extraordinaire,” who distributed books throughout New York City. The print edition was made possible by the generous support of The Helping Hands Fund in memory of RaeLee Thompson. Finally, a special thank you this year to the members of the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, whose technological skills grew exponentially as we continued the work of reading, sharing, and reviewing via Zoom. THE CHILDREN’S BOOK COMMITTEE Jina Miharu Accardo Aviva Mandell Marilyn Ackerman Muriel Mandell Rita Auerbach Roberta (Bobbi) Mitchell Alice Belgray Caitlyn Morrissey Jennifer Brown Hannah O’Neill Sheila Browning Kathryn Payne Miriam Lang Budin Susan Pine Grace Campbell-Hay Jaïra Placide Christie Clark Audrey Pryce Deborah Cohen Ellen Rappaport Laura Cohen Susie Rios Linda Colarusso Susie Rolander Carmen Colón Martha Rosen Jonah Dragan Caroline Schill Becky Eisenberg Adrienne Schure Gillian Engberg Elizabeth C. Segal Margery Fisher Charissa Sgouros Helen Freidus Dale Singer Alex Grannis Jo Stein Melinda Greenblatt Susan Stires Linda Greengrass Hadassah Tannor Suzanne Grossman Jane Thompson Catherine Hong Margaret Tice Todd Jackson Morika Tsujimura Andee Jorisch Maria Vallejo-Nguyên˜ Kharissa Kenner Leslie Wagner Gloria Koster Caroline Ward Mollie Welsh Kruger Cynthia Weill Patricia Lakin Michele Weisman Jeanne Lamb Mary Anne Wolpert Caren Leslie Todd Zin Elizabeth (Liz) Levy MEMBERS EMERITI Margaret Cooper Lisa Von Drasek MEMBERS ON LEAVE OR AT LARGE Beryl Bresgi Rivka Widerman Laurent Linn TIPS FOR PARENTS • Share your enjoyment of books with your child. • Talk over your reading. • Continue to read aloud to your child even after they read independently. • Encourage your child to choose a book to read aloud to someone else. • Broaden your child’s horizons by helping them to select books from a wide range of subjects. • Encourage your child to read whatever they enjoy, even if it appears to be too easy or too hard. • Let your child see your enjoyment of your own reading. • Find time for your child to visit and browse in libraries and bookstores. 2021 AWARDS The Josette Frank Award for a work of fiction of outstanding literary merit for young readers in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson (Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House) The Claudia Lewis Award for the best poetry book of the year for young readers (for younger readers) I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House) (for older readers) Flooded: Requiem for Johnstown by Ann E. Burg (Scholastic Press) The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young readers (for younger readers) Lizzie Demands a Seat!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights by Beth Anderson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills & Kane) (for older readers) All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat (Candlewick Press) In evaluating books for their literary merit, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee (CBC) recognizes the importance of diversity in children’s literature and acknowledges and celebrates the voices and cultures of all of our readers. Diversity encompasses the varied and unique identities, experiences, perspectives, and cultural communities of a book’s main and supporting characters, whose attributes include (but are not limited to) race, ethnicity, gender, abilities, sexuality, class, religion, and family structure. All children benefit from seeing themselves reflected in what they read, and from seeing characters with different identities, depicted accurately and without stereotypes in texts and/or illustrations. The CBC values representations of characters who are change agents and advocates for social justice, inclusivity, and equity. In accordance with the Committee’s goal of modeling proper sourcing of nonfiction writing, all listed informational books for children nine and older must contain supporting references including, at a minimum, sources, quote attributions, and photo credits. Book annotations may also include the term “back matter” to indicate that there is additional reference material provided. KEY Board Book Outstanding Merit Diversity Read Aloud Graphic Format (4–6) Age Range Mature CONTENTS UNDER FIVE ..............................................................................1 Holidays and Religion ...........................................................42 Concept Books .......................................................................... 8 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) .........42 Holidays and Religion ............................................................. 9 World ...........................................................................................44 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) .........10 TWELVE TO FOURTEEN ...................................................... 45 FIVE TO NINE ......................................................................... 11 Fiction ........................................................................................ 45 Fiction ........................................................................................ 11 Adventure and Mystery ........................................................45 Adventure and Mystery ........................................................11 Coming of Age ..........................................................................45 Animals ........................................................................................11 Contemporary Issues ............................................................46 Anthologies and Collections ...............................................11 Ecology ........................................................................................47 Beginning Readers ..................................................................11 Family/School/Community .................................................47 Concept Books ........................................................................12 Fantasy ........................................................................................48 Contemporary Issues.............................................................12 Folklore and Fairy Tales .......................................................49 Ecology ........................................................................................13 Historical Fiction ....................................................................50 Family/School/Community .................................................14 Humor ..........................................................................................51 Fantasy .......................................................................................18 Magical Realism ......................................................................51 Folklore and Fairy Tales ........................................................19 Science Fiction ..........................................................................51 Historical Fiction .....................................................................19 Sports ...........................................................................................51 Humor ..........................................................................................19 Poetry ........................................................................................ 51 Magical Realism .......................................................................20 Informational Books ............................................................. 52 Sports ...........................................................................................20 Biography and Memoir..........................................................52 Poetry ........................................................................................ 20 Ecology ........................................................................................53 Informational Books ............................................................. 21 History .........................................................................................53 Activities .....................................................................................21 Language .....................................................................................54 Arts................................................................................................21