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Big
by
4.62 avg rating — 4,814 ratings
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| 2 |
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An American Story
by
4.62 avg rating — 1,611 ratings
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| 3 |
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Once Upon a Book
by
Grace Lin (Goodreads Author) (Author/Illustrator)
4.21 avg rating — 1,203 ratings
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| 4 |
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Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider
by
4.36 avg rating — 890 ratings
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| 5 |
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In Every Life
by
4.27 avg rating — 1,396 ratings
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| 6 |
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Simon and the Better Bone: A Charming Tale About Empathy for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.31 avg rating — 878 ratings
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| 7 |
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The Tree and the River
by
4.31 avg rating — 1,025 ratings
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| 8 |
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A First Time for Everything
by
4.36 avg rating — 8,275 ratings
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| 9 |
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Beneath
by
4.41 avg rating — 1,288 ratings
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| 10 |
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My Powerful Hair
by
4.56 avg rating — 1,186 ratings
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| 11 |
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Nell Plants a Tree
by
4.31 avg rating — 896 ratings
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| 12 |
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The Skull
by
4.16 avg rating — 14,547 ratings
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| 13 |
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Remember
by
4.41 avg rating — 1,439 ratings
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| 14 |
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In the Night Garden
by
4.05 avg rating — 721 ratings
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| 15 |
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Woven of the World
by
4.20 avg rating — 378 ratings
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| 16 |
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A Crown for Corina
by
4.19 avg rating — 383 ratings
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| 17 |
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There Was a Party for Langston
by
4.48 avg rating — 1,799 ratings
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| 18 |
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How to Write a Poem
by
4.21 avg rating — 724 ratings
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| 19 |
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That Flag: A Jane Addams Honor Book About Friendship and Racism for Children (Ages 6-10)
by
4.62 avg rating — 923 ratings
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| 20 |
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Finding Papa: A Poignant Picture Book About Vietnamese Immigration, Love, and Courage for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.36 avg rating — 475 ratings
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| 20 |
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Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings
by
4.36 avg rating — 340 ratings
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| 22 |
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The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of
by
4.34 avg rating — 632 ratings
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| 23 |
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The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music
by
4.11 avg rating — 439 ratings
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| 24 |
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How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee
by
4.46 avg rating — 929 ratings
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| 25 |
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Evergreen
by
4.29 avg rating — 1,237 ratings
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| 26 |
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Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport
by
4.47 avg rating — 617 ratings
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| 27 |
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River of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon
by
4.56 avg rating — 249 ratings
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| 28 |
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Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement
by
4.30 avg rating — 232 ratings
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| 29 |
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This is a Story
by
4.33 avg rating — 681 ratings
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| 30 |
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Kozo the Sparrow: A True Picture Book About Compassion, Empathy, and Saving a Baby Bird for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.16 avg rating — 174 ratings
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| 31 |
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Ramen for Everyone
by
4.19 avg rating — 580 ratings
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| 32 |
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This Is Not My Home
by
4.39 avg rating — 387 ratings
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| 32 |
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Under the Blanket Sky
by
4.08 avg rating — 212 ratings
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| 34 |
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The Train Home: An Inventive Picture Book About Imagination, Family, and Belonging for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.03 avg rating — 252 ratings
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| 35 |
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A Flag for Juneteenth
by
4.33 avg rating — 238 ratings
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| 36 |
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The Truth About Dragons
by
4.38 avg rating — 1,369 ratings
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| 37 |
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Tomfoolery!: Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-of-Age of Children's Books
by
4.19 avg rating — 518 ratings
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| 38 |
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Dim Sum Palace
by
4.06 avg rating — 904 ratings
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| 39 |
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The Book of Turtles: A Fact-Filled Picture Book About Beloved Reptile Species for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.50 avg rating — 379 ratings
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| 40 |
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Maribel's Year
by
4.11 avg rating — 246 ratings
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| 41 |
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Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter
by
4.20 avg rating — 940 ratings
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| 42 |
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Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art – An Illustrated Exploration of Prehistoric Art for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.22 avg rating — 222 ratings
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| 43 |
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Big Tree
by
4.05 avg rating — 3,837 ratings
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| 44 |
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Mine!
by
4.03 avg rating — 464 ratings
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| 45 |
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The Bees of Notre-Dame
by
3.93 avg rating — 270 ratings
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| 46 |
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Harlem at Four
by
3.98 avg rating — 162 ratings
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| 47 |
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I'm an American
by
4.52 avg rating — 143 ratings
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| 48 |
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A Walk in the Woods
by
4.42 avg rating — 754 ratings
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| 49 |
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You So Black
by
4.45 avg rating — 179 ratings
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| 50 |
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Rainbow Shopping
by
4.11 avg rating — 266 ratings
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| 51 |
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Something Wild
by
4.13 avg rating — 268 ratings
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| 51 |
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This Little Kitty
by
4.04 avg rating — 483 ratings
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| 53 |
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Cape
by
4.55 avg rating — 504 ratings
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| 54 |
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If I Was a Horse
by
3.76 avg rating — 900 ratings
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| 55 |
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The Umbrella
by
3.98 avg rating — 570 ratings
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| 56 |
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Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem
by
4.39 avg rating — 421 ratings
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| 57 |
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Like Lava in My Veins
by
4.11 avg rating — 334 ratings
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| 58 |
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Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes
by
4.18 avg rating — 390 ratings
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| 59 |
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The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic
by
4.31 avg rating — 251 ratings
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| 60 |
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Rise to the Sky: How the World's Tallest Trees Grow Up
by
4.14 avg rating — 265 ratings
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| 61 |
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The Artivist
by
4.39 avg rating — 511 ratings
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| 62 |
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One Day
by
4.05 avg rating — 302 ratings
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| 63 |
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The Making of Butterflies
by
4.02 avg rating — 140 ratings
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| 64 |
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You Are My Pride: A Love Letter from Your Motherland
by
3.82 avg rating — 135 ratings
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| 65 |
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Stillwater and Koo Save the World (A Stillwater and Friends Book)
by
4.12 avg rating — 350 ratings
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| 66 |
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To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights
by
4.38 avg rating — 405 ratings
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| 67 |
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What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland's Historic Inauguration
by
4.28 avg rating — 181 ratings
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| 67 |
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Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir
by
4.20 avg rating — 6,867 ratings
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| 67 |
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The World and Everything in It: A Wholesome Picture Book About Belonging and Curiosity for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
3.71 avg rating — 486 ratings
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| 70 |
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Chef Edna: Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis
by
4.29 avg rating — 150 ratings
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| 70 |
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Patchwork Prince
by
4.04 avg rating — 199 ratings
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| 70 |
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A Bed of Stars
by
4.07 avg rating — 371 ratings
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| 70 |
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Our Pool
by
4.22 avg rating — 554 ratings
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| 70 |
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Fry Guys (Fry Guys, #1)
by
3.75 avg rating — 185 ratings
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| 75 |
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The Red Jacket
by
4.14 avg rating — 437 ratings
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| 76 |
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A Beautiful House for Birds
by
3.90 avg rating — 125 ratings
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| 77 |
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Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A (Not So) Serious Guide
by
4.45 avg rating — 304 ratings
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| 77 |
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Ode to a Bad Day
by
3.86 avg rating — 417 ratings
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| 79 |
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Grandma's Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story
by
4.10 avg rating — 233 ratings
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| 80 |
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Rock Your Mocs: A Picture Book About the Beauty and Power of Moccasins and Native Identity for Kids (Ages 4-8)
by
4.16 avg rating — 271 ratings
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| 81 |
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Before, Now
by
3.65 avg rating — 333 ratings
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| 82 |
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A Letter for Bob: An Award-Winning Indigenous Picture Book About Family and Memories for Children (Ages 4-8)
by
4.06 avg rating — 372 ratings
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| 83 |
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ZigZag
by
3.98 avg rating — 53 ratings
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| 84 |
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Little Land
by
4.13 avg rating — 267 ratings
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| 85 |
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Outside Amelia's Window
by
4.25 avg rating — 265 ratings
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| 86 |
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Remembering
by
4.45 avg rating — 370 ratings
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| 86 |
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Just One Flake: A Picture Book
by
3.97 avg rating — 576 ratings
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| 88 |
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Sometimes It's Nice to Be Alone
by
3.86 avg rating — 457 ratings
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| 89 |
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Something, Someday
by
4.36 avg rating — 1,400 ratings
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| 90 |
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The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll): A Picture Book
by
4.41 avg rating — 289 ratings
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| 91 |
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Real to Me
by
4.19 avg rating — 524 ratings
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| 92 |
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Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust
by
4.45 avg rating — 489 ratings
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| 93 |
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Spanish Is the Language of My Family
by
4.39 avg rating — 386 ratings
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| 94 |
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Fungi Grow
by
4.28 avg rating — 286 ratings
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| 95 |
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Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock (Little Jesús, #1)
by
4.20 avg rating — 450 ratings
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| 96 |
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How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
by
4.28 avg rating — 2,146 ratings
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| 97 |
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Animals in Pants: A Poetry Picture Book
by
4.31 avg rating — 236 ratings
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| 98 |
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I’m From
by
4.15 avg rating — 524 ratings
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| 99 |
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We Are Here (An All Because You Matter Book)
by
4.25 avg rating — 488 ratings
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| 100 |
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Sometimes I Cry
by
4.31 avg rating — 199 ratings
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Thank you so much for voting on this list and for adding titles that had impressed you over the past year. We did pretty well at predicting some of the 2024 Caldecott winners:
>Medal Winner: Big - written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison (#2 on our list)
>Honor Books:
- In Every Life - written and illustrated by Marla Frazee (#5 on our list)
- Jovita Wore Pants - illustrated by Molly Mendoza and written by Aida Salazar (#46 on our list)
- There Was a Party for Langston - illustrated by brothers Jerome & Jarrett Pumphrey and written by Jason Reynolds (#15 on our list)
- The Truth about Dragons - illustrated by Hanna Cha and written by Julie Leung (a book wholly new to most of our voters b/c it wasn't on our list!)
I have to admit, I was seriously disappointed not to see American Story get any Caldecott recognition because the various forms of artwork presented in the book seemed to be on another level from the rest of the field, especially knowing that Dare Coulter spent years crafting them, but at least she won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator award.
On that note, I have added 7 more picture books awarded medals or honors for the Youth Media Awards that also complied with Caldecott rules (some were illustrated by artists who do not reside in the US or were published prior to 2023). I did this in case you continue to use this list as a resource of the best picture books written in 2023 when doing reader advisory with library patrons or with students.
Looking forward, I have started the 2025 Mock Caldecott List on Goodreads and hope you participate with that list as well. (link: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1... )
Happy Reading!
Beth