The Best Kids, Children, and Youth Books of 2021 (A Year-End List Aggregation)
“What are the best Kids, Children, and Youth books released in 2021?” We looked at 405 of the top Kids, Children, and Youth books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 31 books, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Kids, Children, and Youth” book lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 350+ titles, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Our other Best Of 2021 Articles:
- The Best Art, Photography, And Coffee Table Books
- The Best AudioBooks
- The Best Biography And Memoir Books
- The Best Graphic Novels And Comics
- The Best Cookbooks
- The Best Fiction Books
- The Best Books (All Catergories)
- The Best History Books
- The Best Kids, Children, and Youth Books
- The Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books
- The Best Nonfiction Books
- The Best Poetry Books
- The Best Science And Nature Books
- The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Books
- The Best Young Adult Books
Previous Years: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
Happy Scrolling!
Top 31 Best Kids, Children, and Youth Books From 2021
31.) Borders written byThomas King, illustrated by Natasha Donovan
Lists It Appears On:
- Boston Globe
- Indigo
- NPR
…
30.) Dog Man: Mothering Heights: A Graphic Novel (Dog Man #10) written byDav Pilkey
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Indigo
- Phoenix Public Library
Dog Man and Petey face their biggest challenges yet in the tenth Dog Man book from worldwide bestselling author and illustrator Dav Pilkey.Dog Man is …
29.) It Fell from the Sky written byTerry Fan & Eric Fan
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Indigo
- Phoenix Public Library
From the creators of the critically acclaimed The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky comes a whimsical and elegantly illustrated picture book about co…
28.) My Day with the Panye written byTami Charles
Lists It Appears On:
- NY Public Library
- Rebekah Gienapp
- SLJ
A young girl in Haiti is eager to learn how to carry a basket to market in an exuberant picture book with universal appeal. “To carry the panye, we mo…
27.) Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued written byPeter Sis
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Times
- The Washington Post
In December 1938, a young Englishman canceled a ski vacation and went instead to Prague to help the hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Nazis w…
26.) Nina: A Story of Nina Simone written byTraci N. Todd, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- Publishers Weekly
This illuminating and defining picture book biography illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson, tells the story of little Eunice who grew u…
25.) Red, White, and Whole written byRajani LaRocca
Lists It Appears On:
- Bookpage
- NY Public Library
- The Washington Post
A heartbreakingly hopeful novel in verse about an Indian American girl whose life is turned upside down when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia. Re…
24.) Room for Everyone written by
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Boston Globe
- Phoenix Public Library
A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set i…
23.) Someone Builds the Dream written byLisa Wheeler, illustrated by Loren Long
Lists It Appears On:
- Boston Globe
- Brightly
- NPR
Buildings, bridges, and books don’t exist without the workers who are often invisible in the final product, as this joyous and profound picture book r…
22.) The Last Cuentista written byDonna Barba Higuera
Lists It Appears On:
- Bookpage
- Boston Globe
- NY Public Library
From Pura Belpré Honor-winner Donna Barba Higuera–a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human. Gripping in its tw…
21.) The Longest Storm written byDan Yaccarino
Lists It Appears On:
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- Publishers Weekly
This heartwarming family story from acclaimed author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino features a father and his kids who are stuck inside the house together …
20.) Too Small Tola written byAtinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu
Lists It Appears On:
- Bookpage
- NPR
- NY Public Library
Three delightful tales from a renowned Nigerian storyteller introduce a chapter-book heroine who is every bit as mighty as she is small. In a trio of …
19.) Wishes written byMuon Thi Van, illustrated by Victo Ngai
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- Phoenix Public Library
An arresting, poetic journey and a moving reflection on immigration, family, and home, from an acclaimed creative team.Wishes tells the powerful, hone…
18.) Change Sings written byAmanda Gorman
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Brightly
- The Guardian
- The Washington Post
A lyrical picture book debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author and presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman and #1 New York Times bestselling…
17.) Stuntboy, in the Meantime written byJason Reynolds
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Evening Standard
- NY Public Library
- Powell’s
From Newbery Medal honoree and #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes a hilarious, hopeful, and action-packed middle grade novel ab…
16.) The Big Bath House written byKyo Maclear, illustrated by Gracey Zhang
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- Phoenix Public Library
- Publishers Weekly
…
15.) The Legend of Auntie Po written byShing Yin Khor
Lists It Appears On:
- Boston Globe
- NPR
- Powell’s
- The Washington Post
Part historical fiction, part fable, and 100 percent adventure. Thirteen-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroin…
14.) The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess written byTom Gauld
Lists It Appears On:
- Financial Times
- NPR
- The Washington Post
- Waterstones
A little wooden robot embarks on a quest to find his missing sister– making for a memorable contemporary bedtime story in acclaimed graphic novelist …
13.) Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre written byCarole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- Rebekah Gienapp
Longlisted for the National Book Award A Kirkus Prize Finalist A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book A must-have–Booklist (starred review) Celebrated a…
12.) Black Boy Joy written by Kwame Mbalia
Lists It Appears On:
- Blue Willow Bookshop
- Bookpage
- Boston Globe
- NY Public Library
- The Washington Post
THE FIVE STARRED REVIEWS Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors–including Ja…
11.) Bright Star written byYuyi Morales
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Times
- Phoenix Public Library
- Rebekah Gienapp
- The Washington Post
Inspiring, reassuring, and beautifully illustrated, this new story from the creator of the Dreamers is the perfect gift for every child. With the com…
10.) Milo Imagines the World written byMatt de la Peña
Lists It Appears On:
- Brightly
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- Phoenix Public Library
- Publishers Weekly
The team behind the Newbery Medal winner and Caldecott Honor book Last Stop on Market Street and the award-winning Carmela Full of Wishes once again …
9.) Starfish written byLisa Fipps
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Boston Globe
- NY Public Library
- Phoenix Public Library
- The Washington Post
Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant debut novel-in-verse. Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made …
8.) The 1619 Project: Born on the Water written byNikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Brightly
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- Publishers Weekly
The 1619 Project’s lyrical picture book in verse chronicles the consequences of slavery and the history of Black resistance in the United States, thou…
7.) The Beatryce Prophecy written byKate DiCamillo; illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Blue Willow Bookshop
- NY Times
- Readings
A 2021 People Magazine Best Books of Fall Winner! From two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo and two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall comes …
6.) The Rock from the Sky written byJon Klassen
Lists It Appears On:
- Air & Space
- NY Times
- Powell’s
- Publishers Weekly
- Waterstones
The #1 ! Look up! From the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of the hat trilogy comes a new deadpan gem. There is a spot. It is a good spot. It is the p…
5.) Too Bright to See written byKyle Lukoff
Lists It Appears On:
- Boston Globe
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- Phoenix Public Library
- The Washington Post
A National Book Award Finalist A gentle, glowing wonder, full of love and understanding. -The New York Times Book Review It’s the summer before middle…
4.) We All Play written byJulie Flett
Lists It Appears On:
- Boston Globe
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- Phoenix Public Library
- The Washington Post
A BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, The Globe and Mail STARRED Reviews i…
3.) Eyes that Kiss in the Corners written byJoanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho
Lists It Appears On:
- Alison Zak
- Amazon
- NPR
- Phoenix Public Library
- Powell’s
- Rebekah Gienapp
- SLJ
A and #1 Indie BestsellerThis lyrical, stunning picture book tells a story about learning to love and celebrate your Asian-shaped eyes, in the spirit…
2.) Amari and the Night Brothers written byB. B. Alston
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Book Riot
- Boston Globe
- Indigo
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- Phoenix Public Library
! Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fan…
1.) Watercress written byAndrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin
Lists It Appears On:
- Boston Globe
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- Phoenix Public Library
- Publishers Weekly
- SLJ
- The Washington Post
Gathering watercress by the side of the road brings a girl closer to her family’s Chinese Heritage. New England Book Award Winner A Boston Globe-Horn …
The 350+ Additional Best Kids, Children, and Youth Books Released In 2021
32) Allergic – Megan Wagner Lloyd List: NY Public Library
Phoenix Public Library
33) Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna – Alda P. Dobbs List: NPR
NY Public Library
34) Big Shot (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book #16) – Jeff Kinney List: Barnes & Noble
Indigo
35) Bindu’s Bindis – Supriya Kelkar List: Alison Zak
Rebekah Gienapp
36) Chez Bob – Bob Shea List: Boston Globe
Publishers Weekly
37) Children of the Fox: A Thieves of Shadow Novel – Kevin Sands List: NPR
Phoenix Public Library
38) Dad Bakes – Katie Yamasaki List: NY Public Library
Publishers Weekly
39) Daughter of the Deep – Rick Riordan List: Amazon
Barnes & Noble
40) Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life – DK List: Evening Standard
Indigo
41) Egg Marks the Spot – Amy Timberlake; illustrated by Jon Klassen List: Amazon
Blue Willow Bookshop
42) Frindleswylde – List: Evening Standard
The Guardian
43) Garlic and the Vampire – Bree Paulsen List: NPR
NY Public Library
44) Grandude’s Green Submarine – Paul McCartney, Kathryn Durst List: Brightly
Waterstones
45) Hello, Star – Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, Vashti Harrison List: Air & Space
Book Riot
46) I Sang You Down from the Stars – Tasha Spillet-Sumner List: Alison Zak
Rebekah Gienapp
47) In the Wild Light – Jeff Zentner List: Boston Globe
NY Times
48) Kaleidoscope – Brian Selznick List: NPR
NY Times
49) Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance – Nikki Grimes List: Bookpage
NY Public Library
50) Magic Candies – Heena Baek, translated by Sophie Bowman List: NPR
NY Public Library
51) Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know – Brittany Luby List: NY Public Library
SLJ
52) My First Day – Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên List: NY Public Library
SLJ
53) My Two Border Towns – David Bowles List: NY Public Library
SLJ
54) Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small – Jess Wade List: NY Public Library
The Washington Post
55) No One Returns from the Enchanted Forest – Robin Robinson List: NY Public Library
Powell’s
56) Ophie’s Ghosts – Justina Ireland List: Boston Globe
NY Public Library
57) Out of My Heart – Sharon M. Draper List: Amazon
Barnes & Noble
58) Over the Shop – JonArno Lawson List: NY Public Library
SLJ
59) Pony – R.J. Palacio List: Barnes & Noble
Readings
60) Rez Dogs – Joseph Bruchac List: Boston Globe
NPR
61) Soul Food Sunday – Winsome Bingham, illus. by C.G. Esperanza List: NY Times
Publishers Weekly
62) The Boy Whose Head Was Filled with Stars: A Life of Edwin Hubble – Isabelle Marinov List: Air & Space
NY Public Library
63) The Capybaras – Alfredo Soderguit List: NY Public Library
Phoenix Public Library
64) The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee – Julie Leung List: NY Public Library
Rebekah Gienapp
65) The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain – Eugene Yelchin List: NPR
NY Times
66) The Many Meanings of Meilan – Andrea Wang List: NY Public Library
NY Times
67) The Monsters of Rookhaven – Pádraig Kenny List: Amazon
NY Public Library
68) The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as Told to His Brother) – David Levithan List: NY Public Library
Phoenix Public Library
69) The Night Walk – Marie Dorléans, trans. from the French by Polly Lawson List: NY Public Library
Publishers Weekly
70) The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne – Jonathan Stroud List: Amazon
Readings
71) The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art – Cynthia Levinson, illus. by Evan Turk List: NY Public Library
Publishers Weekly
72) The Shape of Thunder – List: Boston Globe
Powell’s
73) The Tree in Me – Corinna Luyken List: Brightly
Phoenix Public Library
74) There’s a Ghost in this House – Oliver Jeffers List: Evening Standard
Waterstones
75) We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know – List: Powell’s
Rebekah Gienapp
76) Weirdo – Zadie Smith, Nick Laird List: Evening Standard
Waterstones
77) Woodland Dance! – Sandra Boynton List: Amazon
Indigo
78) 123 – List: Evening Standard
The Washington Post
80) ¡Buu! Un misterio marino – Kate Read List: NY Public Library
NY Public Library
82) ¿Dónde van cuando llueve? – Gerda Muller List: NY Public Library
NY Public Library
84) 100 Birds – Michael Whaite List: Waterstones
Rebekah Gienapp
86) A New Day – Brad Meltzer List: Brightly
87) A Place to Hang the Moon – Kate Albus List: NY Public Library
88) A Song of Gladness – Michael Morpurgo, Emily Gravett List: Waterstones
89) A Walk in the Words. – List: SLJ
90) A Year in Fleurville – Felicita Sala List: Readings
91) Aaron Slater, Illustrator – Andrea Beaty List: Indigo
92) ABC – List: Evening Standard
93) Ace of Spades – Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé List: Boston Globe
94) Ada and the Galaxies – List: Air & Space
95) African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History – Tracey Baptiste List: NY Public Library
96) Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year – List: Bookpage
97) All That I Am – List: Powell’s
98) Amber & Clay – List: Bookpage
99) America, My Love, America, My Heart – Daria Peoples-Riley List: NPR
100) Amor de pelo – Matthew A. Cherry List: NY Public Library
101) An Odd Dog Christmas – Rob Biddulph List: Waterstones
102) Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids – Cynthia Leitich Smith (editor) List: NY Public Library
103) Anita and the Dragons – Hannah Carmona List: NY Public Library
104) Another Kind – Cait May & Trevor Bream List: NY Public Library
105) Are You My Planet? – List: Air & Space
106) Areli es una Dreamer – Areli Morales List: NY Public Library
107) Arthur: The Always King – List: The Guardian
108) Artie and the Wolf Moon – Olivia Stephens List: NY Public Library
109) Badir and the Beaver – Shannon Stewart List: Alison Zak
110) Barakah Beats – Maleeha Siddiqui List: NY Public Library
111) Bárbara tiene una rabieta – Nadia Shireen List: NY Public Library
112) Bartali’s Bicycle – Megan Hoyt List: NY Public Library
113) Battle Dragons: City of Thieves – Alex London List: Blue Willow Bookshop
114) Battles Map by Map – List: Evening Standard
115) Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous… – Soman Chainani List: Barnes & Noble
116) Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers – Frances Backhouse List: Alison Zak
117) Bebé béisbol – Diane Adams List: NY Public Library
118) Being You: A First Conversation About Gender – List: Rebekah Gienapp
119) Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom – Matthew Swanson List: NY Public Library
120) Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border – Mitali Perkins List: Alison Zak
121) Big Feelings – Alexandra Penfold List: Brightly
122) Birds of a Feather: Bowerbirds and Me – Susan L. Roth List: Alison Zak
123) Black Birds in the Sky – Brandy Colbert List: The Washington Post
124) Black Hole Chasers – Anna Crowley Redding List: NY Public Library
125) BLANCAFLOR, THE HERO WITH SECRET POWERS – Nadja Spiegelman List: NY Times
126) Bok’s Giant Leap: One Moon Rock’s Journey Through Time and Space – List: Air & Space
127) Boogie Boogie, Y’all – C.G. Esperanza List: NPR
128) Book of Animals – Oliver Jeffers List: Waterstones
129) Born Behind Bars – List: Boston Globe
130) Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope – List: Rebekah Gienapp
131) Bronco and Friends: A Party to Remember – Tim Tebow List: Brightly
132) Burying the Moon – Andrée Poulin List: NY Public Library
133) C is for Country – Lil Nas X List: Brightly
134) Canta conmigo: La historia de Selena Quintanilla – Diana López List: NY Public Library
135) Carol and the Pickle Toad – List: Powell’s
136) Cat Chat – Nosy Crow Ltd List: Waterstones
137) Cat Problems – Jory John List: Brightly
138) Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls – Kaela Rivera List: NY Public Library
139) Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats – Cylita Guy List: NY Public Library
140) Circle Under Berry – Carter Higgins List: Publishers Weekly
141) Climbers – List: Evening Standard
142) Clovis Keeps His Cool. – List: SLJ
143) Concrete Rose – Angie Thomas List: Boston Globe
144) Construcciones Animales – Emilia Dziubak List: NY Public Library
145) Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through! (Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site) – List: Amazon
146) Cuando brillan las estrellas: Una historia inolvidable – Victoria Jamieson y Omar Mohamed List: NY Public Library
147) Cuba in my pocket – List: Phoenix Public Library
148) Cuentos sagrados de América – María García Esperón List: NY Public Library
149) De aquí como el coquí – Nomar Perez List: NY Public Library
150) Dear Little One. – List: SLJ
151) Dear Treefrog – Joyce Sidman List: NY Public Library
152) Del otro lado – Mey Clerici List: NY Public Library
153) Different—A Great Thing to Be! – Heather Avis List: Brightly
154) Dinner on Domingos – List: Rebekah Gienapp
155) Dream Girl – Laura Lippman List: NY Times
156) Dream Street. – List: SLJ
157) Dumplings for Lili – List: Boston Globe
158) El ascenso del rey enano (Leyendas de la serpiente emplumada) – David Bowles List: NY Public Library
159) El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! – List: Boston Globe
160) El jersey de mamá – Jayde Perkin List: NY Public Library
161) El nieto del Cóndor de los Andes a Barcelona – Jesús Ballaz List: NY Public Library
162) En el cielo – Giovanna Zoboli List: NY Public Library
163) En realidad, es Yefferson – Katherine Trejo y Scott Martin-Rowe List: NY Public Library
164) Endgame – List: The Guardian
165) Érase una vez y mucho más será – Johanna Schaible List: NY Public Library
166) Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing Money – Tom Sullivan List: NY Public Library
167) Escucha mi voz / Hear My Voice – recopilado por Warren Binford para… List: NY Public Library
168) Every Leaf a Hallelujah – List: The Guardian
169) Every Little Kindness – List: Amazon
170) Everybody in the Red Brick Building – List: Boston Globe
171) Exit Through the Gift Shop – Maryam Master List: Readings
172) Fallout – List: The Washington Post
173) Family Reunion – List: Rebekah Gienapp
174) Fatima’s Great Outdoors – Ambreen Tariq List: Brightly
175) Fauja Singh Keeps Going – Simrat Jeet Singh List: Alison Zak
176) Finding Junie Kim – Ellen Oh List: NPR
177) Fish and Sun – Sergio Ruzzier List: Publishers Weekly
178) Flashlight Night – Elisabeth Hasselbeck List: Brightly
179) Flight of the puffin – List: Phoenix Public Library
180) FRANKIE & BUG – Gayle Forman List: NY Times
181) From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement – Paula Yoo List: The Washington Post
182) From the Tops of the Trees – Kao Kalia Yang List: NY Public Library
183) GILDED – Marissa Meyer List: NY Times
184) Gladys the Magic ChickenGladys the Magic Chicken – List: Amazon
185) GONE TO THE WOODS – Gary Paulsen List: NY Times
186) Goodnight, Astronaut – List: Air & Space
187) Grandad’s Camper. – List: SLJ
188) Greg the Sausage Roll: Santa’s Little Helper – Mark Hoyle, Roxanne Hoyle List: Waterstones
189) Ground Zero – Alan Gratz List: Barnes & Noble
190) Hablo como el río – Jordan Scott List: NY Public Library
191) Have You Seen Gordon? – Adam Jay Epstein, illus. by Ruth Chan List: Publishers Weekly
192) Hear My Voice / Escucha mi voz – Warren Binford (compiler) for… List: NY Public Library
193) Hey You! – Dapo Adeola, Dapo Adeola List: Waterstones
194) Himawari House – Harmony Becker List: NY Times
195) Hooky – Miriam Bonastre Tur List: Barnes & Noble
196) Humanimal – Christopher Lloyd List: NY Public Library
197) I Am Smoke – Henry Herz List: NY Public Library
198) I Don’t Want to Read This Book – Max Greenfield List: Brightly
199) I Dream of Popo – Livia Blackburne List: NY Public Library
200) I Will! – List: The Washington Post
201) In My Mosque. – List: SLJ
202) Indestructible Object – List: Boston Globe
203) Infinity – Pablo Bernasconi List: NY Public Library
204) Iron Widow – Xiran Jay Zhao List: Boston Globe
205) J.D. and the Great Barber Battle – J. Dillard List: NY Public Library
206) Jenny Mei Is Sad – Tracy Subisak List: Book Riot
207) Josie Dances – List: Rebekah Gienapp
208) Journey to the Last River – List: Financial Times
209) Journey to the River Sea – List: Evening Standard
210) Juan Hormiga – Gustavo Roldán, translated by Robert Croll List: NPR
211) Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storyteller Zora Neal Hurston – List: Rebekah Gienapp
212) Kalamata’s Kitchen – Sarah Thomas List: Brightly
213) Keeping the City Going – Brian Floca List: Publishers Weekly
214) Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom – List: Bookpage
215) King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin – Stephen Costanza List: NY Public Library
216) Kuan Yin: The Princess Who Became the Goddess of Compassion – List: Rebekah Gienapp
217) La mejor jugada de Madani – Fran Pintadera List: NY Public Library
218) La muñeca de Lucas – Alicia Acosta & Luis Amavisca List: NY Public Library
219) La selva de Zonia – Juana Martinez-Neal List: NY Public Library
220) Lala’s Words: A Story of Planting – Gracey Zhang List: NPR
221) Las estrellas – Jacques Goldstyn List: NY Public Library
222) Last Night at the Telegraph Club – Malinda Lo List: Boston Globe
223) Leonard (My Life as a Cat) – List: Bookpage
224) Let Me Fix You a Plate – Elizabeth Lilly List: Publishers Weekly
225) Listified!: Britannica’s 300 Lists That Will Blow Your Mind – List: The Guardian
226) Little Gem – Anna Zobel List: Readings
227) Living Ghosts and Mischievous Monsters – Dan SaSuWeh Jones List: NY Public Library
228) Living with Viola – Rosena Fung List: NY Public Library
229) LONG ROAD TO THE CIRCUS – Betsy Bird List: NY Times
230) Looking for a Jumbie. – List: SLJ
231) Lucero – Yuyi Morales List: NY Public Library
232) Make Tracks: Building Site – Johnny Dyrander List: Waterstones
233) Margaret’s Unicorn – Briony May Smith, Briony May Smith List: Waterstones
234) Maya and the Robot – Eve L. Ewing List: NY Public Library
235) Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey – Erin Entrada Kelly List: NY Public Library
236) Maybe… – Chris Haughton, Chris Haughton List: Waterstones
237) Medusa – List: The Guardian
238) Meet the Oceans – Mrs Caryl Hart, Bethan Woollvin List: Waterstones
239) Mel Fell – Corey R. Tabor List: Publishers Weekly
240) Mi Casa Is My Home – List: Rebekah Gienapp
241) Mi cuerpo – Mey Clerici List: NY Public Library
242) Mi papá es un tlacuilo – Sandra Siemens List: NY Public Library
243) Michael Rosen’s Sticky McStickstick: The Friend Who Helped Me Walk Again – Michael Rosen, Tony Ross List: Waterstones
244) Milo imagina el mundo – Matt De la Peña List: NY Public Library
245) Mini and Hardly and the Big Adventure – Catherine Rayner List: Waterstones
246) Mis dos pueblos fronterizos – David Bowles List: NY Public Library
247) Mole in a Black and White Hole – Tereza Sediva List: NY Public Library
248) Mothering Heights (B&N… – Dav Pilkey List: Barnes & Noble
249) Mr. Watson’s Chickens – Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi List: NPR
250) Mucho mucho – Trish Cooke List: NY Public Library
251) My Little Brave Girl – Hilary Duff List: Brightly
252) My Skin, Your Skin – Laura Henry-Allain, Onyinye Iwu List: Waterstones
253) Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness (A Narwhal And Jelly Book #6) – Ben Clanton List: Indigo
254) Nathan’s Song – Leda Schubert List: NY Public Library
255) Nature Trail – Benjamin Zephaniah, Nila Aye List: Waterstones
256) NEVERFORGOTTEN – Alejandra Algorta List: NY Times
257) Nina – Traci N. Todd List: Brightly
258) Niña morena sueña – Jacqueline Woodson List: NY Public Library
259) Niños: Poems for the Lost Children of Chile – María José Ferrada List: NY Public Library
260) Nosotros Means Us: Un cuento bilingüe. – List: SLJ
261) Not Little – List: Powell’s
262) Nuncaseolvida (Neverforgotten) – Alejandra Algorta List: NY Public Library
263) Old Boat – List: The Washington Post
264) On the Trapline – David A. Robertson List: NY Public Library
265) Once Upon a Tune: Stories from the Orchestra – List: The Guardian
266) One Million Oysters on Top of the Mountain – Alex Nogués List: NY Public Library
267) Onsen ¿Qué hacen los monos? – Pato Mena List: NY Public Library
268) Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book – Keila V. Dawson List: NY Public Library
269) Osnat and Her Dove: The True Story of the World’s First Female Rabbi. – List: SLJ
270) Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race – List: Rebekah Gienapp
271) Outside, Inside – List: The Washington Post
272) Palabras pintadas – Emmanuel Lecaye List: NY Public Library
273) Paletero man – List: Phoenix Public Library
274) Paper World: Space – List: Air & Space
275) Pawcasso – Remy Lai List: NY Public Library
276) Pax, Journey Home – Sara Pennypacker; illustrated by Jon Klassen List: Blue Willow Bookshop
277) Peace. – List: SLJ
278) Pencilvania – Stephanie Watson List: NY Public Library
279) Pity Party – List: Powell’s
280) PonyPony – List: Amazon
281) Pop-Up Earth – List: Air & Space
282) Pop-Up Moon – List: Air & Space
283) Power Up – Sam Nisson List: NY Public Library
284) Purchase from Bookshop.org – List: Rebekah Gienapp
285) Rabunzel – Gareth P Jones, Loretta Schauer List: Waterstones
286) Rachel Bright, Chris Chatterton – List: Waterstones
287) Rapping Princess – Hannah Lee, Allen Fatimaharan List: Waterstones
288) Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People – Kekla Magoon List: NPR
289) Root Magic – Eden Royce List: NY Public Library
290) Rowley Jefferson’s awesome friendly spooky stories – List: Phoenix Public Library
291) Run: Book One – John Lewis List: NY Times
292) S is for Space – List: Air & Space
293) Same Sun Here – Silas House and Neela Vaswani List: Alison Zak
294) Scissorella: The Paper Princess – List: The Guardian
295) Shadow Town – List: Evening Standard
296) Simon B. Rhymin’ – Dwayne Reed List: NY Public Library
297) Six Crimson Cranes – Elizabeth Lim List: Boston Globe
298) Skin Taker – List: Evening Standard
299) So Many Beginnings – List: Boston Globe
300) Soy – Caroline Dall’Ava List: NY Public Library
301) Squirrel’s Snowman – Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler List: Waterstones
302) Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You – Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi List: NY Public Library
303) Stand Up, Yumi Chung! – List: Powell’s
304) Strollercoaster – List: Boston Globe
305) Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate – Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah Brannen List: NY Public Library
306) Sunakay – Meritxell Marti List: NY Public Library
307) Supertato Night of the Living Veg – Sue Hendra, Paul Linnet List: Waterstones
308) Tag Team – Raúl the Third List: NY Public Library
309) Take Back the Block – Chrystal D. Giles List: NPR
310) Tancho – Luciano Lozano List: NY Public Library
311) Ten Animals in Antarctica: A Counting Book – Moira Court List: NY Public Library
312) Ten Delicious Teachers – Ross Montgomery, Sarah Warburton List: Waterstones
313) Thank You, Neighbor! – Ruth Chan List: Publishers Weekly
314) Thanks a Lot, Universe – Chad Lucas List: NY Public Library
315) The Bench – Meghan The Duchess of Sussex, Christian Robinson List: Waterstones
316) The Big Bad Wolf in My House. – List: SLJ
317) The Boy and the Sea – Camille Andros, illustrated by Amy Bates List: NPR
318) The Boy Who Met a Whale – List: Financial Times
319) The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family – Lauren Ace, Jenny Lovlie List: Waterstones
320) The Bug Club – Elise Gravel List: NY Public Library
321) The Burpee Bears – Joe Wicks, Paul Howard List: Waterstones
322) The Christmas Pig – List: Evening Standard
323) The Christmas Pine – Julia Donaldson, Victoria Sandøy List: Waterstones
324) The Christmasaurus – Tom Fletcher, Shane Devries List: Waterstones
325) The Cot in the Living Room – List: Rebekah Gienapp
326) The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet – David L. Harrison, illustrated by Kate Cosgrove List: NY Public Library
327) The Dreamweavers – G.Z. Schmidt List: NY Public Library
328) The False Rose – List: The Guardian
329) The Firekeeper’s Daughter – Angeline Boulley List: Readings
330) The Gaps – Leanne Hall List: Readings
331) The Girl from the Sea – Molly Knox Ostertag List: NY Public Library
332) The Girl Who Could Fix Anything: Beatrice Shilling, World War II Engineer – List: Air & Space
333) The Golden Hour – Niki Smith List: NY Public Library
334) The Grumpy Fairies – Bethan Stevens List: Waterstones
335) THE HAPPINESS OF A DOG WITH A BALL IN ITS MOUTH – Bruce Handy List: NY Times
336) The Hugasaurus – Rachel Bright, Chris Chatterton List: Waterstones
337) The insiders – List: Phoenix Public Library
338) The Invisible – Tom Percival List: Waterstones
339) The King and the Christmas Tree – List: Evening Standard
340) The Magical Imperfect – Chris Baron List: NY Public Library
341) The Midnight Fair – Gideon Sterer List: NY Public Library
342) The Night Is Deep and Wide – Gillian Sze List: NY Public Library
343) The Old Boat – Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey List: NY Public Library
344) The One Thing You’d Save – Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng List: NPR
345) The People Remember – Ibi Zoboi List: NY Public Library
346) The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book: A Greenglass House Story – Kate Milford, illustrated by Nicole Wong List: NPR
347) The Red Gloves and Other Stories – List: Financial Times
348) The Sea in Winter – List: Bookpage
349) The Shadow Elephant – List: Financial Times
350) The Smart Cookie – Jory John & Pete Oswald List: Indigo
351) The Spectacular Suit – Kat Patrick & Hayley List: Readings
352) The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe – List: Air & Space
353) The Tea Dragon Tapestry – Kay O’Neill List: Alison Zak
354) The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy – List: Powell’s
355) THE TRUE STORY OF A MOUSE WHO NEVER ASKED FOR IT – Ana Cristina Herreros List: NY Times
356) The Valley and the Flood – Rebecca Mahoney List: Boston Globe
357) The Viking Who Liked Icing – Lu Fraser, Mark McKinley List: Waterstones
358) The Water Lady: – List: SLJ
359) The Whale Who Wanted More – Rachel Bright, Jim Field List: Waterstones
360) The Wisdom of Trees – Lita Judge List: NY Public Library
361) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – List: Evening Standard
362) The World’s Most Pointless Animals – Philip Bunting List: Readings
363) There Is No Big Bad Wolf In This Story – Lou Carter, Deborah Allwright List: Waterstones
364) This Is a Gift for You – List: Powell’s
365) This Is a Sea Cow – Cassandra Federman List: Alison Zak
366) This Magical, Musical Night. – List: SLJ
367) Three Little Monkeys at Christmas – List: Evening Standard
368) Three Little Vikings – Bethan Woollvin List: Waterstones
369) Time for Bed, Old House. – List: SLJ
370) Time for Kenny – List: Boston Globe
371) Time Is a Flower – Julie Morstad List: NY Public Library
372) Tiny Tales: Shell Quest – Steph Waldo List: NY Public Library
373) To Carnival: A Celebration in Saint Lucia – List: Rebekah Gienapp
374) Todo lo que pasa (Donde no pasa nada) – Eleonora Garriga List: NY Public Library
375) Tomatoes for Neela – Padma Lakshmi List: Brightly
376) Two Grooms on a Cake: The Story of America’s First Gay Wedding – Rob Sanders List: NY Public Library
377) Un pájaro en casa – Blanca Gómez List: NY Public Library
378) Un paseo por el bosque – Mariona Tolosa Sisteré List: NY Public Library
379) Un trineo para Gabo – Emma Otheguy List: NY Public Library
380) Uni the Unicorn in the Real World – Paris Rosenthal and Amy Krouse Rosenthal List: Brightly
381) Unsolved Case Files: Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing Money – Tom Sullivan List: NPR
382) Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep – List: The Guardian
383) Ventanas – Julia Denos List: NY Public Library
384) We Are Water Protectors – Carole Lindstrom List: Alison Zak
385) We’re Going to Find the Monster – Malorie Blackman, Dapo Adeola List: Waterstones
386) Welcome to Your Period! – Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang List: NY Public Library
387) What I Am. – List: SLJ
388) What Is a River? – List: The Washington Post
389) What Is God Like? – List: Rebekah Gienapp
390) What’s Inside A Flower? – Rachel Ignotofsky List: Brightly
391) When Cloud Became a Cloud. – List: SLJ
392) When I wake up – List: Phoenix Public Library
393) When Lola Visits – Michelle Sterling List: NY Public Library
394) When My Cousins Come to Town – Angela Shanté List: NY Public Library
395) When Shadows Fall – List: The Guardian
396) When the World is Dreaming – Rita Gray List: Alison Zak
397) When We Say Black Lives Matter – List: Rebekah Gienapp
398) While I Was Away – Waka T. Brown List: NY Public Library
399) Whole whale – List: Phoenix Public Library
400) Wonder Walkers – Micha Archer List: NY Public Library
401) XO, Exoplanet – List: Air & Space
402) You Can’t Take an Elephant on Holiday – Patricia Cleveland-Peck, David Tazzyman List: Waterstones
403) Your Life Has Been Delayed – List: Air & Space
404) Your Mama. – List: SLJ
405) Zonia’s Rainforest – List: Rebekah Gienapp
24 Best Kids, Children, and Youth Book Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| Air & Space | Best Children’s Books of 2021 |
| Amazon | Best children’s books of 2021 |
| Barnes & Noble | Barnes & Noble’s Best Young Reader Books of 2021 |
| Blue Willow Bookshop | The Best Books of 2021 |
| Bookpage | Best Middle Grade & Chapter Books of 2021 |
| Alison Zak | The Almost Anthropologist’s Favorite Books of 2021 |
| Book Riot | Best Books of 2021 |
| Boston Globe | Best Books of 2021 |
| Brightly | The Best Picture Books of 2021 |
| Evening Standard | The best books for children this Christmas 2021 |
| Financial Times | Best books of 2021: Children’s books |
| The Guardian | The best children’s and YA books of 2021 |
| Indigo | Best Kids’ Books of 2021 |
| NY Times | The 25 Best Children’s Books of 2021 |
| NY Public Library | Best Books for Kids 2021 |
| NPR | Books We Love |
| Phoenix Public Library | Our Best Books of 2021 |
| Powell’s | Best Books of 2021: Kids’ and Young Adult |
| Publishers Weekly | Best Picture Books |
| Readings | Kids book buyers’ favourites of 2021 |
| Rebekah Gienapp | Best picture books of 2021 |
| SLJ | Best Picture Books 2021 | SLJ Best Books |
| The Washington Post | Best children’s books of 2021 |
| Waterstones | The Best Books of 2021: Baby & Toddler |
