Best Books for Kids

After reading hundreds of newly published books and asking children and adults alike for their input, the winners of the 2020 Newbery Medal and Honors have been chosen. Librarian and chair of the selection committee Krishna Grady introduces us to the best new children's books that will surprise, delight and hold your kid's attention—including the first graphic novel to ever win the award.

Roald Dahl was one of the 20th century's most popular children's authors. Here, Tilly Burn, Archive and Collections Assistant at the wonderful Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, UK, chooses her top Roald Dahl books and discusses the secrets of his enduring appeal.

Five Books editor Sophie Roell selects the best children's books of 2019, after intense discussions with her family about which books should make the list.

What should you read with your kids on Thanksgiving? Dana Sheridan of Princeton University Library's Cotsen Children's Library recommends five children's books with themes of love, gratitude, belonging and sharing with one another—what the holiday is all about.

Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins discuss books that that tell the stories of some of the greatest black icons in history – and explain why reading books that celebrate these extraordinary lives can be transformational for all children.

If you're looking for the best books to get kids excited about science, the Royal Society Young People's Book Prize is a great place to start. Physicist and astronomer Sheila Rowan, chair of this year's judging panel, talks us through the fabulous books that made this year's shortlist.

While not every book is for every child,  for every child there is a book, says Bianca Schulze, editor and founder of The Children's Book Review and the author of 101 Books To Read Before You Grow Up. She recommends her pick of the best kids' books of 2019, all books that will make you 'feel' something.

Are you longing to get your children as excited about Shakespeare as you are? There's a lot of books out there to introduce kids to the Bard. Here, Natasha, a 10-year old living in Oxfordshire, recommends some of her favourite retellings of Shakespeare stories.

As young children grow, finding a vocabulary for their worries and anxiety is often difficult. Children's author Chitra Soundar recommends five books that help children process their emotions and use fiction as a tool for talking about anxiety.

Laughing out loud while reading is such a particular, life-affirming joy—a joy especially suited to young readers. Author and illustrator Tom McLaughlin recommends books that have left him in helpless fits of giggles.