The Best Picture Books:
N.Y. Times Annual List!

A newspaper list of the best picture books

(Skip to the list.)

You've gotta hand it to the New York Times.

During these dark days for journalism, they're the only paper I know still making a commitment of resources and column inches to the subject of children's books.

In fact, since 1952 they've been convening a panel of industry experts to pick the best ten picture books of the year.

The New York Times picture book list is remarkable. People think the Caldecott Medal and Honor books are the best annual American picture book list, but here's the thing...

The Caldecott goes to the best illustrator. It can go to a poorly written book with great illustrations.

If you want a great picture book overall, the Times Best Illustrated Children's Books list is a great one to turn to.

I would love to provide you all the books they've ever picked, but it's hard to find online listings of the Times best picture books list prior to 2002.

So that's what I'm providing. If you're a better Googler than I am, maybe you can find lists that go further back. Or maybe you want to check out The Times' Guide to the Best Books for Children.

Remember, these aren't the best-selling children's books. (Here is the Times' current best-selling picture book list and here's our list of the most popular since 2000.) They're just the ones a panel of experts picked as the best picture books for a particular year.

Those picture book titles that appear as links are reviewed on this site.

I'll try to remember to add the latest best picture books picks every year. If I forget, feel free to contact me!

2011:

• Along a Long Road
• A Ball for Daisy
• Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Saint Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures
• Grandpa Green
• Ice
• I Want My Hat Back
• Me...Jane
• Migrant
• A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis
• A New Year's Reunion

• Big Red Lollipop
• Bink & Gollie
• Busing Brewster
• Children Make Terrible Pets
• Henry in Love
• Here Comes the Garbage Barge
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee
• Seasons
• Shadow
• Subway

2009:

• All the World
• The Lion and the Mouse
• Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
• The Odd Egg
• Only a Witch Can Fly
• A Penguin Story
• The Snow Day
• Tales from Outer Suburbia
• White Noise
• Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales

2008:

• A Is for Art
• The Black Book of Colors
• Ghosts in the House
• The Little Yellow Leaf
• Pale Male
• A River of Words
• Skim
• Wabi Sabi
• Wave
• We Are the Ship

2007:

• 600 Black Spots
• The Arrival
• Every Friday
• First the Egg
• The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret
• Jabberwocky
• Not a Box
• Old Penn Station
• The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

2006:

• Adèle & Simon in America
• Flotsam
• Gone Wild
• Hello Twins
• John, Paul, George & Ben
• The Little Red Hen
• Mommy?
• Move!
• The Red Lemon
• So Sleepy Story

2005:

• Are You Going to Be Good?
• Brave Charlotte
• Carmine: A Little More Red
• Chato Goes Cruisin'
• Encyclopedia Prehistorica
• The Hello, Goodbye Window
• Jitterbug Jam
• The Problem with Chickens
• Terrific
• Traction Man Is Here!

2004:

• Arrowville
• The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard
• A Child's Christmas in Wales
• Duck for President
• Kitten's First Full Moon
• The Mighty Asparagus
• The People Could Fly
• Polar Bear Night
• Teeth, Tales & Tentacles
• Walt Whitman: Words for America

2003:

• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A Pop-Up Adaptation of Lewis Carrol's Original Tale
• Beegu
• Brundibar
• Charming Opal
• The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
• Otto's Trunk
• The Tree of Life
• When Everybody Wore a Hat
• While We Were Out
• The Wolves in the Walls

2002:

• Close Your Eyes
• Dog Food
• The First Thing My Mama Told Me
• Hondo and Fabian
• I Stink!
• Knick-Knack Paddywhack!
• The Last Resort
• Stars in the Darkness
• This Little Chick
• Yellow Umbrella

Remember, the Caldecotts honor the best picture books pictures.

Best Children's Books - Find, Read or Write