KIDS FAVORITES

The annual KIDS FAVORITES are new books read and rated by thousands of children, teachers, and librarians in rural, suburban, and urban schools and libraries across the U.S. every year!

KID READ. KID CHOSEN.

Each year, thousands of children, teens, teachers, and librarians across 50 states read newly published K-12-grade books and vote for the ones they like best. Over 70 coordinators nationwide display hundreds of publisher-submitted titles in their schools and libraries so that every book can be read and voted on.

The books with the most votes become the annual KIDS FAVORITES, MIDDLE-GRADE FAVORITES, and TEEN FAVORITES!

The teachers and librarians who coordinate the program also get to vote, and their FAVORITES are compiled too.

The CBC then creates PDFs, spreadsheets, and online visual book lists as great resources for families, classrooms, libraries, bookstores, and everyone who loves children’s books!

The 2026 KIDS FAVORITES will be announced soon in March!

KIDS FAVORITES was originally founded in 1974 as Children’s Choices, a project co-sponsored by the CBC and the International Literary Association (ILA).

Want to participate in 2027? Applications are open, see below for details.

2025 FAVORITES

2025 DOWNLOADABLE FAVORITES LISTS

2025 Children’s Favorites:
- K-2ND Grade PDF
- 3RD-5TH Grade PDF
2025 Middle-Grade Favorites:
- 6TH-8TH Grade PDF
2025 Young Adult Favorites:
- 9TH-12TH Grade PDF
2025 Teacher Favorites:
2025 Librarian Favorites:

2025 SPREADSHEETS OF WINNING TITLES

2025 VISUAL LISTS

2025 Favorites visual booklists

2025 PARTICIPATING LOCATIONS

Participating locations for the 2025 Favorites (blog post)

PAST YEARS’ WINNING TITLES

2024 Favorites PDF — for all groups and grades
2024 Spreadsheet Favorites — for all groups and grades
2024 Favorites visual booklists — for all groups and grades
Participating locations for the 2024 Favorites (blog post)

2023 Favorites PDF — for all groups and grades
2023 Favorites spreadsheet — for all groups and grades
2023 Favorites visual booklists — for all groups and grades

View the lists when they were known as Children’s Choices, Young Adults’ Choices, and Teachers’ Choices.

Teachers, School & Public Librarians, and Booksellers: The application process to be a 2027 KIDS FAVORITES local coordinator is now OPEN until March 30th. Learn more here and apply.

Publishers: Submissions are currently CLOSED; they open yearly every spring. To learn more about submitting titles, check out past submission guidelines and email cbc.info@cbcbooks.org with questions.