The Best Children's Books of the Year

Looking for just the right children's book? Each year, the Children's Book Committee issues an annotated guide to more than 600 books they consider to be the best publications of the prior year. The fiction listings are divided into sections by age (infant to age 14) and arranged by topic: adventure, animals, folk and fairy tales, growing up, mystery, science fiction, sports, and more. Another section lists nonfiction and poetry titles, also arranged by topic. This year's special Centerfold Section is ''New Beginnings: Life in a New Land,'' a generous sampling of books dealing with the experiences of people moving to or residing in different places. All of the books have been reviewed by the nonprofit Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education. The Committee's members include educators, librarians, authors, illustrators, and parents. Many of the books are also read and evaluated by children who range in age from two to fourteen.