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Best Children's Books

Updated May 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster! Mo Willems
The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster!
Mo Willems
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Fun for All Ages
Bottom Line

A dynamic story that follows the infamous Pigeon and is fun for both children and adults.

Pros

Forty pages of bright and engaging full-color illustrations. This story follows Pigeon through a range of emotions as they prepare to ride their first roller coaster. The hilarious storyline and illustrations encourage children to enjoy reading.

Cons

Some of the vocabulary in this book is challenging for young readers.

Best Bang for the Buck
Dog Man: A Graphic Novel Dav Pilkey
Dog Man: A Graphic Novel
Dav Pilkey
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Best Choice for a Laugh
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Dog Man is an excellent new series by the author of the popular Captain Underpants books.

Pros

Comic book style illustrations and a funny story line have young readers hooked. Beyond the silly humor, this book has a positive message promoting empathy and kindness. Recommended for readers ages 6 to 9.

Cons

Some may not care for the crude humor in these books.

The Bad Seed Jory John
The Bad Seed
Jory John
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Most Unique
Bottom Line

Our expert loves this series for its beautiful watercolor illustrations and fun food-themed characters.

Pros

This story encourages choosing to be your best self while teaching kids that all of their emotions are valid. Part of The Food Group series. This book is suited for ages 3 to 7 and is the prefect length for a bedtime story.

Cons

While the book intends to teach readers that there are "no bad seeds," this could be lost on younger readers.

The Year We Learned to Fly Jacqueline Woodson
The Year We Learned to Fly
Jacqueline Woodson
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Most Inspiring
Bottom Line

This beautifully written children's book by Jacqueline Woodson encourages imagination and inspires young readers.

Pros

Rich with positive messages for young people, with an emphasis on their individual power to overcome anger, frustration, and boredom. Paired with equally brilliant illustrations. Recommended for readers ages 5 to 8.

Cons

This story may be difficult for very young readers to understand.

Odder Katherine Applegate
Odder
Katherine Applegate
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For Animal Lovers
Bottom Line

Our expert suggests this book for a young aspiring marine biologist.

Pros

This playful story follows Odder the otter and her adventures that eventually lead her to trouble. Children learn about marine life as well as important life lessons of overcoming fear and challenges. Best suited for readers ages 8 and up.

Cons

The verse format may throw some readers off.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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