Young readers · 2021

Best Young Readers Books of 2021

Watercress by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin was the most-recognized young readers book of 2021, named by 11 of the 153 sources we track. The table ranks all 55 by how many sources named them.

Sources is the number of distinct awards and year-end lists that name the book's ISBN, in any year. 2021 is the award or list year in our catalog.

#BookAuthorSourcesNamed by
1WatercressAndrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin11
2The Big Bath HouseKyo Maclear, illustrated by Gracey Zhang6
3The Legend of Auntie PoShing Yin Khor6
4KaleidoscopeBrian Selznick4
5Fat Chance, Charlie VegaCrystal Maldonado2
6Barefoot Dreams of Petra LunaAlda P. Dobbs1
7Boogie Boogie, Y'allC.G. Esperanza1
8Firekeeper's DaughterAngeline Boulley1
9Amari and the Night BrothersB.B. Alston0
    10America, My Love, America, My HeartDaria Peoples-Riley0
      11BordersThomas King, illustrated by Natasha Donovan0
        12Bright StarYuyi Morales0
          13Chaos on CatNetNaomi Kritzer0
            14Children of the Fox: A Thieves of Shadow NovelKevin Sands0
              15Concrete RoseAngie Thomas0
                16Eyes that Kiss in the CornersJoanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho0
                  17Finding Junie KimEllen Oh0
                    18FirebreakNicole Kornher-Stace0
                      19From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American MovementPaula Yoo0
                        20Garlic and the VampireBree Paulsen0
                          21Hunting by StarsCherie Dimaline0
                            22Juan HormigaGustavo Roldán, translated by Robert Croll0
                              23Lala's Words: A Story of PlantingGracey Zhang0
                                24Last Night at the Telegraph ClubMalinda Lo0
                                  25Like Other GirlsBritta Lundin0
                                    26Magic CandiesHeena Baek, translated by Sophie Bowman0
                                      27Me (Moth)Amber McBride0
                                        28Mr. Watson's ChickensJarrett Dapier, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi0
                                          29Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He RescuedPeter Sis0
                                            30Nina: A Story of Nina SimoneTraci N. Todd, illustrated by Christian Robinson0
                                              31Not Here to Be LikedMichelle Quach0
                                                32RedemptorJordan Ifueko0
                                                  33Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the PeopleKekla Magoon0
                                                    34Rez DogsJoseph Bruchac0
                                                      35Six Crimson CranesElizabeth Lim0
                                                        36Skin of the SeaNatasha Bowen0
                                                          37Someone Builds the DreamLisa Wheeler, illustrated by Loren Long0
                                                            38Sunny Song Will Never Be FamousSuzanne Park0
                                                              39Take Back the BlockChrystal D. Giles0
                                                                40The 1619 Project: Born on the WaterNikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith0
                                                                  41The Boy and the SeaCamille Andros, illustrated by Amy Bates0
                                                                    42The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron CurtainEugene Yelchin0
                                                                      43The Gilded OnesNamina Forna0
                                                                        44The Little Wooden Robot and the Log PrincessTom Gauld0
                                                                          45The One Thing You'd SaveLinda Sue Park, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng0
                                                                            46The Raconteur's Commonplace Book: A Greenglass House StoryKate Milford, illustrated by Nicole Wong0
                                                                              47Too Bright to SeeKyle Lukoff0
                                                                                48Too Small TolaAtinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu0
                                                                                  49Unsolved Case Files: Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing MoneyTom Sullivan0
                                                                                    50Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race MassacreCarole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper0
                                                                                      51Victories Greater Than DeathCharlie Jane Anders0
                                                                                        52When You Trap a TigerTae Keller0
                                                                                          53Why We FlyKimberly Jones and Gilly Segal0
                                                                                            54WishesMuon Thi Van, illustrated by Victo Ngai0
                                                                                              55YolkMary H.K. Choi0