Young readers · 2023

Best Young Readers Books of 2023

Mexikid by Pedro Martín was the most-recognized young readers book of 2023, named by 11 of the 153 sources we track. The table ranks all 56 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. 2023 is the award or list year in our catalog.

#BookAuthorSourcesNamed by
1MexikidPedro Martín11
2Bea WolfZach Weinersmith, illustrated by Boulet5
3Family Style: Memories of an American From VietnamThien Pham5
4Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra KimPatricia Park3
5Worm: A Cuban American OdysseyEdel Rodriguez3
6Damned If You DoAlex Brown2
7Maggie Lou, FirefoxArnolda Dufour Bowes, illustrated by Karlene Harvey2
8The TalkDarrin Bell1
9A First Time for EverythingDan Santat0
    10A Study in DrowningAva Reid0
      11A Walk in the WoodsNikki Grimes, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney0
        12Alone: The Journeys of Three Young RefugeesPaul Tom, illustrated by Mélanie Baillairgé, translated by Arielle Aaronson0
          13An American StoryKwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter0
            14BeneathCori Doerrfeld0
              15BigVashti Harrison0
                16Check & MateAli Hazelwood0
                  17Curlfriends: New in TownSharee Miller0
                    18Eagle DrumsNasuġraq Rainey Hopson0
                      19FreewaterAmina Luqman-Dawson0
                        20Glitter Everywhere! Where It Came From, Where It's Found & Where It's GoingChris Barton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat0
                          21Henry, Like AlwaysJenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song0
                            22Huda F CaresHuda Fahmy0
                              23I'm FromGary R. Gray Jr., illustrated by Oge Mora0
                                24Invisible SonKim Johnson0
                                  25Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom FighterAida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza0
                                    26Julieta and the RomeosMaria E. Andreu0
                                      27Like Lava In My VeinsDerrick Barnes, illustrated by Shawn Martinbrough0
                                        28Mama Shamsi at the BazaarMojdeh Hassani and Samira Iravani, illustrated by Maya Fidawi0
                                          29MascotCharles Waters and Traci Sorell0
                                            30My Father, the Panda KillerJamie Jo Hoang0
                                              31My Head Has a Bellyache: And More Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-UpsChris Harris, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi0
                                                32My Powerful HairCarole Lindstrom, illustrated by Steph Littlebird0
                                                  33My Strange Shrinking ParentsZeno Sworder0
                                                    34Our Incredible Library Book (and the wonderful journeys it took)Caroline Crowe, illustrated by John Joseph0
                                                      35Parachute Kids: A Graphic NovelBetty C. Tang0
                                                        36PromposalRaeChell Garrett0
                                                          37Rainbow ShoppingQing Zhuang0
                                                            38RememberJoy Harjo, illustrated by Michaela Goade0
                                                              39Ruby Lost and FoundChristina Li0
                                                                40Sunshine: A Graphic NovelJarrett J. Krosoczka0
                                                                  41Tacos Today: El Toro & FriendsRaúl the Third, colors by Elaine Bay0
                                                                    42That FlagTameka Fryer Brown, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith0
                                                                      43The Dos and Donuts of LoveAdiba Jaigirdar0
                                                                        44The Eyes and the ImpossibleDave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris0
                                                                          45The King PenguinVanessa Roeder0
                                                                            46The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of DreamsDaniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares0
                                                                              47The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global CelebrityNicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist0
                                                                                48The Probability of EverythingSarah Everett0
                                                                                  49The Wicked BargainGabe Cole Novoa0
                                                                                    50The Year My Life Went Down the ToiletJake Maia Arlow0
                                                                                      51There Was a Party for Langston, King of LettersJason Reynolds, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey0
                                                                                        52There’s No Way I'd Die FirstLisa Springer0
                                                                                          53Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick BluesH.S. Valley0
                                                                                            54Too Small Tola Gets ToughAtinuke, illustrated by Onyinwe Iwu0
                                                                                              55Twenty QuestionsMac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson0
                                                                                                56Warrior Girl UnearthedAngeline Boulley0