Recommended Books from ALSC

The Association for Library Service to Children promotes reading and books through recommendations, compilations of lists, and related services. ALSC booklists are created as a resource for children's librarians to share with patrons. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to explore these titles to find resources that may match or spark their child's interest.

Looking for a book list you thought was on this page? - Check out the ALA Institutional Repository for archived ALSC book lists.

Babies Need Words Every Day (December 2024)
Compiled by members of ALSC's Early Childhood Programs and Services committee, this list features books for young children on the topics of daily life, bodies, family, and math.

Inspiring Future Voters (September 2024)
The Inspiring Future Voters booklist, developed for ALA's Reader. Voter. Ready. campaign, is a collection of titles that will help young people understand the importance of voting, civic engagement, and making their voices heard. The list includes fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, from birth to young adult.

Gardening & Flora - Recommended Reading for Children (May 2024)
The ALSC Quicklists Consulting committee has compiled a list of fresh and fun books for nature lovers, backyard explorers, and budding horticulturalists. Created for the American Horticultural Society’s 32nd annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, the list includes fiction and nonfiction titles for children from birth to grade 7, with an emphasis on preK to grade 5.

2024 ALSC Summer Reading Lists (April 2024)
The 2024 Summer Reading Lists are here and filled with new and exciting titles for this summer! The lists are full of book titles and other digital media options to keep children engaged in reading and exploring throughout the summer. Titles on the 2024 lists were compiled and annotated by members of ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee.

2024 Día Reading Lists (January 2024)
The 2024 Día booklists provide engaging stories representing a variety of cultures and backgrounds to share with children from birth through 8th grade.

2023 ALSC Summer Reading Lists (April 2023)
ALSC's Quicklists Consulting Committee has updated our Summer Reading Lists with new and exciting titles! The lists are full of book titles to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer. Four Summer Reading book lists are available for Birth-Preschool, K-2nd, 3rd- 5th and 6th-8th grade students.

2023 Día Reading Lists (February 2023)
The 2023 Día booklists provide engaging stories representing a variety of cultures and backgrounds to share with children from birth through 8th grade. #diatogether #bookjoy

2022 ALSC Graphic Novels Lists (June 2022)
The 2022 ALSC Graphic Novels Lists are available in the ranges of kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade, and 6th to 8th grade.

2022 ALSC Summer Reading Lists (May 2022)
ALSC's Quicklists Consulting Committee has updated our Summer Reading Lists with new and exciting titles! The lists are full of book titles to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer. Four Summer Reading book lists are available for Birth-Preschool, K-2nd, 3rd- 5th and 6th-8th grade students.

BCALA and ALSC Social Justice Reading List (July 2020)
Community, Connecting, Cultivating & Constructing Conversations Through Literacy is a list developed by members of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and ALSC's Quicklists Committee. This list is intended to support conversations about dismantling systems of racial injustice.

Embracing Gender Identities (July 2020)
Embracing Gender Identities is an ALSC booklist created to help support conversations about gender identity and expression. This list, which is divided into books for 0-5 year-olds, elementary school students and middle schoolers, includes recommended informational picture books, as well as works of fiction and non-fiction that challenge gender norms and explore the wide spectrum of gender identity. It includes additional resources for parents.

ALSC 2019 Tough Topics Resource Lists (May 2019)
The books on these lists are to help inspire conversations with children going through challenging situations like the death of a loved one, an unexpected move, natural disasters and more. They are available for grades K-2nd, 3rd-5th and 6th-8th. Resources for adults are also included.

Strolling Thunder Reading List (April 2019)
Titles on this list were compiled by ALSC's Quicklists Committee for the Zero to Three organization to support their Strolling Thunder event in Washington, D.C.. The aim of Strolling Thunder is to encourage legislators to take action on policy issues related to young children.

Building a Home Library (December 2018)
Four bibliographies created by the ALA-Children’s Book Council (CBC) Joint Committee, with cooperation from ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee to provide guidance to parents, grandparents, and others interested in assembling a high-quality library for their children at home.

Stories of Immigration: Perspectives from Pura Belpré Medal and Honor Books (September 2017)
As our nation grapples with the uncertain future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, REFORMA and ALSC’s 2018 Pura Belpré Award Committee has compiled a list of past Belpré medal and honor books that address the Latino/a immigration experience and provide young readers with insight into the very real struggles and choices faced by families every day. This list is presented in solidarity with Dreamers, immigrants, and undocumented people everywhere.

Notable Children's Books- Current list
Each year the Notable Children's Books Committee selects the best of the best in children's books. These books are of commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways.