USBBY Outstanding International Books 2025

 

The annual Outstanding International Books list highlights exceptional books 

for children and young adults 

published or distributed in the United States that originated or 

were first published in a country other than the U.S. 

This year’s list includes 40 titles originating from 23 different countries that represent the best of 

children’s literature from around the world. USBBY’s goal is that these titles will help young 

people in the U.S. to see the world from diverse perspectives, introduce readers in the U.S. to 

outstanding artists and writers from other countries, help counteract stereotypes, bridge cultural 

gaps, build connections, and engage and prove accessible to young readers in the U.S.

Selection criteria include:

Books that represent the best of children’s literature from other countries 

Books that introduce readers in the United States to outstanding authors and illustrators from other countries 

Books that help children in the United States see the world from other points of view 

Books that provide a perspective or address a topic otherwise missing from children’s literature in the United States 

Books that exhibit a distinct cultural flavor 

Books that are accessible to readers in the United States 

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Criteria for content and presentation include:

Artistic and literary merit 

Originality or creativity of approach 

Distinctiveness of topic 

Uniqueness of origin 

Qualities that engage and appeal to children 

We have one Australian book on the list this year but in the US it has a different title. Here is my blog post about The Letterbox Tree:

The Kirkus review said: This genre-blending book will appeal to many, including readers who love grappling with real-world problems, those who appreciate speculative fiction, and anyone seeking a thoughtful, character-driven coming-of-age story. ... A vividly rendered, evocative story about the power of connection and maintaining hope through despair.

If you want to share this with a group USBBY have created a PowerPoint. You can see all the titles here. 

The Bridge to Understanding Award formally acknowledges the work of adults who create programs that use children's books to explore cultures around the world in order to 

promote international understanding among children.

Here is my post about the list from 2023 which links to my earlier post about the 2022 list. You can see the 2024 list here. Sadly there were no Australian titles listed for 2024 but I did spy this fabulous book:

The Bear and the Wildcat