Our list is for the curious: readers who are open to going on exciting journeys through the pages of a book, educators and librarians who want to introduce young people to the world’s riches, and parents who are consciously striving to make sure their children grow up with the benefits of a global perspective.
It is always exciting to see this list each year. I look for the Australian titles of course but also I look to see if I have already read/seen any of their choices and then I compile a list of books I want to see.
I was so excited to see this Australian title on this prestigious list. I really thought Afloat would be the 2025 CBCA Picture Book of the Year - it was an Honour title
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) announces its 2026 Outstanding International Books list, featuring 41 exceptional titles for children and young adults published in 2025 and originating from 24 countries. Since 2006, USBBY’s annual lists have introduced young readers in the U.S. to global perspectives, outstanding international creators, and stories that foster empathy, bridge cultures, and build connections. Together, these books show young people around the world seeking connection and belonging—through family, friendship, self-discovery, and engagement with their communities. Spanning diverse cultures and experiences, the stories highlight empathy, resilience, imagination, and the courage to grow. This year’s selections reflect universal themes such as identity, hope, intergenerational bonds, friendship, play, curiosity, migration, nature, and cultural heritage, showcasing the richness of international children’s literature.
You can see past lists here. Read more details about some of the titles here.
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
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
Not every book will meet every individual criterion.
Grades PreK-2
● Andruetto, María Teresa. Clara and the Man with Books in His Window. tr. from Spanish by Elisa
Amado. illus. by Martina Trach. Aldana Libros/Greystone Kids. (Argentina) NOTE in my blog post I talked about reading this book to senior students Grade 6 and also in a High School
● Arai, Ryōji. The Snow Theater. tr. from Japanese by David Boyd. Enchanted Lion. (Japan)
● Atinuke. M Is for Mango. illus. by Angela Brooksbank. Candlewick Press. (UK/Nigeria)
● Auh, Dayeon. The Three-Year Tumble. tr. from German by Tim Mohr. NorthSouth Books. (Switzerland/South Korea)
● Brandelius, Uje. The Playdate. tr. from Swedish by Nichola Smalley. illus. by Clara Dackenberg.
Lantana. (Sweden)
● Flett, Julie. My Friend May. Greystone Kids. (Canada)
● Guarda, María J. Paloma Flies Away. tr. from Spanish by Melanie Córdova. Candlewick Press. (Chile)
● Kim, Hye-Eun. Pencil. TOON Books/Astra Books for Young Readers. (South Korea)
● Kim, Jihyun. Blue Sky Morning. tr. from Korean by Polly Lawson. Floris Books. (South Korea)
● Lam, Thao. Everybelly. Groundwood/House of Anansi. (Canada)
● Liu, Hao. Wrestlers of the Grasslands. tr. from Chinese by Clavis Publishing. Clavis (China)
● López, Azul. Croco. tr. from Spanish by Kit Maude. Tapioca Stories. (Mexico)
● Ohnari, Yuko. Downpour: Splish! Splash! Ker-Splash! tr. from Japanese by Emily Balistrieri. illus. by
Koshiro Hata. Red Comet Press. (Japan)
● Perella, Eugenia. My Home Is In My Backpack. tr. from Spanish by Sally Polson. illus. by Angela
Salerno. Floris Books. (Chile)
● Schuff, Nicolás. How to Reach the Moon. tr. from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. illus. by Ana Sender. Amazon Crossing Kids. (Argentina)
● Tallec, Olivier. Is It Asleep? tr. from French by Antony Shugaar. Gecko Press. (France)
● Xiong, Liang. Take a Walk with the Wind. tr. from Chinese by Chloe Garcia Roberts. Elsewhere Editions. (China)
● Xu Bin. Picking Tea with Baba. tr. from Chinese by Shan Chen. illus. by Yu Yin. Charlesbridge.
(China)
Grade 3-5
● Dautremer, Rébecca. The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough. tr. from French by
Charis Ainslie. illus. by author. Post Wave. (France)
● Djupvik, Laura. My Brother. tr. from Norwegian by Martin Aitken. illus. by Øyvind Torseter.
Elsewhere Editions. (Norway)
● Fadeeva, Olga. Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear. tr. from Russian by Lena Traer. illus. by
author. Eerdmans. (Russia)
● Kashiwaba, Sachiko. The Village Beyond the Mist. tr. from Japanese by Avery Fischer Udagawa.
illus. by Miho Satake. Yonder/Restless Books. (Japan)
● Krishnaswami, Uma. The Sunshine Project. illus. by Julianna Swaney. Groundwood/House of Anansi.
(Canada/India)
● McQuoid, Judith. Giant. Little Island. (Ireland/UK)
● Muñoz Toro, Juliana. Journey of the Humpbacks. tr. from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. illus. by
Dipacho. Eerdmans. (Colombia)
● Naïr, Karthika. Electric Birds of Pothakudi. illus. by Joëlle Jolivet. Abrams. (France/India)
Grades 6-8
● Åstot, Moa Backe. Butterfly Heart. tr. from Swedish by Agnes Broomé. Levine Querido. (Sweden)
● Bjerkeland, Ingvild. Beasts. tr. from Norwegian by Rosie Hedger. Levine Querido. (Norway)
● Dzotap, Alain Serge. Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon. tr. from French by author. illus. by
Marc Daniau. Eerdmans. (France/Cameroon)
● Go, Jung-soon. Okchundang Candy. tr. from Korean by Aerin Park. illus. by author. Levine Querido.
(South Korea)
● Lessore, Nathanael. Dropping Beats. Little, Brown. (UK)
● Mansour, Vivian. Pilgrim Codex. tr. from Spanish by Carlos Rodríguez Cortez. illus. by Emmanuel
Valtierra. Levine Querido. (Mexico)
● Marsol, Manuel. Astro. tr. from Spanish by Lizzie Davis. illus. by author. Transit Books. (Spain)
● Rundberg, Johan. Biggest Fake in the Universe. tr. from Swedish by Eva Apelqvist. Amazon Crossing
Kids. (Sweden)
● Said, SF. Tyger. illus. by Dave McKean. Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House. (UK)
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