CCBC Choices 2024 -- Primary School (ages 5-8)

The Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison compiles a yearly list of excellent books for young readers.

Showing 1 - 20 of 23  There are a total of 151 valid entries on the list.
Book cover for Can I recycle this?.
Notes:
Contemporary People, Places, and Issues;7-10
Description:
"Can I Recycle This? skips over preaching and platitudes common to books on environmentalism and instead gets right to the real information that kids need. It takes readers through every step of the recycling process, from the moment that they throw an item in the bin to its journey through the recycling machinery and on its way to its new life. It gives kids the answers and resources they need to be far better informed than their parents, many of...
Book cover for Emperor of the ice.
Notes:
Science, Technology, and the Natural World;4-8
Description:
As harsh winter descends and other birds move toward warmth, lines of emperor penguins appear in search of the perfect ice for breeding and raising their chicks. One wise old empress finds her mate, and after laying a single, huge egg, heads to the stormy ocean to hunt for fish. For weeks, her mate must warm the egg in his pouch, huddling against blizzards and bitter cold. When his mate returns, the two take turns fishing and minding their newly hatched...
Book cover for From here to there.
Notes:
Picture Books;5-8
Description:
"One day, Anna's friend Zane sends her an invitation to come over to play, and inside the envelope is a map. But why is Zane's house in the middle and Anna's on the edge? Anna decides to make her own map, and before long, Dad and even Whiskers the cat are in on the fun. From routes to scale, symbols, and points of view, join Anna and her dad as they explore the wonderful world of maps!" --
Book cover for Glitter everywhere!.
Notes:
Historical People, Places, and Events;6-10
Description:
"An informative picture book about the origins and present day uses of -- and obsession with -- glitter"--
Book cover for Good books for bad children.
Notes:
The Arts;6-10
Description:
"'Ursula Nordstrom was a grown-up who never forgot what it was to be a child.' The girl who'd always loved to read would grow up to work in the Department of Books for Boys and Girls at Harper & Brothers Publishers. Soon she was editing books by Margaret Wise Brown and E. B. White, discovering new talent like John Steptoe and Maurice Sendak, and reinventing what a book for children should be. 'Children want to be seen,' she'd tell her writers. 'Not...
Book cover for The green piano.
Notes:
The Arts;5-8
Description:
"Growing up in a Blue Ridge mountain town, little Roberta didn't have fancy clothes or expensive toys . . . but she did have music. And she dreamed of having her own piano. When her daddy spies an old, beat-up upright piano in a junkyard, he knows he can make his daughter's dream come true. He brings it home, cleans and tunes it, and paints it a grassy green. And soon the little girl has an instrument to practice on, and a new dream to reach for--one...
Book cover for How do you spell unfair?.
Notes:
Historical People, Places, and Events;6-9
Description:
A true story of determination and groundbreaking achievement follows eighth grade African American spelling champion MacNolia Cox, who left Akron, Ohio, in 1936 to compete in the prestigious National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., only to be met with prejudice and discrimination.
Book cover for The indestructible Tom Crean.
Notes:
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir;4-8
Description:
"At the turn of the twentieth century, Antarctica is the last unexplored continent. The ice is unforgiving. It can break the human spirit. It takes many men willing to face hardship, danger, and years away from home to journey to this uncharted end of the earth. This is the story of one. His name is Tom Crean. This book reveals the incredible true stories of Crean's adventures on the Discovery, Terra Nova, and Endurance expeditions. He hauls eight-hundred-pound...
Book cover for Just Jerry.
Notes:
The Arts;8-12
Description:
"Jerry Pinkney, Caldecott Medal winner and illustrator of over one hundred books, tells the story of his childhood and how he developed his artistic talent." --
Book cover for My indigo world.
Author:
Notes:
The Arts;5-9
Description:
"With lavish mixed-media art including watercolor painting and hand-dyed textiles, debut author-illustrator Rosa Chang pays tribute to the science and art of growing the indigo plant and making indigo dye. Woven throughout is a poetic tribute to the colorblue, Chang's favorite since her girlhood in Korea, and an appreciation of the indigo plant as a valued source of blue dye in cultures around the world. Informative back matter tells more about the...
Book cover for Mysterious glowing mammals.
Notes:
Science, Technology, and the Natural World;8-13
Description:
You’re probably familiar with some kinds of glowing animals. Fireflies light up summer nights. Bioluminescent jellyfish and other sea creatures fill our oceans. But some animals glow only under ultraviolet light. This is called biofluorescence The author recorded theh first ever sighting of a biofluorescent mammal. Follow along with Martin and his colleagues as they delve into the mystery of the flying squirrels and discover that they aren’t...
Book cover for Rise to the sky.
Notes:
Science, Technology, and the Natural World;5-10
Description:
"What are the tallest living things on Earth? Trees! Discover what growing trees need so they can rise to the sky in this lyrical look at the tree life cycle"--
Book cover for Rock, Rosetta, rock! Roll, Rosetta, roll!.
Notes:
The Arts;7-10
Description:
"Award-winning author Tonya Bolden and acclaimed illustrator R. Gregory Christie deliver an inspiring true story about the life, career, and impact of twentieth-century blues and gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was a trailblazer for rock and roll. Before there was Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash, there was Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The godmother of rock and roll started as a little girl from Arkansas with music in her air,...
Book cover for Rooting for plants.
Notes:
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir;6-9
Description:
"In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles's passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined...
Book cover for Stand up and speak out against racism.
Notes:
Contemporary People, Places, and Issues;8-12
Description:
"A vital and vibrant book answering real children's questions about racism, giving them the confidence and the tools to work towards a fairer society for all. Using questions canvassed from children around the UK as her framework, writer, engineer and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied gives clear context to the racism that persists today and shows how to recognize, resist, and disrupt racist conversations and attitudes. Yassmin creates a safe space...
Book cover for Tenacious.
Notes:
Contemporary People, Places, and Issues;7-10
Description:
"A downhill skier whose blindness has sharpened her communication skills. An adaptive surfer who shreds waves while sitting down. A young man who excels at wheelchair motocross--but struggles with math. Tenacious tells their stories and more, revealing the daily joys and challenges of life as disabled athletes. These competitors have won gold medals, set world records, climbed mountain peaks, claimed national championships, and many more extraordinary...
Book cover for To boldly go.
Notes:
Historical People, Places, and Events;6-9
Description:
"Perfect for fans of Hidden Figures and Mae Among the Stars! To Boldly Go tells the true story of Nichelle Nichols and how she used her platform on Star Trek to inspire and recruit a new generation of diverse astronauts and many others in the space and STEM fields. As Lieutenant Uhura on the iconic prime-time television show Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols played the first Black female astronaut anyone had ever seen on screen. A smart, strong, independent...
Book cover for To see clearly.
Author:
Notes:
The Arts;8-11
Description:
"Growing up under the gray skies of England during WWII, David Hockney used art to brighten his world. He discovered that the more he looked and drew, the more he could see beyond the surface to find beauty, possibility, and new perspectives. In the most ordinary things, whether a splash of water, a changing landscape, or the face of a friend, David always found something to love, uniquely capturing the vibrancy and life of his subjects. Lyrically...
Book cover for Tomfoolery!.
Notes:
The Arts;6-10
Description:
"Meet Randolph Caldecott, the artist who revolutionized picture book illustration and for whom the prestigious Caldecott medal is named!" --
Book cover for A tulip in winter.
Notes:
The Arts;7-10
Description:
"Painting a vivid portrait of the beloved folk artist known for her joyful landscapes, plants and animals, this gorgeous picture book shows how she, despite spending much of her life in poverty with rheumatoid arthritis, celebrated the beauty of the world around her"--