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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 77  There are a total of 151 valid entries on the list.
Book cover for Ancient night.
Notes:
Picture Books;4-8
Description:
"Ancient Night is a twist on two Nahuatl traditions: the rabbit which the Feathered Serpent placed on the moon, and Yaushu, the Lord Opossum who ruled the earth before humans came, and who stole fire from the gods to create the sun. Award-winning author David Bowles has written a poetic text - and carefully researched backmatter - to accompany David's lush illustrations and story."--
Book cover for At the drop of a cat.
Notes:
Picture Books;4-8
Description:
"A six-year-old boy loves nothing more than spending time with Luis, his immigrant grandfather, who teaches the boy about birds, plants, and the natural world." --
Book cover for Autumn Peltier, water warrior.
Notes:
Contemporary People, Places, and Issues;5-9
Description:
"Indigenous women have always worked tirelessly to protect our water -- keeping it pure and clean for the generations to come. Yet there was a time when their voices and teachings were nearly drowned out, leaving entire communities and environments in danger and without clean water. But then came Grandma Josephine and her great-niece, Autumn. Speak for the water. Sing for the water. Dance for the water. With moving lyricism and arresting illustrations,...
Book cover for The book of turtles.
Notes:
Science, Technology, and the Natural World;5-9
Description:
"This tribute to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet (turtles) speaks to the diversity and wisdom of these long-lived reptiles." --
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...

6. Cape

Book cover for Cape.
Notes:
Understanding Oneself and Others;4-8
Description:
A child wears a cape as protection from grief after the loss of a loved one, using it at first to avoid memories that keep bubbling up, and then later for comfort and strength.
Book cover for Chinese menu.
Author:
Notes:
Contemporary People, Places, and Issues;8-up
Description:
"From fried dumplings to fortune cookies, here are the tales behind your favorite foods . . . Separated into courses like a Chinese menu, these tales -- based in real history and folklore -- are filled with squabbling dragons, magical fruits, and hungry monks. This book will bring you to far-off times and marvelous places, all while making your mouth water. And, along the way, you might just discover a deeper understanding of the resilience and triumph...
Book cover for The christmassy cactus.
Author:
Notes:
Seasons and Celebrations;4-7
Description:
"Tiny Cactus loves Christmas! But she doesn’t love that her little girl seems to be spending more time with the giant sparkly tree in the living room than with her. Maybe if she were decorated like the Christmas tree, her little girl would notice her again." --
Book cover for Día de Muertos números =.
Notes:
Concept Books;3-6
Description:
"Count up to ten in this bilingual picture book celebrating Día de Muertos / Day of the Dead from... author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh."-- Cuenta hasta diez en este libro bilingüe que celebra el Día de los Muertos.
Book cover for Do you remember?.
Notes:
Picture Books;4-8
Description:
A mother and son trade reassuring memories during a time of change and upheaval.
Book cover for Elena rides.
Notes:
Books for Beginning Readers;3-6
Description:
"Elena wants to ride her bike. She steadies, she readies. She wobbles, she bobbles . . . KA-BANG! Learning to ride a bike is hard. But Elena can do it. She just has to try, try again." -- Publisher's website.
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 The eyes & the impossible.
Author:
Notes:
Fiction for Children;8-11
Description:
"Johannes, a free dog, lives in a park hemmed in on three sides by dense human neighborhoods, and on one side by the ocean. His job is to be the Eyes--to see everything that happens within the park and report to the park's elders, three ancient bison whoensure the Equilibrium. His friends--a stalwart seagull, a mordant raccoon, a one-eyed squirrel, and a pelican who can read--work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals...
Book cover for The fastest tortoise in town.
Notes:
Picture Books;4-7
Description:
Barbara Hendricks, a tortoise, has entered a road race, but what was she thinking? With only a week to go before the big day, she worries that she doesn't stand a chance against the other animals competing. Barbara's friend and owner, Lorraine, inspires her to train a little bit more each day and coaxes her out of her shell when the race day arrives. How intimidating to line up next to the slow loris, the snail, the sloth, and the walrus! But Barbara...
Book cover for The fire of stars.
Notes:
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir;8-12
Description:
Astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne was the first person to discover what burns at the heart of stars. But she didn't start out as the groundbreaking scientist she would eventually become. She started out as a girl full of curiosity, hoping one day to unlock the mysteries of the universe. With lyrical, evocative text by Kirsten W. Larson and extraordinary illustrations by award-winning illustrator Katherine Roy, this moving biography powerfully...
Book cover for Friends beyond measure.
Notes:
Picture Books;5-9
Description:
"Ana and Harwin's friendship has been off the charts since day one! But when Harwin learns her family is going to move far away, the duo isn't sure how their friendship can survive the move. See how their friend-o-meters calibrate in this imaginative, heartwarming story by beloved picture book creator and infographic designer Lalena Fisher" -- Provided by publisher.
Book cover for Gigi and Ojiji.
Series:
Gigi and Ojiji volume 2.
Notes:
Books for Beginning Readers;4-8
Description:
"Gigi wants to go by something besides her baby name-but her full name, Geraldine, is too long to write and Hanako, her middle name, doesn't feel quite right. Will Gigi find the perfect name? Gigi and Ojiji: What's in a Name? is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent...
Book cover for Ginny off the map.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;8-12
Description:
On the last day of fifth grade, super-smart eleven-year-old Ginny learns that her father, who is a military ER doctor, is being deployed to Afghanistan--devastating news because they are already moving to another post in Maryland and Ginny depends on her father to help her manage her obsessions, panic attacks, and general meltdowns. One of her obsessions is geographical facts, and somehow Ginny hopes to use her geographical knowledge to overcome her...
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 good hair day.
Notes:
Picture Books;4-9
Description:
With the help from his loving and observant family, a little boy gets a birthday present that gives him the confidence to be himself and let his hair down.