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Best of the Best: ABFYR’s 2023 Books on Best Of Lists
As the year comes to a close, we’re celebrating Astra Books for Young Readers’ Best Of 2023 books as voted on by readers!
🏅 A 2023 Horn Book Fanfare Book
Who was Coretta Scott King? Her black-veiled image at the funeral of her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was moving and iconic. This book introduces readers to the woman behind the veil—a girl full of spunk and pluck, bravery and grit.
🏅 A 2023 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Award-winning author Nikki Grimes’s beloved novel in verse Garvey’s Choice is now a graphic novel, imaginatively and dramatically illustrated by Little Shaq artist Theodore Taylor III.
🏅 A 2023 School Library Journal Best Book
Discover the mysterious and fascinating sleeping habits of more than twenty bird species from around the world in this gorgeously illustrated read-aloud picture book, perfect for bedtime, or any time.
🏅 A 2023 School Library Journal Best Book
🏅 A 2023 Booklist Editor’s Choice Book
🏅 A 2023 Kirkus Best Book
This YA biography-in-verse of six important Black Americans from different eras chronicles the diverse ways each fought racism and shows how much—and how little—has changed for Black Americans since our country’s founding.
🏅 A Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2023
In Mexican American comedian Jesús Trejo’s debut picture book, a little boy makes a big, funny mistake and learns the value of resources like time and water—both of which have a magic all their own.
🏅 A 2023 Booklist Editor’s Choice Book
Who knew shapes could be so much fun? Kids will laugh as they learn—and will also see the world in a new way. Brunetti deftly highlights the nature and logic of shapes, laying a foundation for geometry and illustration for readers of all ages!
🏅 A 2023 School Library Journal Best Book
From National Book Award–winning author Martin W. Sandler, here is a fascinating look at what shipwrecks reveal about our world’s past—and how exploring them led to the development of a whole new field of science: marine archaeology.
🏅 A 2023 School Library Journal Best Book
This collection of poems, creatively presented in the format of an allegorical house, will engage anyone who has ever wondered “why?” as it shows young readers that wonder is everywhere—in yourself and in the world around you.
