“The single most important activity for building the
knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”

—Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook

When I read these words in graduate school, they rang so true. They echoed as I led story time at libraries all over Brooklyn, NY, and as I raise my own children. Unfortunately, the act of reading aloud is in decline.

New research by HarperCollins UK reveals that parents are losing the love of reading aloud, with fewer than half sharing that reading to children is “no fun for me.” Gen Z respondents think of reading as “more a subject to learn than a fun thing to do.”

As for reading alone, that same study says that only 32 percent of 5–10-year-olds frequently choose to read for enjoyment, down 55 percent from 2012.

Additionally, a new report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), based on 2024 test scores, found that a record-low number of fourth and eighth grade students in the United States had “below-basic” reading skills. According to the NAEP, one-third of eighth graders had “below-basic” reading skills—the largest number since the exam began in 1969. Also, 40 percent of fourth graders’ reading skills were designated “below-basic,” the most in two decades.

Of course, this is alarming news for parents, educators, and all those who care about children and literacy. But we, librarians and lovers of stories and information, have the solution. It’s been ingrained in us since we entered this profession—it’s why we entered this profession. Bring back readers’ choice. Bring back read-alouds. Bring back the joy of reading.

This is our gospel truth. It’s why 28 librarians and five reviews editors came together to select 191 Best Books for children and young adults. Months of reading and discussion, spreadsheets and caffeine, all in service to this splendid list of enjoyable, excellent, and engaging books to preach that gospel.

We hope that this curated offering, filled with adventurous and fantastical stories, silly and breathtaking picture books, true-crime mysteries and stirring romances, and universally consumed manga and graphic novels, will be the joy-making resource that you need to impact the next generation of readers (and their grown-ups).

We hope that each title on this list will prove Maya Angelou’s words that “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of [their] deep and continuing needs, is good for [them].”

—Shelley M. Diaz SLJ Reviews Director

★   ★   ★

Thank you to all of the reviewers who helped us create this year’s Best Books list:

Alicia Abdul, Monisha Blair, Kristin Brynsvold, Lisa Buffi, Tracy Cronce, Molly Dettmann, Jonah Dragan, Rachel Forbes, Rose Garrett, Vi Ha, Bob Hassett, Angie Jameson, Chance Joyner, Rosemary Kiladitis, Mary Lanni, Louis Lauer, Ashley Leffel, Andrea Lipinski, Emmy Neal, Joe Pascullo, Lisa Rowland, John Scott, Mariah Smitala, Allie Stevens, Lynne Stover, Debbie Tanner, Allison Tran, Emily Walker

Download the PDF with the full list and annotations.

 Illustration by Loris Lora