CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
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Picture Books for Older Children and Teens: Never Too Old
©2023, 2007 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Compiled by Merri Lindgren and Megan Schliesman
Think picture books are just for young children? Think again! Some picture books are created with an older audience in mind. Others embody a level of sophistication in the text or art that offers intrigue for older children and/or teens even as they also appeal to a younger audience. Still others offer outrageous humor that can be enjoyed by readers of many ages.
This bibliography is not exhaustive, but is meant to introduce some titles for sharing with older children and teens, and to encourage thinking about ways picture books can be incorporated into the curriculum. While a number of titles have application and appeal in more than one way, they have been placed in one of the following categories:
- Visualize This: Books about the Arts
- Notes on a Page: Books about Music
- Into the Past: Books about History
- Theories and Revelations: Books about Math and Science
- Challenges and Change: Stories of Politics, Identity, and Understanding
- Over-the-Top: Sly and Sophisticated Humor
The books on the list are all in a picture book format and are generally 40 pages or fewer in length. The age recommendations listed for each book were made when promoting their general use, and do not necessarily reflect the older child/teen focus of this bibliography.
Visualize This: Books about the Arts
How to Read a Book
by Alexander, Kwame
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
Harper/HarperCollins, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 7-11
Glitter Everywhere! Where It Came From, Where It's Found & Where It's Going
by Barton, Chris
Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat.
Charlesbridge, 2023. 48 pages. Ages 6-10
My Indigo World: A True Story of the Color Blue
by Chang, Rosa
Illustrated by Rosa Chang.
Astra/Minedition, 2023. 38 pages. Ages 5-9
The Book of Mistakes
by Luyken, Corinna
Illustrated by Corinna Luyken.
Dial, 2017. 48 pages. Ages 7-11
Action! How Movies Began
by McCarthy, Meghan
Illustrated by Meghan McCarthy.
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 2022. 48 pages. Ages 7-11
Jimmy's Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin
by Meadows, Michelle
Illustrated by Jamiel Law.
Harper/HarperCollins, 2024. 48 pages. Age 8 and older
Love Is Hard Work: The Art and Heart of Corita Kent
by Paley, Dan
Illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov.
Candlewick, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 6-10
The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art
by Rosenstock, Barb
Illustrated by Claire A. Nivola.
Candlewick, 2018. 32 pages. Ages 6-10
A Tulip in Winter: A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis
by Stinson, Kathy
Illustrated by Lauren Soloy.
Greystone, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 7-10
Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes
by Todd, Traci N.
Illustrated by Shannon Wright.
Orchard/Scholastic, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 8-12
To See Clearly: A Portrait of David Hockney
by Turk, Evan
Illustrated by Evan Turk.
Abrams, 2023. 48 pages. Ages 8-11
You Gotta Meet Mr. Pierce! The Storied Life of Folk Artist Elijah Pierce
by Van Vleet, Carmella and Chiquita Mullins Lee
Illustrated by Jennifer Mack-Watkins.
Kokila/Penguin Random House, 2023. 38 pages. Ages 7-11
Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery
by Wallace, Sandra Neil
Illustrated by Bryan Collier.
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 2018. 40 pages. Ages 7-11
A Crown of Stories: The Life and Language of Beloved Writer Toni Morrison
by Weatherford, Carole Boston
Illustrated by Khalif Tahir Thompson.
HarperCollins/Quill Tree, 2024. 48 pages. Age 9 and older
Notes on a Page: Books about Music
Animal Albums from A to Z
by Bell, Cece
Illustrated by Cece Bell.
Candlewick/Walker, 2024. 64 pages. Ages 6-10
As Glenn as Can Be
by Ellis, Sarah
Illustrated by Nancy Vo.
Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2022. 32 pages. Ages 6-9
Carlos Santana: Sound of the Heart, Song of the World
by Golio, Gary
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez.
Henry Holt, 2018. 32 pages. Ages 7-11
Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane's Musical Journey
by Golio, Gary
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez.
Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 40 pages. Ages 9-14
Bird & Diz
by Golio, Gary
Illustrated by Ed Young.
Candlewick, 2015. 24 pages. Age 8 and older
The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny)
by Krull, Kathleen and Paul Brewer
Illustrated by Stacy Innerst.
Harcourt /Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. 32 pages. Ages 7-10
Jazz
by Myers, Walter Dean
Illustrated by Christopher Myers.
Holiday House, 2006. 44 pages. Age 10 and older
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
by Neri, G.
Illustrated by AG Ford.
Candlewick, 2014. 40 pages. Ages 9-14
The Cosmobiography of Sun Ra: The Sound of Joy Is Enlightening
by Raschka, Chris
Illustrated by Chris Raschka.
Candlewick, 2014. 36 pages. Ages 6-10
Rock & Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story
by Robertson, Sebastian
Illustrated by Adam Gustavson.
Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt, 2014. 40 pages. Ages 9-13
Into the Past: Books about History
Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball
by Bryant, Jen
Illustrated by Frank Morrison.
Abrams, 2020. 40 pages. Ages 6-10
Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis
by Cline-Ransome, Lesa
Illustrated by James E. Ransome.
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 2024. 48 pages. Ages 6-10
A Bear Far from Home
by Fletcher, Susan
Illustrated by Rebecca Green.
Anne Schwartz Book/Random House, 2022. 32 pages. Ages 6-10
The Secret Pocket
by Janicki, Peggy
Illustrated by Carrielynn Victor.
Orca, 2023. 30 pages. Ages 6-9
Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
by Joy, Angela
Illustrated by Janelle Washington.
Roaring Brook, 2022. 56 pages. Ages 8-12
The Apartment: A Century of Russian History
by Litvina, Alexandra
Illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya.
Translated by Antonina W. Bouis.
Abrams, 2019. Ages 9-13
The Eye That Never Sleeps: How Detective Pinkerton Saved President Lincoln
by Moss, Marissa
Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes.
Abrams, 2018. 47 pages. Ages 8-11
A River's Gifts: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn
by Newman, Patricia
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan.
Lerner/Millbrook, 2022. 50 pages. Ages 8-12
Everybody's Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah
by Strauss, Linda Leopold
Illustrated by Tim Smart.
Kar-Ben, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 7-10
Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk
by Sutcliffe, Jane
Illustrated by John Shelley.
Charlesbridge, 2016. 40 pages. Ages 8-14
Love in the Library
by Tokuda-Hall, Maggie
Illustrated by Yas Imamura.
Candlewick, 2022. 32 pages. Age 8 and older
Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom
by Weatherford, Carole Boston
Illustrated by Michele Wood.
Candlewick, 2020. 56 pages. Age 10 and older
Theories and Revelations: Books about Math and Science
Sharuko: Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello = El arqueologo Peruano Julio C. Tello
by Brown, Monica
Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri.
Children's Book Press/Lee & Low, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 7-10
Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall
by Brunelle, Lynn
Illustrated by Jason Chin.
Holiday House/Neal Porter Books, 2024. 48 pages. Ages 8-12
The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey
by Chin, Jason
Illustrated by Jason Chin.
Holiday House/Neal Porter Books, 2022. 40 pages. Ages 8-11
Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told with Infographics
by Fisher, Lalena
Illustrated by Lalena Fisher.
Harper/HarperCollins, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 5-9
The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of
by Larson, Kirsten W.
Illustrated by Katherine Roy.
Chronicle, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 8-12
Change Is in the Air: Carbon, Climate, Earth, and Us
by Levy, Debbie
Illustrated by Alex Boersma.
Bloomsbury, 2024. 36 pages. Ages 5-10
The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just
by Mangal, Melina
Illustrated by Luisa Uribe.
Lerner/Millbrook, 2018. 40 pages. Ages 6-10
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet
by Manley, Curtis
Illustrated by Jessica Lanan.
Roaring Brook, 2019. 40 pages. Ages 7-11
One Hen and Then...The Story of a Small Loan and a Big Dream
by Milway, Katie Smith and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Illustrated by Tequitia Andrews.
Kids Can, 2024. Ages 5-10
My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More
by Neri, G.
Illustrated by Corban Wilkin.
Candlewick, 2024. 91 pages. Ages 8-11
The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure
by Rosenstock, Barb
Illustrated by Jamey Christoph.
Knopf/Random House, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 7-12
Moth and Wasp, Soil and Ocean: Remembering Chinese Scientist Pu Zhelong's Work for Sustainable Farming
by Schmalzer, Sigrid
Illustrated by Melanie Linden Chan.
Tilbury House, 2018. 40 pages. Ages 6-10
The Tree of Life: A Book Depicting the Life of Charles Darwin: Naturalist, Geologist, & Thinker
by Sis, Peter
Illustrated by Peter Sis.
Farrar Straus Giroux/Frances Foster Books, 2003. 32 pages. Age 10 and older
Great Carrier Reef
by Stremer, Jessica
Illustrated by Gordy Wright.
Holiday House, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 7-10
Moth: An Evolution Story
by Thomas, Isabel
Illustrated by Daniel Egneus.
Bloomsbury, 2019. 48 pages. Ages 6-9
Challenges and Change: Stories of Politics, Identity, and Understanding
The Proudest Blue
by Ali, S. K. and Ibtihaj Muhammad
Illustrated by Hatem Aly.
Little, Brown, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 4-8
Milo Imagines the World
by de la Pena, Matt
Illustrated by Christian Robinson.
Penguin Random House/Putnam, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 6-9
The Range Eternal
by Erdrich, Louise
Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.
University of Minnesota Press, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 5-9
Desert Queen
by Gopal, Jyoti Rajan
Illustrated by Svabhu Kohli.
Levine Querido, 2023. 48 pages. Age 10 and older
A Walk in the Woods
by Grimes, Nikki
Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney.
Holiday House/Neal Porter Books, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 6-10
Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story
by Honyouti, Mavasta
Illustrated by Mavasta Honyouti.
Translated by Marilyn Parra .
Levine Querido, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 9-13
My Mother's Tongues: A Weaving of Languages
by Menon, Uma
Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell.
Candlewick, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 5-9
The Legend of Gravity: A Tall Basketball Tale
by Palmer, Charly
Illustrated by Charly Palmer.
Farrar Straus Giroux/Macmillan, 2022. 40 pages. Ages 6-10
Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son
by Parra, John
Illustrated by John Parra.
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 2022. 32 pages. Ages 5-9
America, My Love, America, My Heart
by Peoples-Riley, Daria
Illustrated by Daria Peoples-Riley.
Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2021. 32 pages. Age 8 and older
Tenacious: Fifteen Adventures Alongside Disabled Athletes
by Prevo, Patty Cisneros
Illustrated by Dion MBD.
Lee & Low, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 7-10
How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion
by Shiraishi, Ashima
Illustrated by Yao Xiao.
Make Me A World/Random House, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 7-10
Undocumented: A Worker's Fight
by Tonatiuh, Duncan
Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
Abrams/Abrams ComicArts, 2018. 24 pages. Age 12 and older
The Words We Share
by Wong, Jack
Illustrated by Jack Wong.
Annick, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 5-10
Over-the-Top: Sly and Sophisticated Humor
I Yam a Donkey!
by Bell, Cece
Illustrated by Cece Bell.
Clarion, 2015. 32 pages. Ages 5-9
A Hungry Lion or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals
by Cummins, Lucy Ruth
Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins.
Atheneum, 2016. 36 pages. Ages 4-8
Little Roja Riding Hood
by Elya, Susan Middleton
Illustrated by Susan Guevara.
Putnam, 2014. 32 pages. Ages 4-8
At the Drop of a Cat
by Fontenaille, Elise
Illustrated by Violeta Lopiz.
Enchanted Lion, 2023. 28 pages. Ages 4-8
Mina
by Forsythe, Matthew
Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe.
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 2022. 60 pages. Ages 3-8
I Got a Chicken for My Birthday
by Gehl, Laura
Illustrated by Sarah Horne.
Carolrhoda, 2018. 32 pages. Ages 4-8
H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Imagination
by Myers, Christopher
Illustrated by Christopher Myers.
Egmont, 2012. 32 pages. Ages 5-10
Lies and Other Tall Tales
by Myers, Christopher and Zora Neale Hurston
Illustrated by Christopher Myers.
HarperCollins, 2005. 40 pages. Age 10 and older
Sparky!
by Offill, Jenny
Illustrated by Chris Appelhans.
Schwartz & Wade, 2014. 32 pages. Ages 4-8
Eggasaurus
by Wagh, Jennifer
Illustrated by Hallie Bateman.
Simon & Schuster, 2022. 32 pages. Ages 4-8
They All Saw a Cat
by Wenzel, Brendan
Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel.
Chronicle, 2016. 36 pages. Ages 4-8
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.