UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Among the many children’s books published last year, 13 were chosen by the Pennsylvania Center for the Book to form the 23rd annual "A Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy," for 2026.
The annual booklist is compiled by a panel of children’s literature and family literacy experts who reviewed nearly 900 children’s books published in the previous calendar year. Titles for 2026 include:
- “Balloon” by Bruce Handy, illustrated by Julie Kwon, published by Chronicle Books
- “Big Bike, Little Bike” by Kellie DuBay Gillis, illustrated by Jacob Souva, published by HarperCollins
- “Broken” by X. Fang, published by Tundra Books
- “Emmie Builds Something New” by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, published by Red Comet Press
- “Every Monday Mabel” by Jashar Awan, published by Simon & Schuster
- “Giant Parsnip Soup” by Daniela Sosa, published by Beach Lane Books
- “Henry Is an Artist” by Justin Worsley, published by Flamingo Books
- “Mama Car” by Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- “My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!” by Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, illustrated by Tiffany Everett, published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
- “A Quick Trip to the Store” by Sam Wedelich, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
- “Sand Cakes” by Kallie George, illustrated by Devon Holzwarth, published by Tundra Books
- “Seven Little Ducklings” by Annette LeBlanc Cate, published by Candlewick Press
- “Smelly Peggy” by Helen Stephens, published by Candlewick Press
The Baker's Dozen selection jury includes representatives who have significant children’s literature and family literacy expertise:
- Emily Aguiló-Pérez, professor of English, West Chester University
- Ellysa Stern Cahoy, distinguished librarian, Education Library, and director, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Penn State University Libraries, University Park
- Jason Griffith, assistant professor of education, children's and adolescent literature studies, Penn State, University Park
- Erica King, instructional designer, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Penn State University Libraries, University Park
- Lori McMonigal, manager for innovation and special projects, TIU Community Education and Workforce Services, PA Careerlink Mifflin County
- Phoebe Quaynor, postdoctoral scholar, Africana Research Center and African studies, Penn State, University Park
- Dyan Schauer, consultant, TIU Community Education & Workforce Services
- Susan Schubert, retired special education teacher and instructional coach, Camp Hill School District and Capital Area Head Start
- Tugce B. Arda Tuncdemir, assistant professor of early childhood and elementary education, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, Penn State Harrisburg
- Samantha Westall, graduate assistant, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Penn State College of Education, University Park
- Sara Willoughby Herb, professor emerita of early childhood education, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Selection criteria, annotations, tips for using the books, and more are available at the Baker’s Dozen website.
The Pennsylvania Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress and sponsored by Penn State University Libraries, encourages Pennsylvania’s citizens and residents to study, honor, celebrate and promote books, reading, libraries and literacy. In addition to A Baker’s Dozen, it also administers the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award; the Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize and the interactive Literary & Cultural Heritage Map of Pennsylvania.