LibGuides: Family Literacy Night: Children's Literature

Children's Literature Websites

The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
The CCBC is a research library of the University of Wisconsin Madison that is focused on children's literature. Find book lists featuring a range of important themes as well as data about trends in the field.
CCBC Recommended Book Search
This link takes you directly to CCBC's recommended book search. You can filter by age, theme, diversity topic and more.
NoveList K-8
NoveList K-8 is a database of book recommendations. It features read-alike recommendations and also provides reading levels.
Social Justice Books
This website was created the the non-profit Teaching for Change. Find tools for evaluating books, and lists of recommended multicultural titles.
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB)
WNDB is a non-profit that advocates for change in the publishing industry. Their goal is to "help produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people." Find recommended books and resources for sharing them.
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature (CSMCL)
The mission of the CSMCL is to "preserve the richness of the many cultures in the field of children’s and young adult literature. Further, our mission is to provide children, teachers, parents, educators, students, and librarians access to multicultural children’s books with high literary and artistic standards."

Find Children's Books in the Library

1. At Any CCC or I-Share Library

The Truman College Library has a growing collection of children's literature that is currently located near the front of the library by the fiction section. Our library catalog is also connected to all of the CCC libraries, and the 90+ libraries that are part of I-Share.

Physical books can be checked out in-person, or requested via the library catalog and picked up at the I-Share library of your choice.
eBooks can be accessed from anywhere you have an internet connection. Some books can be fully downloaded. For more eBooks as well as audiobooks, check out our Libby app (described lower on this page).

2. At the Chicago Public Library

Find a Chicago Public Library branch You can request any book in the system for pickup at the branch that is most convenient for you.
Online Resources: Chicago Public Library has many materials for all ages that can be accessed remotely. Kid specific online resources and eBooks are also available.

3. At a Public Libraries Outside of Chicago.

RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System): if you live outside of Chicago, you can use the website to search for public libraries throughout Illinois. This list includes websites as well as addresses for all branches.

Award Winning Books

Caldecott Medal Books by Year at Chicago Public Library
Coretta Scott King Awards by Year at Chicago Public Library
Monarch Book Award
Awarded annually to the book voted most outstanding by students in kindergarten through third grade in participating Illinois schools.
Pura Belpre Medal
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
Schneider Family Book Award
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
American Indian Youth Literature Award

Using Libby for Audiobooks and eBooks

The free Libby app is the easiest way to get started with eBooks and audiobooks from City Colleges of Chicago libraries. All you need to do is download the app and sign into our library using your CCC login credentials to begin browsing the digital collection. You can also use the website without downloading the app to read and listen on a computer.

Getting Started

Install the Libby app from the app store on your Android or iOS device.
In Libby, follow the prompts to find NILRC Academic Shared Digital Collection, then choose City Colleges of Chicago and sign in with your CCC username and password.
Browse the digital collection and borrow a title.

Borrowing Privileges:

Titles are automatically returned at the end of the lending period. No late fees!
Check out up to 5 titles at a time.
Borrow titles for up to 21 days.
You can place a hold on 10 titles at a time.

You can add more than one library card.