How does one take a collection of books ranging from nine hundred to one thousand submissions and narrow that number down to thirty titles? Let’s just say it’s no easy task, but one that seven educators took on during the publishing year of 2024.

For twenty-eight years, dedicated members of the Children’s Literature Assembly have served on the seven-member committee tasked with selecting thirty Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts (NCBLA).

The list of books is highlighted for readers in the Journal of Children’s Literature and Language Arts. The committee also presents the annual list for session attendees at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) conference and the Tucson Festival of Books.
All titles on the NCBLA list are works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry penned for children in grades K-8 and published in the previous calendar year. These selected children’s books must meet additional criteria, such as:

• Have an appealing format
  
• Be of enduring quality
• Meet generally accepted standards of quality for the genre in which they are written
• Meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • Deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language
  • Demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style
  • Invite child response or participation

With these criteria in mind, NCBLA committee members first read and evaluate books individually, then collaborate to vet each prospective title. The committee meets monthly throughout the year, sharing notable titles, discussing ways the books can be used in classrooms, and curating a list of the best of the best. This process is not an easy one, but it is rewarding, engaging, and fascinating to see which titles ultimately make the final list.

These titles are high-quality texts that promote language arts and offer a range of literacy-related instructional possibilities. Committee members hope that teachers, librarians, and parents find the list a useful tool when locating and using fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to share with young readers.

The thirty books were broken down into five categories/themes. Although many of the books could fit into multiple categories, the themes are designed to help teachers organize the titles, plan ways to use them, and share with as many readers as possible.
Now, to the exciting part. After countless hours of reading, thinking, sharing, and conferring, here is the 2025 Notable Children’s Books in Language Arts list of notable titles:

This past year has been an absolute joy serving as chair. This work would not have been possible without the dedication, hard work, and countless hours of reading put in by our incredible committee members. It was an honor and privilege to lead them in the journey of discovering thirty titles we believe will enhance, enrich, and entertain many classrooms across the country.

If you’re looking for children’s picture books that will help your students learn how to process life’s biggest emotions, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, organized into emotional eras, I introduce you to six children’s picture books that will help your students navigate their emotions and will help you open up conversations in your classroom about many of the biggest feelings.    

 
Just as life has a range of emotions, so, too should the bookshelf in your classroom. Myriad emotions and feelings should be represented in your classroom library so that your students can learn how both how to name and process their own emotions but also how their actions can influence others’ emotions.
 
It is my sincere hope that the next time you are pursuing the bookstore or library shelves to select your next read aloud that you will truly consider selecting one with all the feels.

Anderson, S. (2021). To Why to Say Hi. (H. Nakata, Illus.). Magination.
Cook, J. (2005). My mouth is a volcano. (C. Hartman, Illus.). National Center for Youth Issues.
Lang, S., (2018). Grumpy monkey. (M. Lang, Illus.). Scholastic. 
Long, L. (2024). The yellow bus. (L. Long, Illus.). Roaring Brook.
Min, C. (2021). Shy willow. (C. Min, Illus.). Levine Querido.
Percival, T. (2018). Ruby finds a worry. (T. Percival, Illus.). Bloomsbury.