Gallery: The 2025 New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books

My favorite annual “Best of” list was announced – the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books, and we have to take a look.

But first, the question on everyone’s no one’s mind: How’d I do on my predictions? I correctly predicted exactly one book (Fireworks). What can I say? It’s a tough one to call. Won’t stop me from trying in the future.

Here are the books that made the cut.

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Cátia Chien

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Wind Watchers by Micha Archer

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Making Art by Diana Ejaita

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The Three-Year Tumble by Dayeon Auh; translated by Tim Mohr

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Little Rebels by Yuyi Morales

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Pencil by Hye-Eun Kim

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Dragon Flower by Chen Jiang Hong; translated by Alyson Waters

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Broken by X. Fang

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The Lighthouse Keeper by Eugenio Fernández Vázquez; illustrated by Mariana Villanueva Segovia; translated by Kit Maude

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Sunday by Marcelo Tolentino; translated by Rahul Bery

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