2026 Mock Caldecott List

1.
To See an Owl
To See an Owl 4.44 avg rating — 462 ratings
2.
Don't Trust Fish
Don't Trust Fish 4.45 avg rating — 955 ratings
3.
Let's Be Bees
Let's Be Bees 3.85 avg rating — 318 ratings
3.
Hope in a Jar
Hope in a Jar 4.25 avg rating — 227 ratings
5.
Papilio
Papilio 4.28 avg rating — 285 ratings
6.
Our Lake
Our Lake 4.32 avg rating — 146 ratings
7.
How Sweet the Sound
How Sweet the Sound 4.30 avg rating — 203 ratings
8.
Soy Sauce!
Soy Sauce! 4.12 avg rating — 212 ratings
9.
Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave
Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave 4.34 avg rating — 307 ratings
10.
Home
Home 4.09 avg rating — 277 ratings
11.
Cranky, Crabby Crow
Cranky, Crabby Crow 4.20 avg rating — 282 ratings
12.
When I Hear Spirituals
When I Hear Spirituals 4.16 avg rating — 94 ratings
13.
When Alexander Graced the Table
When Alexander Graced the Table 4.28 avg rating — 125 ratings
14.
Wind Watchers
Wind Watchers 4.21 avg rating — 141 ratings
15.
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme 4.28 avg rating — 199 ratings
16.
Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend
Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend
by: Bob Shea
4.16 avg rating — 316 ratings
17.
The Hole
The Hole 4.55 avg rating — 108 ratings
18.
Every Peach Is a Story
Every Peach Is a Story 4.28 avg rating — 67 ratings
19.
So Tortoise Dug
So Tortoise Dug 3.95 avg rating — 194 ratings
20.
Good Golden Sun
Good Golden Sun 3.53 avg rating — 186 ratings
21.
Will the Pigeon Graduate?
Will the Pigeon Graduate? 4.27 avg rating — 594 ratings
22.
Otto and the Story Tree
Otto and the Story Tree 4.08 avg rating — 92 ratings
23.
Big Enough
Big Enough 4.40 avg rating — 117 ratings
24.
Where Are You, Brontë?
Where Are You, Brontë? 4.58 avg rating — 196 ratings
25.
Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer
Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer 4.45 avg rating — 164 ratings
26.
Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World about Water Pollution
Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World about Water Pollution 4.59 avg rating — 73 ratings
27.
Home Is a Wish
Home Is a Wish
by: Julia Kuo
4.14 avg rating — 159 ratings
28.
A Pocket Full of Rocks
A Pocket Full of Rocks 4.11 avg rating — 176 ratings
29.
Whales in the City
Whales in the City 4.42 avg rating — 88 ratings
30.
Raven's Ribbons
Raven's Ribbons 4.03 avg rating — 86 ratings
31.
Safe Crossing
Safe Crossing 4.33 avg rating — 144 ratings
32.
New Shoes for Leo
New Shoes for Leo 4.18 avg rating — 82 ratings
32.
The Wild Robot on the Island
The Wild Robot on the Island 4.41 avg rating — 288 ratings
32.
Anything
Anything 4.09 avg rating — 219 ratings
35.
Faith Takes the Train
Faith Takes the Train 4.05 avg rating — 85 ratings
36.
The History of We
The History of We 4.49 avg rating — 89 ratings
37.
Little Freddie Two Pants:
Little Freddie Two Pants: 3.97 avg rating — 294 ratings
37.
Girls on the Rise
Girls on the Rise 4.22 avg rating — 325 ratings
39.
Me and Other Bunnies
Me and Other Bunnies 3.53 avg rating — 227 ratings
40.
A Line Can Go Anywhere: The Brilliant, Resilient Life of Artist Ruth Asawa
A Line Can Go Anywhere: The Brilliant, Resilient Life of Artist Ruth Asawa 4.29 avg rating — 68 ratings
40.
The Escape Artist: A True Story of Octopus Adventure
The Escape Artist: A True Story of Octopus Adventure 4.56 avg rating — 9 ratings
42.
Fireworks
Fireworks 4.30 avg rating — 205 ratings
43.
Every Monday Mabel
Every Monday Mabel 4.45 avg rating — 382 ratings
44.
Island Storm
Island Storm 4.31 avg rating — 26 ratings
44.
Cat Nap
Cat Nap 4.62 avg rating — 8 ratings
44.
Where the Deer Slip Through
Where the Deer Slip Through 4.53 avg rating — 89 ratings
47.
The Coziest Place on the Moon
The Coziest Place on the Moon 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings
47.
Are We There Yet?: The First Road Trip Across the USA
Are We There Yet?: The First Road Trip Across the USA 4.03 avg rating — 64 ratings
47.
Your Crown Shines: For Ketanji Brown Jackson and You
Your Crown Shines: For Ketanji Brown Jackson and You really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 18 ratings
50.
I Have Three Cats . . .
I Have Three Cats . . . 4.28 avg rating — 140 ratings
51.
Sadie Mouse Wrecks the House
Sadie Mouse Wrecks the House 3.57 avg rating — 49 ratings
52.
Old Blue Is My Home
Old Blue Is My Home 4.57 avg rating — 93 ratings
53.
To Walk the Sky: How Iroquois Steelworkers Helped Build Towering Cities
To Walk the Sky: How Iroquois Steelworkers Helped Build Towering Cities 4.19 avg rating — 137 ratings
54.
I Am the Spirit of Justice
I Am the Spirit of Justice 4.68 avg rating — 68 ratings
55.
The Peanut Man
The Peanut Man 4.11 avg rating — 73 ratings
56.
And She Was Loved: Toni Morrison's Life in Stories
And She Was Loved: Toni Morrison's Life in Stories 4.09 avg rating — 110 ratings
57.
The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever
The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever 4.17 avg rating — 219 ratings
58.
The Gift of the Great Buffalo
The Gift of the Great Buffalo 4.13 avg rating — 157 ratings
59.
City Summer, Country Summer
City Summer, Country Summer 4.13 avg rating — 116 ratings
60.
Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama's First Presidential Seder
Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama's First Presidential Seder 4.18 avg rating — 61 ratings
61.
Are You a Friend of Dorothy?: The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped
Are You a Friend of Dorothy?: The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped 4.57 avg rating — 133 ratings
62.
The Urban Owls: How Flaco and Friends Made the City Their Home
The Urban Owls: How Flaco and Friends Made the City Their Home 4.13 avg rating — 70 ratings
63.
The Peddler of Puddles
The Peddler of Puddles 4.20 avg rating — 175 ratings
64.
Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama (A Big Words Book)
Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama (A Big Words Book) 4.16 avg rating — 61 ratings
65.
Tíos and Primos
Tíos and Primos 4.11 avg rating — 74 ratings
66.
Caboose
Caboose 3.70 avg rating — 182 ratings
67.
Dancing With Water
Dancing With Water 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings
68.
Mamiachi & Me: My Mami’s Mariachi Band (A Picture Book)
Mamiachi & Me: My Mami’s Mariachi Band (A Picture Book) 4.64 avg rating — 146 ratings