TheGold Shelf

Award-winning books for ages 3 to 5

956 prize-winning or shortlisted books for ages 3 to 5. Pick a topic to narrow it down.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals317Adventure19Fantasy and magic77Funny books213Family152Friendship72History and real people59Nature and science129Folktales and fairy tales130Poetry and rhyme103Feelings and big moments84Bedtime62First chapter books76

956 books, the first 120 shown

Cover of Every Monday MabelHonor2026Every Monday MabelJashar Awan2026 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Our LakeHonor2026Our LakeAngie Kang2026 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Chooch HelpedWinner2025Chooch HelpedRebecca Lee Kunz2025 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Clever CrowWinner2025Clever CrowChris Butterworth2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Fox versus FoxHonor2025Fox versus FoxCorey R. Tabor2025 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Home in a LunchboxHonor2025Home in a LunchboxCherry Mo2025 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of My Daddy is a CowboyHonor2025My Daddy is a CowboyStephanie Seales2025 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Noodles on a BicycleHonor2025Noodles on a BicycleGracey Zhang2025 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Towed by ToadHonor2025Towed by ToadJashar Awan2025 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the MountainsHonor2025Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the MountainsYuko Shimizu2025 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of VacationWinner2025VacationAme Dyckman2025 Geisel Award winnerCover of BigWinner2024BigVashti Harrison2024 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Fox Has a ProblemWinner2024Fox Has a ProblemCorey R. Tabor2024 Geisel Award winnerCover of Henry, Like AlwaysHonor2024Henry, Like AlwaysJenn Bailey2024 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of In Every LifeHonor2024In Every LifeMarla Frazee2024 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Tree and the RiverWinner2024The Tree and the RiverAaron Becker2024 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of The Truth About DragonsHonor2024The Truth About DragonsJulie Leung2024 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of There Was a Party for LangstonHonor2024There Was a Party for LangstonJerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey2024 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Worm and Caterpillar Are FriendsHonor2024Worm and Caterpillar Are FriendsKaz Windness2024 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of A Seed GrowsHonor2023A Seed GrowsAntoinette Portis2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Berry SongHonor2023Berry SongMichaela Goade2023 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Fish and WaveHonor2023Fish and WaveSergio Ruzzier2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Gigi and OjijiHonor2023Gigi and OjijiMelissa Iwai2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Hot DogWinner2023Hot DogDoug Salati2023 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of I Did It!Winner2023I Did It!Michael Emberley2023 Geisel Award winnerCover of João by a ThreadHonor2023João by a ThreadRoger Mello2023 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Knight OwlHonor2023Knight OwlChristopher Denise2023 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of My Strange Shrinking ParentsWinner2023My Strange Shrinking ParentsZeno Sworder2023 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Owl and PenguinHonor2023Owl and PenguinVikram Madan2023 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of When You Can SwimWinner2023When You Can SwimJack Wong2023 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Fox at NightWinner2022Fox at NightCorey R. Tabor2022 Geisel Award winnerCover of Have You Ever Seen a Flower?Honor2022Have You Ever Seen a Flower?Shawn Harris2022 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of I HopHonor2022I HopJoe Cepeda2022 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Mel FellHonor2022Mel FellCorey R. Tabor2022 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Nothing Fits a DinosaurHonor2022Nothing Fits a DinosaurJonathan Fenske2022 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Sato the Rabbit (Book 1)Honor2022Sato the Rabbit (Book 1)Yuki Ainoya2022 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of WatercressWinner2022WatercressAndrea Wang2022 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Wonder WalkersHonor2022Wonder WalkersMicha Archer2022 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of How to Make a BirdWinner2021How to Make a BirdMeg McKinlay2021 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Me & MamaHonor2021Me & MamaCozbi A. Cabrera2021 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of On the TraplineWinner2021On the TraplineDavid A. Robertson2021 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Outside InHonor2021Outside InDeborah Underwood2021 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of See the Cat: Three Stories About a DogWinner2021See the Cat: Three Stories About a DogDavid LaRochelle2021 Geisel Award winnerCover of Small in the CityWinner2021Small in the CitySydney Smith2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of The Bear in My FamilyHonor2021The Bear in My FamilyMaya Tatsukawa2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of The Cat Man of AleppoHonor2021The Cat Man of AleppoIrene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha2021 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!Honor2021Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!Starling Lyons2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of We Are Water ProtectorsWinner2021We Are Water ProtectorsMichaela Goade2021 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of What About Worms!?Honor2021What About Worms!?Ryan T. Higgins2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Where's Baby?Honor2021Where's Baby?Anne Hunter2021 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Bear Came AlongHonor2020Bear Came AlongLeUyen Pham2020 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Double Bass BluesHonor2020Double Bass BluesRudy Gutierrez2020 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!Honor2020Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!J.E. Morris2020 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Going Down Home with DaddyHonor2020Going Down Home with DaddyDaniel Minter2020 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of I Need a ParrotWinner2020I Need a ParrotChris McKimmie2020 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Stop! Bot!Winner2020Stop! Bot!James Yang2020 Geisel Award winnerCover of The Book HogHonor2020The Book HogGreg Pizzoli2020 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of When Spring Comes to the DMZHonor2020When Spring Comes to the DMZLee Uk-bae2020 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of A Big Mooncake for Little StarHonor2019A Big Mooncake for Little StarGrace Lin2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Alma and How She Got Her NameHonor2019Alma and How She Got Her NameJuana Martinez-Neal2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Fox the TigerWinner2019Fox the TigerCorey R. Tabor2019 Geisel Award winnerCover of Hello LighthouseWinner2019Hello LighthouseSophie Blackall2019 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Thank You, Omu!Honor2019Thank You, Omu!Oge Mora2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Adventures of Otto: See Pip FlapHonor2019The Adventures of Otto: See Pip FlapDavid Milgrim2019 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of The Fox on the SwingWinner2019The Fox on the SwingEvelina Daciūtė2019 Batchelder Award winnerCover of The Rough PatchHonor2019The Rough PatchBrian Lies2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A Different PondHonor2018A Different PondThi Bui2018 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Big Cat, Little CatHonor2018Big Cat, Little CatElisha Cooper2018 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh CutHonor2018Crown: An Ode to the Fresh CutDerrick Barnes2018 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Do Not Lick This BookWinner2018Do Not Lick This BookIdan Ben-Barak2018 Eve Pownall Award winnerCover of I See a CatHonor2018I See a CatPaul Meisel2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of My Kite Is Stuck! And Other StoriesHonor2018My Kite Is Stuck! And Other StoriesSalina Yoon2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Snail & Worm AgainHonor2018Snail & Worm AgainTina Kügler2018 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of They Say BlueWinner2018They Say BlueJillian Tamaki2018 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Town is by the SeaWinner2018Town is by the SeaJoanne Schwartz2018 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Wolf in the SnowWinner2018Wolf in the SnowMatthew Cordell2018 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of As Time Went ByHonor2017As Time Went ByJosé Sanabria2017 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Du Iz Tak?Honor2017Du Iz Tak?Carson Ellis2017 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Freedom in Congo SquareHonor2017Freedom in Congo SquareR. Gregory Christie2017 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Good Night OwlHonor2017Good Night OwlGreg Pizzoli2017 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Home in the RainWinner2017Home in the RainBob Graham2017 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Leave Me Alone!Honor2017Leave Me Alone!Vera Brosgol2017 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Over the OceanHonor2017Over the OceanTarō Gomi2017 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel BasquiatWinner2017Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel BasquiatJavaka Steptoe2017 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of There is a Tribe of KidsWinner2017There is a Tribe of KidsLane Smith2017 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of They All Saw a CatHonor2017They All Saw a CatBrendan Wenzel2017 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of We Are Growing!Winner2017We Are Growing!Laurie Keller2017 Geisel Award winnerCover of When We Were AloneWinner2017When We Were AloneDavid Robertson2017 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of A Pig, a Fox, and a BoxHonor2016A Pig, a Fox, and a BoxJonathan Fenske2016 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Don’t Throw It to Mo!Winner2016Don’t Throw It to Mo!David A. Adler2016 Geisel Award winnerCover of Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous BearWinner2016Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous BearLindsay Mattick2016 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Last Stop on Market StreetWinner2016Last Stop on Market StreetMatt de la Peña2016 Newbery Medal winnerCover of SupertruckHonor2016SupertruckStephen Savage2016 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Tokyo Digs a GardenWinner2016Tokyo Digs a GardenJon-Erik Lappano2016 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Trombone ShortyHonor2016Trombone ShortyTroy Andrews2016 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of WaitingHonor2016WaitingKevin Henkes2016 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Go to Sleep, Jessie!Winner2015Go to Sleep, Jessie!Libby Gleeson2015 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of My Two BlanketsWinner2015My Two BlanketsIrena Kobald2015 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Nana in the CityHonor2015Nana in the CityLauren Castillo2015 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Sam and Dave Dig a HoleHonor2015Sam and Dave Dig a HoleMac Barnett2015 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Sidewalk FlowersWinner2015Sidewalk FlowersJonArno Lawson2015 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary FriendWinner2015The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary FriendDan Santat2015 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract ArtHonor2015The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract ArtMary GrandPré2015 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Viva FridaHonor2015Viva FridaYuyi Morales2015 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Waiting Is Not Easy!Honor2015Waiting Is Not Easy!Mo Willems2015 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of You Are (Not) SmallWinner2015You Are (Not) SmallAnna Kang2015 Geisel Award winnerCover of A Big Guy Took My Ball!Honor2014A Big Guy Took My Ball!Mo Willems2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of BallHonor2014BallMary Sullivan2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Flora and the FlamingoHonor2014Flora and the FlamingoMolly Idle2014 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of JourneyHonor2014JourneyAaron Becker2014 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of LocomotiveWinner2014LocomotiveBrian Floca2014 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Mr. Wuffles!Honor2014Mr. Wuffles!David Wiesner2014 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of My Father's Arms Are a BoatHonor2014My Father's Arms Are a BoatStein Erik Lunde2014 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Penny and Her MarbleHonor2014Penny and Her MarbleKevin Henkes2014 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of The SwapWinner2014The SwapJan Ormerod2014 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of The Watermelon SeedWinner2014The Watermelon SeedGreg Pizzoli2014 Geisel Award winnerCover of This is Not My HatWinner2014This is Not My HatJon Klassen2014 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Black DogWinner2013Black DogLevi Pinfold2013 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Creepy Carrots!Honor2013Creepy Carrots!Aaron Reynolds2013 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Extra YarnHonor2013Extra YarnMac Barnett2013 Caldecott Medal Honor Book

See all 956 in the gift finder