TheGold Shelf

Feelings and big moments books for ages 3 to 5

84 award-winning books for ages 3 to 5. Grief, fear, moving house, growing up.

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

84 books

Cover of Our LakeHonor2026Our LakeAngie Kang2026 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of BigWinner2024BigVashti Harrison2024 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Henry, Like AlwaysHonor2024Henry, Like AlwaysJenn Bailey2024 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of In Every LifeHonor2024In Every LifeMarla Frazee2024 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of How to Make a BirdWinner2021How to Make a BirdMeg McKinlay2021 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of The Rough PatchHonor2019The Rough PatchBrian Lies2019 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 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 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 A Ball for DaisyWinner2012A Ball for DaisyChristopher Raschka2012 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Virginia WolfWinner2012Virginia WolfKyo Maclear2012 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Garmann's SummerHonor2009Garmann's SummerStian Hole2009 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of How to Heal a Broken WingWinner2009How to Heal a Broken WingBob Graham2009 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Little Mouse's Big Book of FearsWinner2008Little Mouse's Big Book of FearsEmily Gravett2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of In Flanders FieldsWinner2003In Flanders FieldsNorman Jorgensen2003 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of FoxWinner2001FoxMargaret Wild2001 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Jenny AngelWinner2000Jenny AngelMargaret Wild2000 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really AngryHonor2000When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really AngryMolly Bang2000 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of A Screaming Kind of DayWinner1999A Screaming Kind of DayRachna Gilmore1999 Governor General's Award (text) winnerCover of Smoky NightWinner1995Smoky NightEve Bunting1995 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan ToomeyWinner1995The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan ToomeySusan Wojciechowski1995 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Mirette on the High WireWinner1993Mirette on the High WireEmily Arnold McCully1993 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Waiting for the WhalesWinner1992Waiting for the WhalesSheryl McFarlane1992 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of The Very Best of FriendsWinner1990The Very Best of FriendsMargaret Wild1990 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Ben's TrumpetHonor1980Ben's TrumpetRachel Isadora1980 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of John Brown, Rose and the Midnight CatWinner1978John Brown, Rose and the Midnight CatJenny Wagner1978 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of The Bunyip of Berkeley's CreekWinner1974The Bunyip of Berkeley's CreekJenny Wagner1974 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Sam, Bangs & MoonshineWinner1967Sam, Bangs & MoonshineEvaline Ness1967 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No FeathersWinner1963Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No FeathersJohn Burningham1963 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Crow BoyHonor1956Crow BoyTaro Yashima1956 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Most Wonderful Doll in the WorldHonor1951The Most Wonderful Doll in the WorldPhyllis McGinley1951 Caldecott Medal Honor BookOnce I Was a GiantZeno SworderWinner2026Once I Was a GiantZeno Sworder2026 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerThe Wobbly BikeDarren McCallumWinner2025The Wobbly BikeDarren McCallum2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerLater, When I’m BigBette WesteraHonor2024Later, When I’m BigBette Westera2024 Batchelder Award Honor BookCoffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, LostBetina BirkjaerHonor2022Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, LostBetina Birkjaer2022 Batchelder Award Honor BookJetty JumpingAndrea RoweWinner2022Jetty JumpingAndrea Rowe2022 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerThe Sour Cherry TreeNaseem HrabWinner2022The Sour Cherry TreeNaseem Hrab2022 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerJerome by HeartThomas ScottoHonor2019Jerome by HeartThomas Scotto2019 Batchelder Award Honor BookTricky's Bad DayAlison LesterWinner2019Tricky's Bad DayAlison Lester2019 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCry, Heart, But Never BreakGlenn RingtvedWinner2017Cry, Heart, But Never BreakGlenn Ringtved2017 Batchelder Award winnerGrandma Lives in a Perfume VillageFang SuzhenHonor2016Grandma Lives in a Perfume VillageFang Suzhen2016 Batchelder Award Honor BookMr HuffAnna WalkerWinner2016Mr HuffAnna Walker2016 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerThe Terrible SuitcaseEmma AllenWinner2013The Terrible SuitcaseEmma Allen2013 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerHarry and HopperMargaret WildWinner2010Harry and HopperMargaret Wild2010 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of I'm Afraid, Said the LeafFinalist2024I'm Afraid, Said the LeafDanielle Daniel2024 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of To the Other SideShortlist2024To the Other SideErika Meza2024 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of I Talk Like a RiverShortlist2022I Talk Like a RiverJordan Scott2022 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Milo Imagines the WorldShortlist2022Milo Imagines the WorldMatt de la Peña2022 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Shu Lin's GrandpaShortlist2022Shu Lin's GrandpaMatt Goodfellow2022 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of It's a No-Money DayShortlist2021It's a No-Money DayKate Milner2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The SuitcaseShortlist2020The SuitcaseChris Naylor-Ballesteros2020 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Julian is a MermaidShortlist2019Julian is a MermaidJessica Love2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The JourneyShortlist2017The JourneyFrancesca Sanna2017 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Bug in a VacuumFinalist2015Bug in a VacuumMélanie Watt2015 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Jim's LionShortlist2015Jim's LionRussell Hoban2015 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Hana Hashimoto, Sixth ViolinFinalist2014Hana Hashimoto, Sixth ViolinChieri Uegaki2014 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The DarkShortlist2014The DarkLemony Snicket2014 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The Heart and the BottleShortlist2011The Heart and the BottleOliver Jeffers2011 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of I Know HereFinalist2010I Know HereLaurel Croza2010 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Molly and the Night MonsterShortlist2009Molly and the Night MonsterChris Wormell2009 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of My Great Big MammaFinalist2009My Great Big MammaOlivier Ka2009 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Silly BillyShortlist2008Silly BillyAnthony Browne2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The BirdmanFinalist2006The BirdmanVeronika Martenova Charles2006 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Always and ForeverShortlist2003Always and ForeverAlan Durant2003 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of BeeguShortlist2003BeeguAlexis Deacon2003 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Albert le BlancShortlist2002Albert le BlancNick Butterworth2002 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Silver ShoesShortlist2001Silver ShoesCaroline Binch2001 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of A Small MiracleShortlist1997A Small MiraclePeter Collington1997 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of NothingShortlist1995NothingMick Inkpen1995 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The Killick: A Newfoundland StoryFinalist1995The Killick: A Newfoundland StoryGeoff Butler1995 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Hue BoyHighly commended1992Hue BoyRita Phillips Mitchell1992 Carnegie Medal for Illustration highly commendedCover of Amazing GraceCommended1991Amazing GraceMary Hoffman1991 Carnegie Medal for Illustration commendedGreyLaura DockrillShortlist2025GreyLaura Dockrill2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedApril's GardenIsla McGuckinShortlist2024April's GardenIsla McGuckin2024 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedThe CometJoe Todd-StantonShortlist2023The CometJoe Todd-Stanton2023 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedThe Visible SoundsJianling YinShortlist2023The Visible SoundsJianling Yin2023 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedSwift Fox All AlongRebecca ThomasFinalist2020Swift Fox All AlongRebecca Thomas2020 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistThe Day War CameNicola DaviesShortlist2019The Day War CameNicola Davies2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedKing of the SkyNicola DaviesShortlist2018King of the SkyNicola Davies2018 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedAugustus and His SmileCatherine RaynerShortlist2007Augustus and His SmileCatherine Rayner2007 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedThe Bear Under the StairsHelen CooperShortlist1993The Bear Under the StairsHelen Cooper1993 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted