The New York Times and the New York Public Library have unveiled their annual list of the best illustrated children’s books of 2025.
Making Art, written and illustrated by Diana Ejaita, made the list; in a starred review, a critic for Kirkus called the book “simply wonderful, and a balm for these troubled times.” Dragon Flower, written and illustrated by Chen Jiang Hong and translated by Alyson Waters, was honored for its “stunning illustrations” that “evoke traditional Chinese folk art.”
Broken, written and illustrated by X. Fang, about a child who breaks a cup and blames a cat for the accident, made the list, as did Wind Watchers, written and illustrated by Micha Archer; the newspaper and library wrote that Archer “captures the way children find joy, awe and reverence in nature.”
Pencil, written and illustrated by Hye-Eun Kim, was honored as “lovely” and “wondrous,” alongside Fireworks, written by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Cátia Chien, which a Kirkus critic praised as “a radiant celebration of all things summer.”
Sunday, written and illustrated by Marcelo Tolentino and translated by Rahul Bery, about a boy’s daydreams, made the list, as did Little Rebels, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales, which follows a group of children passing a day at a lagoon.
The Three-Year Tumble, written and illustrated by Dayeon Auh and translated by the late Tim Mohr, was honored for “exuberant illustrations that are both incredibly skillful and endearingly childlike,” while The Lighthouse Keeper, written by Eugenio Fernández Vázquez, illustrated by Mariana Villanueva Segovia, and translated by Kit Maude, was praised for its “playful and energetic” art.
Judging this year’s list were author Tracey Baptiste, illustrator Peter Sís, and librarian Amber Moller.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
