The 35 best children's and young adult literature books of 2024

BarcelonaJust as Sant Jordi approaches, the Catalan Children's and Young Adult Book Council (IBBYcat) recognized the 35 best Catalan-authored books of 2024 in this genre this Wednesday at an event at the Bologna Book Fair chaired by the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández. Based on this selection, the works will be chosen to be included in the catalog of the best books published in Spain. In addition, the works will be eligible to be included in the prestigious The White Ravens list, which each year highlights 200 books from more than 50 countries and more than 50 languages.

Ten experts in children's and young adult literature participated in the IBBYcat selection, evaluating all the Catalan-authored works published last year to select the best. This is the resulting list:

Books for children from 0 to 6 years old

• Bim, bam, boom, by María Girón (Kalandraka)
• It wasn't me!, by Marta Altés (Blackie Books)
• Good night, little animals, by Salvador Comelles and Mercè Galí (El Cep y la Asa)
• The great journey, by Aina Bonet (Club Editor)

Books for children ages 6 and up

• Misadventures of a Master Pig in the National Library: With Instructions for Book Care, by Marta Azcona and Anna Font (Takatuka)
• A book full of letters, by Óscar Dalmau and Jesús Morentin (Coco Books)
• Ladybug and the dead man, by Carlos Cano and Aitana Carrasco (Etno)
• Mystery in Pluma York, by Mar de la Rosa and Albert Arrayàs (Babulinka)
• What's wrong, Miula? by Muntsa Mimó and Toni Galmés (Animalibros)
• Eighteen poems by the sea and a full moon story, by Joan Salvat-Papasseit and Albert Arrayàs (Mediterranean)
• Karaoke foxtrot, by Jordi Vintró and Joan Casaramona (Vacamú)
• Poetry all year round, by Ramon Besora and Sara Masià (Meraki)
• Look: birds; look: clouds, by Ramon Baucells and Anna Sanjuán (MTM)

Books for children ages 9 and up

• A bunch of weeds, by Alex Nogués and María Pascual de la Torre (Abuenpaso)
• A, B, C and Mrs. Smith, by Núria Parera and Kim Amate (Babulinka)
• Manual of scattered verses (with a stowaway), by Raimon Portell and Gerard Sancho (Kalandraka)
• Windows, by Dani Espresate and Marta Comín (Abuenpaso)
• The wisdom of indigenous peoples, by Josep Maria Mallarach and Verónica Fabregat (Akiara)
• Comepedia, by Aina Bestard (Wise Dowser)
• Wanted!, by Pablo Acosta and Julio Antonio Blasco (Water Diviner)
• Powerful tales, by Joan Rioné and Julio Aliau (Pool)
• Mountains, by Regina Giménez (Wise Man)

Books for children ages 12 and up

• The true story of the Pomeranian Flora, by Anna Vilar and Jordi Vila Delclòs (Animalibros)
• Around the World in Forty Days, by Oriol Canosa (Animalibros)
• The locomotive and I, by Pep Molist and Dani Torrent (Animalibros)
• The song of the little soldier, by Pep Puig and Toni Galmés (L'Otra Tribu)
• 3 at the Pole, by Ángel Ferran and Quelus (Red Fox Books)

Books for young people

• We had to leave, by Laia de Ahumada and Cinta Fosch (Akiara)
• Salvat Papasseit: The splendor before the abyss, by Agustín Comotto (Comanegra)
• Helena, by Jesús Mollà (Espurna)
• The station without trains, by Jordi Fenosa (Wide Angle)
• Invisibles, by Juan Bustos and Prados (Promoter Group)
• Midday moon, by Muriel Villanueva (The Hawk)
• Beyond the walls, by Mercedes Clemente (Sowing)
• One summer, by Claudia Serra (Sowing)