Beginning in 2006, USBBY has selected an honor list of international books for young people. The USBBY Outstanding International Books List is published each year in the February issue of School Library Journal and as a bookmark.
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The Outstanding International Books (OIB) committee is charged with selecting international books that are deemed most outstanding of those published during the calendar year. For the purposes of this honor list, the term "international book" is used to describe a book published or distributed in the United States that originated or was first published in a country other than the U.S.

2023 Outstanding international books list

school library journal article (PDF)

2023 OIB bookmark (pdf)

2023 oib
presentation (pptx)

2023 oib ​google map

oib criteria

Selection criteria include:
  • Books that represent the best of children’s literature from other countries 
  • Books that introduce readers in the United States to outstanding authors and illustrators from other countries 
  • Books that help children in the United States see the world from other points of view 
  • Books that provide a perspective or address a topic otherwise missing from children’s literature in the United States 
  • Books that exhibit a distinct cultural flavor 
  • Books that are accessible to readers in the United States 
  • ​
Criteria for content and presentation include:
  • Artistic and literary merit 
  • Originality or creativity of approach 
  • Distinctiveness of topic 
  • Uniqueness of origin 
  • Qualities that engage and appeal to children 
​Not every book will meet every criterion.

previous oib lists

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

BOOKMARK
here, there, and everywhere (SLJ 02/02/2011)

2010

BOOKMARK
crisscrossing the globe (slj 02/02/10)

2009

BOOKMARK
world class (slj 02/01/09)

2008

BOOKMARK
a world of stories (slj 02/01/08)

2007

BOOKMARK
book your trip now (slj 02/01/07)

2006

BOOKMARK
it's a big world after all (slj 02/01/06)
For a PowerPoint presentation of any of the OIB lists, please contact the USBBY Secretariat.