Editorial consideration
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Children's and young adult librarians, educators, and award committees
In short
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books is a review journal for children's and young adult books, published at the University of Illinois and read by youth librarians, teachers, and award committees. Its reviews are critical rather than recommendation-only, and each carries a code that tells a librarian how well the book fits a collection. Publishers submit early copies at least three months before publication; check whether yours did. It does not review ebooks, audiobooks, or books that read as vanity press.
Submission does not guarantee coverage. The outlet decides whether and what it publishes.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB) is a children's book review journal published from the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois. It runs concise summaries and critical evaluations of trade books for children and young adults, each tagged with a recommendation code, and it is read by youth librarians, teachers, and award committees.
Publishers of trade and mass-market books, including small and alternative publishers, may submit. The Bulletin prefers to review from bound galleys or folded-and-gathered sheets and asks to receive review copies at least three months before the publication date. Digital submissions are preferred; bound books, bound galleys, and folded-and-gathered sheets are also accepted. Every submission must include the price, ISBN, estimated pagination, publication date, and a contact person's email address.
The Bulletin does not review textbooks, curricular materials, audiobooks, ebooks, music, DVDs, toys, activity books, videos, software, apps, electronic publications, magazines, vanity press books, mail-order-only books, reprints, flat galleys, or manuscripts. Flash drives are not accepted. Print copies go to 501 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL 61820; questions go to bccb@illinois.edu.
Why it may matter
The Bulletin is one of the review journals children's librarians and award committee members read alongside School Library Journal, The Horn Book, Kirkus, and Booklist, and its review codes are a quick signal of a title's fit for a collection. It is also known for reviewing critically rather than only recommending. Submission does not guarantee a review.
Do not confuse this with
The Bulletin has no paid review track and sells no sponsored placements that resemble reviews. An earlier for-publishers page this record pointed to no longer exists; the current guidelines live at the submission page linked above.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 13, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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