Each year a committee of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL) identifies the best in multicultural books. According to the CSMCL criteria, "best" is defined as: worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to books, best should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels that reflect and encourage the interests of children and youth in exemplary ways.