The British Book Awards Shortlists

March 10, 2026March 9, 2026 | Tasha

The shortlists for the 2026 British Book Awards Books of the Year have been announced. There are two specifically children’s categories, but the new Graphic Novels category has several children’s books in it and Illustrator of the Year is entirely children’s illustrators. Children’s author AF Steadman also represents in the shortlist for Author of the Year.

Here are the shortlists:

ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Dav Pilkey

Emily Gravett

Huw Aaron

Ingela P. Arrhenius

Mikey Please

Tom Percival

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Bunny vs. Monkey: Intergalactic Monkey Business by Jamie Smart

Dog Man: Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey (available in US)

Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson (available in US)

Investigators: Case Files by John Patrick Green with Steve Behling and Chris Fenoglio (available in US)

This Slavery by Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, adapted by Sophie Rickard, illustrated by Scarlett Rickard (available in US)

Who Killed Nessie? by Paul Cornell, illustrated by Rachael Smith (available in US)

CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION & ILLUSTRATED

Fold-Out + Play: Doll’s House by Ingela P. Arrhenius (In US it’s called Fold-Out + Play: House)

My Rice Is Best by Selina Brown, illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni

Oh Dear, Look What I Got! by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (available in US)

Sammy Feels Shy by Tom Percival (available in US)

The Wizard’s Guide to Experiments by AJ Wood, illustrated by Jo Rioux (available in US)

You and Your Body by Dr. Punam Krishan, illustrated by Verónika Cháves Morales (available in US)

CHILDREN’S FICTION

The Adventures of Rap Kid by MC Grammar (available in US)

Fearless by Lauren Roberts (available in US)

A Language of Dragons by SF Williamson (available in US)

Lottie Brooks vs the Ultra Mean Girls by Katie Kirby

Skandar and the Spirit War by AF Steadman (available in US)

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (available in US)

3 New Big-Hearted Bear Picture Books

March 10, 2026February 20, 2026 | Tasha

Bartleby by Matt Phelan

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780374393557

Bartleby is a little bear in a bowler hat who refuses to do things a lot. He says “I prefer not to” when asked to share what he did over the weekend with the class. He says it when the rest of the class plays the giant xylophone and sings silly songs. He says it during play time and spends it all alone. When his teacher asks the class to do self-portraits, Bartleby whispers his idea to her. Soon Bartleby has contributed just the right thing to complete their portraits and seems like he’d like to join in more tomorrow.

As a shy child myself, I immediately recognized the quiet use of a polite phrase to turn others away. Phelan captures this with empathy and shows how isolating it can be to have so many defences up. I appreciated that Bartleby figures out the solution on his own, speaks to his teacher and shares his idea with the class. The illustrations in this charmer of the picture book use color to show how separate Bartleby becomes with his stand-offish approach. Bartleby is unique in his class in more ways than one thanks to his more formal clothing too.

A book about shyness that offers space and opportunity for growth. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Plenty of Pancakes by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Brianne Farley

Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Reviewed from library copy
ISBN: 9780593700174

Topsy the Opossum has brought all the equipment and supplies to make a Welcome Spring meal for her friend LouAnn. LouAnn the Bear will wake soon from her hibernation and pancakes are just the right thing for a hungry bear in spring. Soon the table is set and five perfect pancakes are set out. When Topsy turns her back though, there is a “CLUNK!” and the pancakes are gone. Topsy makes five more pancakes, but once again they disappear. Could it be squirrels or birds? Over and over again Topsy makes pancakes and they are gone. Topsy is worried about running out of ingredients and the time is getting closer and closer to LouAnn waking up. More forest friends come to help make pancakes and soon they have plenty of them for one hungry bear. But how about for one mama bear and her new cubs?

Written with a merry frenzy of pancake flipping, hot griddles and fast-moving cubs, this picture book reads aloud brilliantly. The text is welcoming and invites readers right into the action. The illustrations are a delight as readers will soon glimpse the pancake thieves and realize what is happening while the text only shares Topsy’s point of view. The noises of each theft changes, making the book all the more dynamic.

Pancake lovers will flip for this one. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Wake Up, Grouchy Bear by David Ezra Stein

Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication Date: March 10, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780063382664

The weather is warm and the flowers are out, but Bear is still sleeping. His animal friends decide to check on him, but they have to be careful since Bear gets very grumpy if they wake him up. At first he sneezes from the dust, but goes back to sleep. While the friends wait for him to wake, they gather flowers, open the curtains and even paint Bear’s toenails. Bear wakes up on his own, roaring and rather grumpy. But he sees his friends, tastes some berries and realizes that it’s spring. Time to play!

Stein’s book about Bear is a merry look at a grumpy waking process. The love the friends have for Bear and their patience as he wakes himself adds to the warmth of this springtime read. The decoration of Bear in flowers and painted toenails results in something whimsical and charming rather than what readers might anticipate. The art is done in deep colors with bear chocolate on the page and the spring flowers a tropical cornucopia. The blues of Bear’s deep sleep add to the contrast.

A friendly look at a bear in springtime. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Loops by Jashar Awan – Book recommendation

March 9, 2026February 25, 2026 | Tasha

Loops by Jashar Awan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Reviewed from copy from publisher
ISBN: 9781665974943

A big kid keeps losing his new shoes because they are too big with room to grow. They just have to be tied really tight. Wanna see how you tie them? They are still learning to do it, but they know they can! Being a big kid doesn’t come all at once, it takes practice. Like learning to swing on the big swings without having to have a push to get started. Whoops! Shoe is untied again. It could take a few tries to get it right. After playing on the slide and the merry-go-round, the shoe is missing again. Where could it be? Then the big kid has one big idea.

Awan once again captures the emotions of a child just learning to do big-kid things. Their inner monologue is wonderful to spend time with as they cheer themselves on and don’t give in to mishaps or mistakes. The title is marvelously on point both with the lace tying and the ending of the book that is very clever and will have you reading the book again. The art is bright and vibrant, inviting children to see the world alongside the young narrator.

Just right for any big kid wannabe. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – March 6 Edition

March 6, 2026March 5, 2026 | Tasha

CHILDREN’S LIT

6 Women’s History Month Picture Books That Spark Confidence and Courage – Oprah Daily

10 New Children’s Books To Get Wonderfully Lost In This March – Lit Hub

CCBC Choices 2026 – Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Guidelines for Choosing Children’s Books on Japanese American Incarceration – Densho

Nonfiction Author Steve Sheinkin on Writing the Stories of America | Teaching America at 250 – SLJ

LIBRARIES

Advocacy Unites Us – American Libraries

Your Local Library Probably Loans More Than Books—Including Cake Pans and Garden Tools – Good Housekeeping

YA LIT

Here’s A List Of 6 Books That Could Help Your Teenager Get Back Into Reading – HuffPost

Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for March & April 2026 – Reactor

YA Author Stacey Lee on Writing the Stories of America | Teaching America at 250 – SLJ

2 New Perfect Pet Picture Books

March 5, 2026February 12, 2026 | Tasha

The Passover Pet Surprise by Ana María Shua, illustrated by Ángeles Ruiz

Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780735846081

Jordanita and her family are spending Passover in Argentina. What she loves most is how many pets her aunt, uncle and cousins own. When they get there, they spend time with all the animals. The turtles and dog join in on the water fight. Even the pet parrots are moved to the garden to watch the fun. The family gathers for Passover dinner and they talk about freedom. When Jordanita spots the birds, she thinks about freedom and knows just what to do. In the morning, when the parrots are missing, she has to admit what she did to her entire family, learning that taking care of animals can sometimes mean not letting them go free.

Shua tells the story of this big merry Jewish family with such warmth and love. It’s like being invited to share their table with them. The jolly chaos of a holiday spent together is captured on the page both in the text and illustrations. Those illustrations are filled with small details and show clearly the diversity within their family. I particularly appreciated that there was no neat ending about the parrots returning to their cage.

A diverse title ideal for Passover collections. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

The Rare Bird by Elisha Cooper

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9781250364395

The Rare Bird was flying through the forest, knocking leaves off the trees. While the pictures tell a very different story than the text, a cat leaping through the living room. Rare Bird climbed on a rock, which was actually the dog. Rare Bird did all sorts of birdy things, which also in the real world matched cat activities. Even his dreams were filled with bird thoughts. At night, he was read a story about other animals and became an Elephant!

Cooper brilliantly allows his text and images to directly contradict one another. Children will love seeing the ways in which the cat’s life and imagined bird activities overlap as curtains are ripped, boxes are napped in and the dog slumbers on. Cooper’s text is flatly narrative like a nature program while the images are jaunty and humor-filled.

A delight of catty attitude. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

2025 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Finalists

March 4, 2026March 4, 2026 | Tasha

IBBY Canada has announced the ten finalists for the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. The awards are given annually for outstanding artistic talent in a Canadian picture book published in English or French during the previous year by a Canadian illustrator. Here are the finalists:

Aujourd’hui, promis! by Josée Bisaillon

Everybelly by Thao Lam

Grandes oreilles by Julie Delporte

Little Moments in a Big Universe by Todd Stewart

My Street Remembers illustrated by Cathie Jamieson, written by Karen Krossing

Qallupilluit: The Takers of Children illustrated by Megan Kyak-Monteith, written by Neil Christopher and Louise Flaherty

Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! by Howie Shia

Rez Kid illustrated by Isabelle Fassler, written by Andrea Landry

The Thing about Birds by Christy Obalek

You Can’t Tame a Tiger illustrated by Julien Chung, written by Stephanie Ellen Sy

Hat tip to Quill & Quire.

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – Book Recommendation

March 4, 2026January 23, 2026 | Tasha

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Reviewed from NetGalley e-galley
ISBN: 9780593859865

When Harper discovers that her dad cheated on her mom with her best friend’s mother, her world implodes. Her parents are getting a divorce and Harper just can’t go to school where everyone seems to know what happened. Harper and her mother pack up and leave, moving to a new town and a tiny house that is part of a horse farm. Now Harper has to start all over again, but she is so sad about what has happened that she doesn’t know how to move on or change anything. Harper has never been around horses but finds that she understands them. When Phoenix is literally dumped at the farm, Harper decides to rescue him after one look in his eyes. Phoenix is underweight, underfed and had been left for dead, but with slow steps, Harper starts to rescue him and herself.

Bradley, author of award-winning books like The War That Saved My Life, shows herself to be a horse girl through and through. Readers will love the horse focus of the book, Harper discovering her love for them and how horses form a bridge forward. Among the lovely horse moments, Bradley demonstrates her writing skill as she weaves in Harper’s grief over her family’s changes, the difficulty of friendships in middle school, micro and macro aggressions, and just a touch of dog love too. Strong and confident writing as well as a deep horse-filled humanity make this a must-read.

Definitely worth the ride. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

3 New Gorgeous Gardening Picture Books

March 3, 2026February 12, 2026 | Tasha

Goldfinches by Mary Oliver, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Reviewed from pdf received from publisher
ISBN: 9780593692417

Mary Oliver’s poem “Goldfinches” is transformed into a child-friendly picture book that invites readers out into fields filled with thistles and birds. The poem speaks to the beauty of nature from the beauty of the “coin of reddish fire” in the thistles to the way the goldfinches build their “silver baskets” of nests. Through the poem and Sweet’s art, readers will experience the way that thistles and birds work together to form a cycle of life. The art also shows people spending time in nature, quietly making notes and sketches, observing it all.

Sweet has so beautifully captured Oliver’s poem, bringing into a new format that pays homage to her words while inviting a new generation of readers to discover her. Oliver’s work is stunning with its vivid renderings of nature, speaking to the way nature impacts us if we are just willing to slow down and notice. Sweet’s art is a glorious dance of color palettes, taped small notes, and marvelous sweeps of field and sky.

The entire book is a gust of fresh air across the mind. Appropriate for ages 4-9.

Tiny Garden by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Jax Chow

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 3, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9781419774911

Andrew loved plants, but big gardens and trees were overwhelming. So he planted his own small garden in his front yard. Soon he had a colorful tiny plot. Others didn’t understand what he was doing. But the very small animals in the area soon found the very small garden. First was a tiny moth who rested there, then a tiny earthworm snuggled in. A hummingbird visited for nectar sips. The tiny garden was a tiny gathering place.

The text of this picture book celebrates Andrew’s connection with plants and nature while also pointing out the patience it takes to plant, water and eventually see the results of your work. From the first glimpse of the tiny garden in illustrations, children will immediately understand that this is an Andrew-sized garden and it’s just the right size. The animals who visit are cleverly depicted and there is a sense of calm joy throughout the book.

A lovely little look at nature and gardens. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

The Weedy Garden by Margaret Renkl, illustrated by Billy Renkl

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
ISBN: 9780063432819

Venture into this wonderful riotous and weedy garden with a variety of animals who live there. The bumblebees carry pollen from flower to flower. The squirrel searches for a lost nut in the leaves. The monarchs find the butterfly weed for their eggs. The toad waits for bugs to fly close enough to eat. The rabbits snuggle together in their nest. Then there is a child, sitting in clover listening and watching too.

The text of this picture book is designed to be shared aloud. Just a single line of prose under each double-spread of illustrations. For more information on the creatures that live in the garden and planting gardens that welcome wildlife, readers can turn to the back of the book. The illustrations capture the wildness of the garden with all of its native plants and creatures. Done in collage, they are bright colored and captivating.

A visit to a rich garden with lots of animal residents. Appropriate for ages 3-6.