The 2026 Information Book Award Shortlist celebrates UK-published informational books for young people up to age 16. Youth across the UK vote on the winner in three categories. Here are the shortlisted titles:

UNDER 7 YEARS

A Billion Ways to Be by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Ana Sanfelippo 

Frog: A Story of Life on Earth by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Daniel Egneus (available in US)

Recycling Day: What Happens to the Things We Throw Away? by Polly Faber, illustrated by Klas Fahlén (available in US)

Where Did She Go? by Cariad Lloyd, illustrated by Tom Percival 

8-12 YEARS

About Time by Rebecca Struthers & Alom Shaha, illustrated by Lucy Rose (available in US)

Choose Your Own Evolution by Jules Howard, illustrated by Gordy Wright

Science Detective Agency by Stevie Derrick, illustrated by Miriam Serafin

Why Do We Sleep? by Cathy Evans, illustrated by Polya Plavinskaia (available in US)

13-16 YEARS

Explodapedia: The Brain by Ben Martynoga, illustrated by Moose Allain

It’s a Brave Young World by Anu Adebogun, illustrated by Soofiya and Lila Cruz

Normal Women by Philippa Gregory, illustrated by Alexis Snell (available in US)

Owning It: Our disabled childhoods in our own words edited by James Catchpole, Lucy Catchpole and Jen Campbell, illustrated by Sophie Kamlish