The shortlist for the 2026 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize has been announced. The UK award is given in several age ranges and the four shortlisted titles in each is below:

ILLUSTRATED BOOKS SHORTLIST

The Great Green Island by Becky Colvin

Milo and the Mountain by Jamie Carroll

My Rice Is Best by Selina Brown

Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob by Huw Aaron (available in US)

YOUNGER READERS SHORTLIST

Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree by Janeen Hayat

Spirit Warriors by Ashley Thorpe

Unfairies by Huw Aaron (available in US)

Wildlands by Brogen Murphy

OLDER READERS SHORTLIST

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun (available in US)

A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson (available in US)

Solo by Grainne O’Brien (available in US)

‘Til Death by Busayo Matuluko