Awards

2025 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Finalists

| 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.

2026 NZ Booklovers Awards Shortlist

| Tasha

The NZ Booklovers Awards have announced their 2026 shortlist. This New Zealand book award offers awards for Best Adult Novel and Best Lifestyle Book, plus three categories for younger readers. Here are the shortlisted titles for younger readers:

YOUNG ADULTS

Bear by Kiri Lightfoot (published in US in June 2026)

It’s a Bit More Complicated Than That by Hannah Marshall

Kings of this World by Elizabeth Knox

The Lost Saint by Rachael Craw (available in US)

The People I Know Now by Jasmine Donaldson

JUNIOR FICTION

Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town by Li Chen (available in US)

Dragonfall: The Fate of Dragons by Sarina Clark & Alba Gil Celdrán (publishing in US in September 2026)

Dreamslinger by Graci Kim (available in US)

The Last Journey by Stacy Gregg

The Secret Green by Sonya Wilson

Violet and the Velvets: The Case of the Missing Stuff by Rachael King

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK

Anahera: The Mighty Kiwi Māmā by Ruth Paul

Granny McFlitter Stitches up a Storm by Heather Haylock and Lael Chisholm

Mum’s Busy Work by Jacinda Ardern

Pukapuka by Vasanti Unka, Te Reo Māori translations by Justin Kereama

Taniwha by Gavin Bishop

Te Ngahere i te Pō /The Forest at Night by Kiri Lightfoot and Pippa Keel Situ

The Tractor with the Wobbly Wheel by Tim Saunders (publishing in US in August 2026)

LA Times Book Prize Finalists

| Tasha

The LA Times has announced the finalists for their annual book prizes. The prizes span genres, including audiobooks, nonfiction categories, graphic novels, fiction, fiction genres, and YA literature. Here are the finalists for the Young Adult Literature category:

FINALISTS

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Tung Le Nguyen

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum

King of the Neuro Verse by Idris Goodwin

My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser by Jamie Jo Hoang

Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr

2025 Bram Stoker Award Nominees

| Tasha

The Horror Writers Association has announced the nominees for the 2025 Bram Stoker Awards which recognize achievement in horror writing. The award has a variety of categories including screenplay, graphic novel, nonfiction and age categories for fiction. Here are the nominees for the youth categories:

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL NOMINEES

Broken Dolls by Ally Malinenko

The Girl in the Walls by Meg Eden Kuyatt

The House Next Door by Ellen Oh

Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave by Ally Russell

Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL NOMINEES

Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng

A Girl Walks into the Forest by Madeleine Roux

Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman

The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

We’re Not Safe Here by Rin Chupeco

2026 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

| Tasha

The Young Adult Library Services Association has selected their list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens. The list includes nonfiction and fiction graphic literature. A top ten was selected; here are those titles:

TOP TEN

Eden of Witches by Yumeji (Volumes 1-5)

Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery by Christine Mari

Hunger’s Bite by Taylor Robin

Kindergarten Wars by You Chiba

Love, Misha by Askel Aden

Meat Eaters by Meredith McClaren

Monster Locker, Volume 1 by Jorge Aguirre

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout

Spacewalking with You, Volume 1 by Inuhiko Doronoda

You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne

2026 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers

| Tasha

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has selected over 60 titles for its Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list. This is one of my favorite lists every year, since it often includes books that did not gather attention during the previous year but that teens will check out and use in our library. The books are selected for ages 12-18. A top ten list is part of the selection. Here are those titles:

TOP TEN

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Factory by Catherine Egan

Family Force V: Book One by Matt Braly, illustrated by Ainsworth Lin

Out of Air by Rachel Reiss

The Story of My Anger by Jasmine Mendez

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now… by Jason Reynolds

When We Ride by Rex Ogle

2026 Best Fiction for Young Adults

| Tasha

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has announced their list of the best fiction for teens. The list covers books written for 12-18 year-olds that “incorporate outstanding literary quality and effectiveness of presentation, as well as appeal to the personal reading tastes of the teens.” The list includes over 60 titles with a top ten list. Here are the top ten titles:

TOP TEN

All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

Cope Field by T. L. Simpson

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum

His Face Is the Sun by Michelle Jabes Corpora

Kill Creatures by Rory Power

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran

Top Heavy by Rhonda DeChambeau

Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr

The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday by Kelsey B. Toney

2026 Golden Kite Awards

| Tasha

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) announced the winners of their 2026 Golden Kite Awards which celebrate the best children’s literature published in 2025. Here are the winners:

SID FLEISCHMAN AWARD FOR HUMOR

WINNER

Never Take Your Rhino on a Plane by KE Lewis, illustrated by Isabel Roxas

HONOREE

Big Changes for Plum! by Matt Phelan

PICTURE BOOK TEXT

WINNER

We Go Slow by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, illustrated by Aaron Becker

HONOREE

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Calia Chen

PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATION

WINNER

When Alexander Graced the Table by Alexander Smalls and Denene Millner, illustrated by Frank Morrison

HONOREE

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Calia Chen

NONFICTION TEXT FOR YOUNGER READERS

WINNER

Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee

HONOREE

One Girl’s Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon

NONFICTION TEXT FOR OLDER READERS

WINNER

White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, Then Rewrote the History by Ann Bausum

HONOREE

A World without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Yas Imamura

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

WINNER

Once for Yes by Allie Millington

HONOREE

Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers by Angela Dominguez

ILLUSTRATED BOOK FOR OLDER READERS

WINNER

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout

HONOREE

Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology by Angela Hsieh

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

WINNER

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout

HONOREE

Island Creatures by Margarita Engle

2026 Walter Dean Myers Awards

| Tasha

We Need Diverse Books has announced the winners of the 2026 Walter Dean Myers Awards. They are given in two age categories. Here are the winning books and honor books:

YOUNGER READERS

WINNER

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes

HONOR

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

TEEN

WINNER

Champion by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld, and Ed Laroche

HONOR

King of the Neuro Verse by Idris Goodwin