ALA’s Rainbow Round Table has announced their 2026 Rainbow Book List that has over 160 titles on it. The books listed celebrate LGBTQIA+ families and children. They were published between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025. Below are the books that are in the two Top Ten lists:

TOP TEN TITLES FOR YOUNG READERS

The Flicker by H. E. Edgmon

The Gathering Table by Antwan Eady, illustrated by London Ladd

Glitch Girl! by Rainie Oet

Ice Apprentices by Jacob North

Menudo Sunday: A Spanglish Counting Book by María Delores Águila, illustrated by Erika Meza

My Little Golden Book about Pride by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Michelle Jin Chan

Ollie In Between by Jess Callans

Outside In and Inside Out: A Story about Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner

Tales from Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Fairy Tales Proudly Reclaimed by Pete Jordi Wood

Witchycakes 1 & 2 by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Ariane Moreira

TOP TEN TITLES FOR TEEN READERS

Come Home to My Heart by Riley Redgate

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood and Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato

Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt’s Heart by Sarah Miller

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride

Thanks for Listening by Molly Horan

These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa

Trans History: A Graphic Novel: From Ancient Times to the Present Day by Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

This is the inaugural year for the Outstanding Comics for Children Awards selected by ALA’s Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table. The awards are given for different ages in the categories of fiction, nonfiction and series. Below are the list of teen and children’s winners.

CHILDREN’S FICTION – WINNER

Froggy: A Pond Full of Pals by Paige Walshe

CHILDREN’S FICTION – HONOR BOOKS

Fresh Start by Gale Galligan

The Snips: A Bad Buzz Day by Raúl the Third

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION – WINNER

How to Draw a Secret by Cindy Chang

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION – HONOR BOOKS

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares

I’m a Dumbo Octopus by Anne Lambelet

CHILDREN’S SERIES – WINNER

Witches of Brooklyn Volumes 1-5 by Sophie Escabasse

CHILDREN’S SERIES – HONOR BOOKS

Are You Afraid of the Dark? Volumes 1 & 2

Peapod Farm Volumes 1-3 by Lucy Knisley

YOUNG ADULT FICTION – WINNER

The Boy Wonder by Juni Ba

YOUNG ADULT FICTION – HONOR BOOKS

Hunger’s Bite by Taylor Robin

Hello Sunshine by Keezy Young

YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION – WINNER

Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn

YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION – HONOR BOOKS

Bloody Mary by Kristina Gehrmann

My Perfectly Imperfect Body by Debbie Tung

YOUNG ADULT SERIES – WINNER

Teen Titans by Kim Garcia

YOUNG ADULT SERIES – HONOR BOOKS

Feral Volume 1&2 by Tony Fleecs

Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life Volumes 1&2 by Miyu Morishita

The Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature promotes Asian/Pacific culture and heritage by celebrating the best in literature and art. Given in three age groups, here are the winners and honor books:

AWARD FOR PASIFIKA PICTURE BOOK

WINNER

Kaho’olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People by Kamalani Hurley, illustrated by Harinani Orme

HONOR BOOKS

Filo’s Butterflies by Litea Fuata, illustrated by Myo Yim

White Sunday by Litea Fuata, illustrated by Myo Yim

AWARD FOR ASIAN AMERICAN PICTURE BOOK

WINNER

Many Things at Once by Veera Hiranandani, illustrated by Nadia Alam

HONOR BOOKS

Every Peach Is a Story by David Mas Masumoto and Nikiko Masumoto, illustrated by Lauren Tamaki

A Vaisakhi to Remember by Simran Jeet Singh, illustrated by Japneet Kaur

AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

WINNER

Hungry Bones by Louise Hung

HONOR BOOKS

Fresh Start by Gale Galligan

The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu

AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE

WINNER

The Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie Liu

HONOR BOOK

Tall Water by SJ Sindu, illustrated by Dion MBD

These ALA awards celebrate the best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians and Alaska Natives. The awards are given out in even calendar years. The awards cover three age groups and have winners of honor books:

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER

Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers (Cherokee Nation), illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz (Cherokee Nation)

HONOR BOOKS

Braided Roots by Pasha Westbrook (Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Freedman), illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight (Chickasaw Nation)

Fierce Aunties! by Laurel Goodluck (Mandan and Hidatsa and Tsimshian), illustrated by Steph Littlebird (Oregon’s Grand Ronde Confederated Tribes)

For a Girl Becoming by Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation), illustrated by Adriana Garcia

Raven’s Ribbons by Tasha Spillett (Cree and Trinidadian), illustrated by Daniel Ramirez (Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan) 

We Weave by Daniel W. Vandever (Navajo and Irish), illustrated by Deonoveigh Mitchell (Navajo and Black American)

BEST MIDDLE GRADE

WINNER

Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan (Plains Cree and Taino from Kehewin Cree Nation) 

HONOR BOOKS

Jo Jo Makoons: The Super-Scary Sleepover by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), illustrated by Tara Audibert (Wolastoquey/French)

Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival by Trina Rathgeber (Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation), illustrated by Alina Pete (Little Pine First Nation) and Jillian Dolan (Kapawe’no Cree First Nation) 

Outfoxed by Elise McMullen-Ciotti (Cherokee Nation)

Red Bird Danced written by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) 

The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa (Anishinaabe)

The Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (Rosebud Sioux Tribe), illustrated by Steph Littlebird (Oregon’s Grand Ronde Confederated Tribes) 

BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK

WINNER

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Nation) 

HONOR BOOKS

Sheine Lende: A Prequel to Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (Lipan Apache), illustrated by Rovina Cai

Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) 

Super Indian, Volume Three by Arigon Starr (Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma)

The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs (Kanyen’keha) 

Where Wolves Don’t Die by Anton Treuer (Ojibwe)

Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries, this award honors outstanding books for children and teens that portray the Jewish experience. Medals are given for three age categories. Here are the recipients:

GOLD MEDALIST FOR PICTURE BOOK

Shabbat Shalom: Let’s Rest and Reset by Suzy Ultman

SILVER MEDALISTS FOR PICTURE BOOK

The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah by Lauren Snyder, illustrated by Leanne Hatch

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Selina Alko

My Body Can by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo

GOLD MEDALIST FOR MIDDLE GRADE BOOK

Neshama by Marcella Pixley

SILVER MEDALIST FOR MIDDLE GRADE BOOK

Beinoni by Mari Lowe

GOLD MEDALIST FOR YOUNG ADULT BOOK

D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White 

SILVER MEDALIST FOR YOUNG ADULT BOOK

The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor

This ALA award is for the best nonfiction for teens written the year before. Here is the winner and the finalists:

WINNER

Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace Fleming

FINALISTS

American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad That Haunted a Nation by Barb Rosenstock

White House Secrets: Medical Lies and Cover-Ups by Gail Jarrow

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

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

The Morris Award is given for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.

WINNER

All the Noise at Once by DeAndra Davis

FINALISTS

First Love Language by Stefany Valentine

Love, Misha by Askel Aden

Red Flags and Butterflies by Sheryl Azzam

You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne

The Stonewall Book Awards are given to works of exceptional merit relating to LGBTQIA+ experience. The awards are given in two age groups. Here are the winners and honor books for each:

STONEWALL BOOK AWARDS – MIKE MORGAN AND LARRY ROMANS CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD

WINNER

Halfway to Somewhere by Jose Pimienta

HONOR BOOKS

Call Me Gray by Andrew Larsen and Bells Larsen, illustrated by Tallulah Fontaine

The Ink Witch by Steph Cherrywell

Ollie in Between by Jess Callans

Woods & Words: The Story of Poet Mary Oliver by Sara Holly Ackerman, illustrated by Naoko Stoop

STONEWALL BOOK AWARDS – MIKE MORGAN AND LARRY ROMANS YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE AWARD

WINNER

One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller

HONOR BOOKS

Devils Like Us by L. T. Thompson

He’s So Possessed with Me by Corey Liu

Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt’s Heart by Sarah Miller

Sometimes the Girl by Jennifer Mason-Black

The Odyssey Award is given by ALA to the best audiobooks. The award is given in two age categories:

ODYSSEY AWARD FOR CHILDREN

Clack, Clack! Smack! A Cherokee Stickball Story, produced by Arnie Cardillo and Debra Cardillo for Live Oak Media, written by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Joseph Erb and narrated by the author and a full cast.

ODYSSEY AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Trans History: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, produced by Iris McElroy and Juan García Ticoulat for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, written and illustrated by Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett and narrated by the authors and a full cast.

ODYSSEY HONOR AUDIOBOOKS

The Dead of Summer, produced by Zane Birdwell and Paul Gagne for Scholastic Audio, written by Ryan La Sala and narrated by the author and a full cast

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories, produced by Sydney Mathieu of Eljin Productions, Inc. for Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith and narrated by a full cast

Soundtrack, produced by Dan Zitt and Brian Ramcharan for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, written by Jason Reynolds and narrated by a full cast

Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen, produced by Iris McElroy and Olivia Langen for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, written and narrated by James Robinson, illustrated by Brian Rea.