The ten shortlisted titles in contention for Ireland’s 2026 KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards have been announced. Here are the selected titles:

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat (available in US)

The Doomsday Club by Kevin Moran (available in US)

Letters to a Monster by Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

My Name Is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah

Puisín na mBróg by Fearghas Mac Lochlainn, illustrated by Paddy Donnelly 

Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue (available in US)

Solo by Gráinne O’Brien (available in US)

Stealing Happy by Brian Conaghan

This That What by Katy Ashworth, illustrated by Colleen Larmour

The Waters and the Wild by Eilish Fisher, illustrated by David Rooney

The Carnegies are the UK’s longest running children’s book awards. They offer two medals, one for illustration and one for writing. Here are the longlisted titles for 2026.

WRITING LONGLIST

Birdie by J. P. Rose

Birdy Arbuthnot’s Year of “Yes!” by Joanna Nadin

Black Star by Kwame Alexander (available in US)

The Boy I Love by William Hussey

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Tim Miller (available in US)

Fia and the Last Snow Deer by Eilish Fisher, illustrated by Dermot Flynn

Ghostlines by Katya Balen

Handle with Care by Louisa Reid

Not Going to Plan by Tia Fisher

On the Wall by Anne Fine

Popcorn by Rob Harrell (available in US)

Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson

Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai (available in US)

The Spick and the Span by Pil Van Martin

Stealing Happy by Brian Conaghan

Traumaland by Josh Silver

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds (available in US)

When It’s Your Turn for Midnight by Blessing Musariri (publishing in US in April 2026)

Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien

ILLUSTRATOR LONGLIST

Be Back Soon illustrated by Jenny Bloomfield, written by Anna Wilson

Beanie and the Bansheenie illustrated by Steve McCarthy, written by Eoin Colfer (available in US)

The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please (available in US)

Coorie Doon illustrated by Jill Calder, written by Jackie Kay

Don’t Trust Fish illustrated by Dan Santat, written by Neil Sharpson (available in US)

The Endless Sea illustrated by Linh Dao, written by Chi Thai (available in US)

The Faerie Isle illustrated by Dermot Flynn, written by Síne Quinn

Fia and the Last Snow Deer illustrated by Dermot Flynn, written by Eilish Fisher

Freedom Braids illustrated by Oboh Moses, written by Monique Duncan (available in US)

Good Golden Sun by Brendan Wenzel (available in US)

Higher Ground by Tull Suwannakit (available in US)

Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel illustrated by Aimée de Jongh, written by Golding William

The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough by Rébecca Dautremer (available in US)

The Paper Bridge illustrated by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, written by Joelle Veyrenc (available in US)

The Playdate illustrated by Clara Dackenberg, written by Uje Brandelius (available in US)

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

The Sleeper Train illustrated by Baljinder Kaur, written by Mick Jackson (available in US)

Wiggling Words by Kate Rolfe

Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto (available in US)

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has announced the shortlisted authors and illustrators for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award. The international award is given for lifetime achievement and continuing relevance. The winners will be announced in April at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair. Here are the shortlisted creators:

WRITING

Ahmad Akbarpour (Iran)

María José Ferrada (Chile)

Timothée de Fombelle (France)

Lee Geum-yi (The Republic of Korea)

Pam Muñoz Ryan (US)

Michael Rosen (UK)

ILLUSTRATION

Beatrice Alemagna (Italy)

Linda Bondestam (Finland)

Cai Gao (China)

Gundega Muzikante (Latvia)

Walid Taher (Egypt)

María Wernicke (Argentina)

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

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

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