The children’s book world has 2026 pencilled in, and it comes with shortlists, initiatives, enquiries, funding and forms.
Inclusive Books for Children has announced a longlist for the 2026 Inclusive Books for Children Awards across baby and toddler books, picture books and children’s fiction. The baby and toddler category will move straight to a shortlist, with four shortlisted titles due in January.
The children’s fiction longlist includes six titles, Destiny Ink: Birthday Secret by Adeola Sokunbi, George and the Mini Dragon by George Webster, Helen Harvey and Tim Budgen, Marv and the Duck of Doom by Alex Falase-Koya and Paula Bowles, Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem by Serena Patel and Emma McCann, Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy, and The Misadventures of Mina Mahmood: School Trip by Farhana Islam and Simran Diamond Singh.
The picture book longlist includes eight titles, A Taste of Home by Maryam Hassan and Anna Wilson, Cloud Boy by Greg Stobbs, Dancing Dumplings for My One and Only by Eva Wong Nava and Natelle Quek, Noah’s New Home by Zeshan Akhter and Nabila Adani, That’s Not Stella by Donna Fredin, The Beautiful Layers of Me by Sophia Payne and Ruchi Mhasane, The Hunt for the Fog Town Moose by Stefania Aldana Trujillo, and Wednesday Is for Wiggling by Eva Wong Nava and Holly Sterling.
Inclusive Books for Children said 14 titles are in contention for a share of a £30,000 prize fund and a winners’ showcase at the Hay Festival next May.
Children voted for the 2025 Laugh Out Loud Awards, known as The Lollies, at London’s Southbank Centre, hosted by Stephen Mangan. The winners were There’s Nothing Faster Than a Cheetah by Tom Nicoll and Ross Collins, Trixie Pickle Art Avenger: Toxic Takedown by Olaf Falafel, Evil Emperor Penguin: The World Will Be Mine! by Laura Ellen Anderson, and Kay’s Incredible Inventions by Adam Kay, illustrated by Henry Paker.
The School Library Association has named winners for its 2025 Information Book Award. Inside Story: How the News Works by Jane Marlow, illustrated by Terri Po, took the overall award, and children voted Amazing Asia by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Jason Lyon, for the Children’s Choice Award.
Judges’ Choice winners by age group included This Book Will Make You an Artist by Ruth Millington, illustrated by Ellen Surrey, and Black History for Every Day of the Year by David, Yinka and Kemi Olusoga. The Information Book Award Book Club recorded participation from over 1,600 pupils across the UK.
The 2025 Nero Book Awards have announced a children’s fiction shortlist chosen by Sharna Jackson, Emily Bearn and Nick Campbell. The shortlist is My Soul, A Shining Tree by Jamila Gavin, People Like Stars by Patrice Lawrence, Dragonborn by Struan Murray, and Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson.
Caffè Nero runs the awards as a not-for-profit partnership with The Booksellers Association and Brunel University of London. Category winners will be announced on Tuesday 13 January 2026, with the Nero Gold Prize on Tuesday 4 March at a ceremony in London.
The 2025 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize shortlist for under-14s names six books. They are Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton, Patience by Rachel Williams, illustrated by Leonie Lord, The Animal Body Book by Jess French, illustrated by Jonathan Woodward, The History of Information by Chris Haughton with Loonie Park, The Rocks Book by Nancy Dickmann, and The Wild Life of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals by Mike Barfield, illustrated by Paula Bossio.
Professor Tamsin Mather chaired the judging panel. The shortlist will go to over 600 schools, youth groups and reading clubs across the UK, with the winner due at a ceremony in April 2026.
The Cultural Policy Unit has proposed automatic library cards for newborns, linked to birth registration, so cards would be ready at local libraries. Authors Kate Mosse, Richard Osman and Philip Pullman have backed the plan.
Libraries Connected chief executive Isobel Hunter said libraries support children and families from birth and work with maternity teams, early years settings, health visitors, family hubs and schools. The Cultural Policy Unit estimated annual costs of £14m to £22m and included a National Library Card for UK-wide access.
Hachette UK has pledged £200,000 in 2026 to fund 200 Raising Readers Book Nooks across the UK as part of Raising Readers. Each Book Nook will include £1,000 worth of children’s books, seating, shelving, a dictionary, reading guides, display materials and party packs.
Hachette said the scheme launches in spring 2026, with applications open to community groups and charities, and that it will work with TDW+Co on a consumer campaign across the US and UK.
The Booksellers Association and Bookshop.org will partner for the Indie Book of the Month promotion for 2026, to coincide with the 2026 National Year of Reading. The Booksellers Association cited a network of over 210 independent bookshops, and Bookshop.org cited more than 600 independent bookshops.
The 2026 National Year of Reading team is based at the National Literacy Trust offices in Vauxhall, London, led by campaign director David Hayman. Hayman said the campaign has a fundraising goal of £10m and uses the slogan Go All In.
The Education Committee has launched an inquiry on reading for pleasure ahead of the 2026 National Year of Reading. The call cited a National Literacy Trust survey that found 33% of children aged eight to 18 read in their spare time, a decrease from 2005, and reported lower participation among boys than girls.
The inquiry will examine schools, early years settings and local libraries, and links to mental health, wellbeing and screen time, including devices such as Kindles and audiobooks. The deadline for written submissions is Friday 9 January at 23:59, and the committee chair is Helen Hayes MP.
Inkling Illustration has launched a children’s department called Little Inkling, led by Fiona Kenny and Jess Lomax. Inkling said Amber Aü’s debut author-illustrated picture book The Blue Tomato will be published by Little Tiger in spring 2026.
Kes Gray told the BBC he noticed links between his Essex childhood and his work while preparing an exhibition about his writing at Chelmsford Museum. Gray has sold more than three million copies and is known for Oi Frog! with illustrator Jim Field, plus the Daisy series.
Gray said a trip with his friend Tim to Baddow Recreation Ground to collect frogspawn fed into a character called Badpole. The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday.
The Higgins Bedford has opened Noel Carrington: Nothing Need be Ugly, an exhibition that runs until 28 June. It marks the 85th anniversary of the first Puffin Picture Books in December 1940 and displays all 120 Puffin books together.
Curator Joe Pearson said Noel Carrington aimed to sell the books for sixpence and planned print runs of 100,000 copies per title. Pearson and Victoria Partridge said Carrington commissioned, edited and published books, supported artists including Kathleen Hale and Mervyn Peake, and the exhibition includes a drawing of Carrington by his sister Dora Carrington.
