Children’s Literature News February 2026
Children’s book news for February 2026: CLiPPA opens, Carnegies longlists land, BBC screens Lord of the Flies, plus Information Book Award and ALCS Education Writers’ shortlist updates.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Freddie Kölsch writes young adult and middle grade fiction. Her debut novel, Now, Conjurers, was published in the UK by Electric Monkey on 6 June 2024.
Now, Conjurers was selected as a Summer/Fall 2024 Indies Introduce title and was a July/August 2024 Kids’ Indie Next List pick.
Her second young adult novel, Empty Heaven, was published in the US by Union Square & Co. on 26 August 2025. A UK paperback edition of Empty Heaven (ISBN 9780008623524) was published by HarperCollins on 11 September 2025.
Kölsch’s first middle grade novel, Spindlewood, is scheduled for UK publication by Puffin on 27 August 2026.
Children’s book news for February 2026: CLiPPA opens, Carnegies longlists land, BBC screens Lord of the Flies, plus Information Book Award and ALCS Education Writers’ shortlist updates.
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Picture books for the under 5s | Books for Reception | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11