Children’s Literature News June 2026
Children’s book news for June 2026: reading enjoyment rises but gaps widen, with IBC book boxes, Bookstart picks, AI findings, awards, festivals and new inclusive school resources.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Jenni Fuchs is a writer and content creator associated with The Bear & The Fox, a family website featuring recipes, craft ideas, travel writing and reviews of children’s books and games.
Fuchs has written about children’s books through The Bear & The Fox and describes her writing for children as focused on stories shaped by family life, nature and small imaginative moments.
In June 2026, Fuchs was shortlisted for the Kelpies Prize for Writing. The prize is run by Kelpies, the children’s imprint of Floris Books, and is aimed at writers in Scotland seeking to begin a career in children’s books.
Her shortlisted picture-book story is Wee Wilma’s Big Whoosh, about a small gust of wind searching for her place on a Scottish coastline with fishing boats, puffins and kite-filled skies.
The winner of the 2026 Kelpies Prize for Writing is due to be announced on 18 September 2026.

Children’s book news for June 2026: reading enjoyment rises but gaps widen, with IBC book boxes, Bookstart picks, AI findings, awards, festivals and new inclusive school resources.
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