Children’s Literature News May 2026
Children’s book news for May 2026: Reading Rights, the Children’s Booker, Michael Rosen at 80, the Klaus Flugge and Branford Boase shortlists, BookTrust winners, LitUp results and shared reading data.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Kenechi Udogu is a British-Nigerian author known for her work in young adult and speculative fiction. She has written several novels, including the The Mentalist series and the Scarab trilogy. Udogu’s writing often explores themes of identity, belonging, and the supernatural, drawing on her multicultural background.
Her debut novel, The Other Slipper, was published in 2011. This was followed by the Scarab trilogy, which includes Scarab: The First Lie (2012), Scarab: The Second Lie (2013), and Scarab: The Third Lie (2014). The trilogy is a young adult fantasy series set in a world inspired by ancient Egypt.
Udogu is also the author of the The Mentalist series, beginning with Aversion (2012), followed by Sentient (2013), Keepers (2014), and Broken Ties (2015). The series centres on a teenage protagonist with the ability to influence minds, navigating the challenges of her powers and the responsibilities they bring.
In addition to her series, Udogu has published standalone works such as Out of the Dark (2016) and The Summer of Us (2017). Her books are available in both print and digital formats.
Kenechi Udogu’s work has been featured on platforms such as Goodreads and Amazon, and she maintains an active presence on social media, where she engages with readers and discusses her writing process. Her novel The Other Slipper was published in 2011.

Children’s book news for May 2026: Reading Rights, the Children’s Booker, Michael Rosen at 80, the Klaus Flugge and Branford Boase shortlists, BookTrust winners, LitUp results and shared reading data.
Children’s book news for April 2026: Michael Rosen wins the Hans Christian Andersen Award, CLiPPA and UKLA shortlists arrive, and Puffin launches its new picture book list, Puffin Studio.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2025. These reading recommendations include picture books, poetry, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops, or Waterstones.com.
Keep up to date with our email newsletter and our latest social media posts about reading, children's books and literacy.
Home »