The shortlist for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2026 has been revealed. Set up to celebrate the best new and emerging talent in children’s publishing, the award has helped launch the careers of many authors and illustrators, including Dapo Adeola, Rob Biddulph, Hannah Gold, Elle McNicoll and Katherine Rundell.

The award is judged by Waterstones booksellers across the country with input from young readers at participating schools. This year’s shortlist consists of 12 titles across three award categories – Illustrated Books, Younger Readers and Older Readers. Four books will compete within each category to be crowned Category Winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner 2026.

Commenting on this year’s shortlist, Bea Carvalho, Waterstones Head of Books, said: ‘For more than 20 years, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize has sought to spark and maintain a love of reading in children and teenagers through spotlighting the most exciting emerging writers and illustrators.

‘In the National Year of Reading, this effort feels especially impactful, and our booksellers have selected a shortlist of 12 outstanding books that truly celebrate the sheer joy, escapism and wonder to be found in children’s books today. This is a list that prioritises reading for pleasure, with picture books bursting with charm that adults will adore reading to little ones on repeat, and novels that are destined to be enthusiastically passed around playgrounds and friendship groups.’

Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and illustrators!

Illustrated Books

Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob by Huw Aaron (Puffin)

Milo and the Mountain  by Jaimie Carroll (O’Brien Press Ltd)

The Great Green Island by Becky Colvin (Macmillan Children’s Books)

My Rice is Best! by Selina Brown, illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni (Puffin)

 

Younger Readers

Unfairies by Huw Aaron (Puffin)

Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree by Janeen Hayat (Guppy Books)

Wildlands by Brogen Murphy (Puffin)

Spirit Warriors by Ashley Thorpe (Usborne Publishing Ltd)

 

Older Readers

‘Til Death by Busayo Matuluko (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK)

Solo by Gráinne O’Brien (Little Island)

A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson (Harper Fire)

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun (Oneworld)

The winners will be announced at an evening ceremony on 26th March 2026. Look out for our winner announcement.