The Alligator’s Mouth Award has revealed its 2026 shortlist. Now in its eighth year, the award was set up by independent children’s bookshop The Alligator’s Mouth and The Bright Agency to celebrate the best highly-illustrated children’s fiction titles for 6-8-year-olds.

The five shortlisted titles were selected by a panel of children’s book experts, including Alex Latimer, author of last year’s winning title Gordon the Meanest Goose on Earth and children’s authors Rashmi Siredeshpande and Tọlá Okogwu.

Commenting on this year’s shortlist, Rashmi Sirdeshpande said: ‘It’s a superb shortlist of joyous, creative and captivating illustrated stories. Exactly the kinds of books publishers need to invest in if they’re serious about inspiring and encouraging a whole new generation of readers.’

Tony West and Margaret Wallace-Jones, co-owners of The Alligator’s Mouth Children’s Bookshop, added: ‘Choosing a shortlist is both a wonderful and a challenging task. This year, we have so enjoyed the originality, variety and verve of the submissions. The shortlist offers fun, adventure, friendship, amazingly inventive illustrations, maps, innovative ideas and stories, and brilliant jokes. It’s a wonderful list of books to celebrate the Year of Reading – well done to all the authors and illustrators!’

Award partner Coram Beanstalk are running a competition that offers three UK schools the chance to win a set of this year’s longlisted titles. The competition runs until 2nd June 2026.

Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and illustrators!