Revealing the Peters Children's Book of the Year Longlist 2026

Don't Trust Fish
by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat (illustrator)

ISBN 9781839136429
Andersen Press

A laugh-out-loud picture book all about fish and how we absolutely must not trust them.

Llama Library
by Holly Ryan and Ella Bailey (illustrator)

ISBN 9781915395290
HarperCollins

The Llama Library has any subject you can imagine - cookery, history, music, science, even romance! Taking a llama home is where things get... messy!

The Bicycle
by Patricia McCormick and Yas Imamura (illustrator)

ISBN 9780008720391
Farshore

When a young girl is forced to flee her home country, she retreats into herself until the kindness of a neighbour who buys her a bicycle brings her out of her shell.

What's That Noise?
by Charlie Higson and Nadia Shireen (illustrator)

ISBN 9781398535367
Simon & Schuster

A raucously LOUD and anarchic story about the joy of making as much noise as you possibly can!

This Is Who I Am
by Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Ruchi Mhasane (illustrator)

ISBN 9781839135774
Andersen Press

A poetic story about a little girl with Indian heritage who discovers all of the amazing things that make her who she is.

Letters to a Monster
by Patricia Forde and Sarah Warburton (illustrator)

ISBN 9781526615817
Bloomsbury Children's Books

It's a dark and stormy night, and Sophie knows that there is a MONSTER hiding under her bed. So, like any sensible child, she decides to send him a letter.

Beanie the Bansheenie
by Eoin Colfer and Steve McCarthy (illustrator)

ISBN  9781529514056
Walker Books

A familiar myth of Irish folklore is turned into a truly powerful, unforgettable and universal story of love, perseverance and friendship against all odds.

Party Animal
by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

ISBN  9781839132605
Andersen Press 

Tortoise is NOT a party animal. But his friends have invited him to a very special party, and everyone's expecting him there. Perhaps he can make a quick appearance and go home early...

Our Pebbles
by Jarvis

ISBN  9781529516036
Walker Books

They pick pebbles, wash them clean in the waves and paint their memories from the day, placing them in a special place - a secret place.

The Coming of the Iron Man
by Ted Hughes and Mini Grey

ISBN  9780571382736
Faber & Faber

This abridged edition brings The Iron Man to a picture book audience for the very first time.

Wildlands
by Brogen Murphy

ISBN  9780241728109
Puffin

Two girls have to find a way to safety after an accident leaves the stranded in the middle of a vast rewilding reserve.

Running My Own Race
by Abena Eyeson

ISBN  9781805133735
Nosy Crow

Kofi dreams of being a professional athlete - but he soon finds following your heart isn't an easy road.

Dadbot
by Jack Noel

ISBN  9781800788282
Piccadilly Press (Bonnier Books)

What do you get when you mix workaholic parents, a car boot sale and a mad scientist together? DADBOT, that's who!

The Snowman Code
by Simon Stephenson and Reggie Brown

ISBN  9780008668761
HarperCollins Children's Books

When ten-and-a-half year old Blessing meets six hundred year old Albert Framlington, the snowman, their unique friendship enables both of them to solve each others problems.

The Line They Drew Through Us
by Hiba Noor Khan

ISBN  9781839134722
Andersen Press

A beautifully written exploration of how Partition affected the lives of three friends of different religions. 

Escape Room: Game Zero
by Christopher Edge

ISBN  9781805135845
Nosy Crow

Eden's visit to The Escape sees her dropped into a world of puzzles and peril with no way out. She must find the keys, climb the levels and meet her fate.

When the Storm Comes
by Polly Ho-Yen

ISBN  9781915820068
Knights Of

A reluctant group of pupils must pull together to survive when a storm floods their school and they are stranded overnight in the library with their teacher and caretaker.

Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo
by Philippa Leathley and Brie Schmida (illustrator)

ISBN  9780008660956
HarperCollins Children's Books

Metty Jones heads to the enchanting New London to seek her missing father. But will her dark fate follow her?

Nate Yu's Blast From the Past
by Maisie Chan

ISBN  9781915820068
Piccadilly Press (Bonnier Books)

A boy with Chinese heritage learns about Chinese history and culture when he is visited by a ghost.

Zak Monroe is (not) My Friend
by Simon Packham

ISBN  9781916747555
UCLan Publishing

Sam has been best friends with Cal, Fin and Jay for EVER. But can Sam keep hiding his new friendship with 'weird' new boy Zak Monroe?

Runaways
by E L Norry

ISBN  9781526683335
Bloomsbury Children's Books

Protagonists Jamie and July become good friends as they go on a life-changing journey. They both flee difficult home lives in search of safety, understanding and hope. 

Anya's Quest
by Jasbinder Bilan and Jane Ray (illustrator)

ISBN  9781529523256
Walker Books

Inspired by Hindu mythology, Anya's Quest is an enchanting tale of a young girl's journey to protect the planet.

The Appletree Animal Agency
by Katya Balen

ISBN 9781529519181
Walker Books

Mattie becomes an apprentice for Dr Polly and sets up her own animal rescue agency! Can the new agency find forever homes for these animals?

The Boy At the Window
Lucy Strange and Rohan (Eason)

ISBN 9780008712785
Barrington Stoke

Folk say the fog plays tricks. But Hugo is convinced the ghost he has seen at the window is no trick of the fog. What would happen if Hugo were to open the door, and let him in?

Black Star
by Kwame Alexander

ISBN 9781839136351
Andersen Press

In 1920s American South, a young black girl is set on becoming the first female pitcher to play professional baseball.

I Dare You
by Tamsin Winter

ISBN 9781839136351
Usborne

Two friends become obsessed with filming themselves doing Tiktok challenges until one challenge ends in tragedy.

What Happens Online
by Nathanael Lessore

ISBN 9781471418204
Hot Key Books

Existor is the most popular guy in school. Fred is the loser with no friends. And nobody knows they're the same person.

The Uninvited
by Ross Mackenzie

ISBN 9781839133176
Andersen Press

When the Faerie folk flee their world and come to ours, running from the nightmare of war, they are locked away in a refugee camp. Can they discover a way to get home and stop the war?

It's You Every Time
by Charlene Thomas

ISBN 9780702343582
Scholastic

When Sydney bumps into cute-boy stranger, Marcus, they have the most magical day together. But then an accident happens, and she wakes up on the same morning the two met...

His Face is the Sun
by Michelle Jabes Corpora

ISBN 9781444982541
Hachette Children's Books

The lives of six young people converge as a royal dynasty vies for power when the ailing Pharaoh dies. Who will sit on throne?

Stealing Happy
by Brian Conaghan

ISBN 9781444982541
Bloomsbury Children's Books

To help get his mum out of notorious Chick Lennon's debt, Sonny hatches a plot to pay the debt back with Chick's own ill-gotten gains.

Phoenix Brothers
by Sita Brahmachari

ISBN 9781382064491
Oxford University Press

Amir has faced more challenges than any teenager should ever have to, all in the simple quest for survival. And he's finding out that life in his new country is bringing a whole new set of challenges...

Songs for Ghosts
by Clara Kumagai

ISBN 9781803288086
Bloomsbury

Inspired by Puccini's Madame Butterfly, this novel follows teen Adam in the wake of heartbreak - and the ghostly young woman from 1911 who haunts him.

A Flash of Neon
by Sophie Cameron

ISBN 9781788957366
Little Tiger Press

When Laurie tells her friends about a boy who is coming to visit her, she is as surprised as they are when he arrives. Because she made him up!

Traumaland
by Josh Silver

ISBN 9780861549283
Rock the Boat

Seventeen-year-old Elias has been in a near-fatal car crash which has left him emotionally numb, with no memory of the accident. Desperate to feel something again, Elias winds up at an underground club called Traumaland, but this is no ordinary nightclub...

I'm Building A Nest
by Saskia Gwinn and Adam Ming (illustrator)

ISBN 9780711295544
Happy Yak

Follow Bird as she discovers how animals make their homes in this clever creature caper, packed with oodles of facts and a spoonful of silliness!

We Are Your Children: A History of LGBTQ+ Activism
by David Roberts

ISBN 9781529015362
Pan Macmillan Children's

A diverse collection of stories chronicling the history of LGBTQ+ activism from the 1940's to the present day.

Nature Explained: A Family Guide to 20 Nature Cycles
by Helen Brown and Claire Scully (illustrator)

ISBN 9781915569974
Magic Cat Publishing

Art and science blend together in a fascinating visual tour of more than 20 nature cycles. Discover how trees lose their leaves, what makes flowers bloom, why seeds travel and many more incredible processes.

The Sun is Not Yellow and Other Colourful Facts
by Cath Ard, Emily Fox (illustrator) and Louis Vettese (illustrator)

ISBN 9781837959396
Igloo Books

This stunning book is a golden opportunity to delve into a whole spectrum of shades and explore how they shape the way we see the world, from primary colours to perfect paint palettes. 

Frog: A Story of Life on Earth
by Isobel Thomas and Daniel Egneus (illustrator)

ISBN 9781526600752
Bloomsbury

Find out the incredible story of how frogs to be - from the very beginning, back to themoment before the universe began!

The Cave Explorer
by Kate Winter

ISBN 9781526600752
Puffin

Explore the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux which continue to capture our imaginations, and the story of the boy and his dog who rediscovered them.

A Comic Strip History of Planet Earth: Part 1
by Anna Claybourne and Rikus Ferreira (illustrator)

ISBN 9781445190426
Hachette Children's Books

Take a whirlwind comic strip trip through 4.5 billion fascinating years of Earth's history, from the Big Bang to the evolution of birds.

Can You Get Music on the Moon?
by Sheila Kanani and Liz Kay (illustrator)

ISBN 9780241522165
Puffin

Explore the fascinating world of sound and space science, starting with our natural world, before jetting off into space to discover what sound might be like on other planets.

Tales of Scary Beasts
by Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker (illustrator)

ISBN 9781916851214
b small publishing

Many brave explorers and unsuspecting eyewitnesses have seen infamous and they're here to tell you all about it! Can you figure out what they really saw?

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