Here’s the longlist for the 2026 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2026 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. These ten titles were selected from a pool of 290 books submitted for consideration by their publishers. This year’s judges for Young People’s Literature are Edith Campbell, Brandy Colbert (Chair), Tricia Ebarvia, Jarrett J.

Krosoczka, and Anne Ursu. The finalists in all categories will be announced on Tuesday, October 6, and the winners revealed at the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony on November 18. In the meantime, here’s the 2026 Young People’s Literature longlist: Delali Adjoa, The Free Verse Society Peachtree Teen / Peachtree Publishing Elana K.

Arnold, Holloway Clarion Books / HarperCollins Publishers T. Chan, The Celestial Seas Viking Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House Tae Keller, When Tomorrow Burns Random House Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House Keala Kendall, That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic Random House Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels, The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House Chanel Miller, The Moon Without Stars Philomel Books / Penguin Random House Eric Darnell Pritchard and Shannon Wright, Clothes to Make You Smile: Patrick Kelly Designs His Dreams Abrams Books for Young Readers / Abrams Julian Randall, Shook Henry Holt and Company (BYR) / Macmillan Publishers Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr, Life on the Moon Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House