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These are the best new children’s books of 2026, chosen by our editors: twenty-four Books of the Month, four for every age from picture books to young adult, youngest first. Every one was read and picked by the LoveReading4Kids editorial team, and each comes with a line from our review.
The short answer
- For little ones
- Scaredy Cat by Alex Falase-Koya — A gentle but empowering book to help children grow their confidence
- For confident readers
- Bunny Vs Monkey: Day of the Heroes! by Jamie Smart — A Bunny vs Monkey extravaganza to delight their fans
- For teens
- Lykewise by Darren Simpson — A chilling, tensely atmospheric horror story packed with eerie chills…
The best children’s books of 2026 by age
- Ages 3 to 5: picture books: books 1 to 4 below. More in our guides for 4 year olds, 5 year olds.
- Ages 5 to 7: books 5 to 8 below. More in our guides for 5 year olds, 6 year olds, 7 year olds.
- Ages 7 to 9: books 9 to 12 below. More in our guides for 7 year olds, 8 year olds, 9 year olds.
- Ages 9 to 11: books 13 to 16 below. More in our guides for 9 year olds, 10 year olds, 11 year olds.
- Ages 11 to 13: books 17 to 20 below. More in our guides for 11 year olds, 12 year olds, 13 year olds.
- Ages 13 and up: young adult: books 21 to 24 below. More in our guides for 13 year olds, 14 year olds.
Our editors’ picks for 2026
Scaredy Cat by Alex Falase-Koya
A gentle but empowering book to help children grow their confidence.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamMousestache Moosestache by Rowboat Watkins
Quirky, fun, moustache-filled-to-overflowing picture book.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamThe Bear and the Seed by Poonam Mistry
A beautifully inspirational folktale about conservation and protection of nature.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamSolo by Neil Clark
A perfect book for introverts and extroverts.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamOne Fine Day by Justin Worsley
A book to set young readers laughing uproariously.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamUnexpected Guests by Mariajo Ilustrajo
The most endearing mice and their adventures with new human neighbours.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamMama's Wedding by Circle Yuen
A rich and rewarding story with beautifully expressive illustrations.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamCosmic Cruise by Owen Davey
A fascinating fact- filled visual guide that is a brilliant class resource and a book that will appeal to any young space fans out thereReviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamAdventuremice: Mini Mice Mayhem by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
The ninth book in this acclaimed series is once again the perfect blend of humour and excitement as the Adventuremice must defeat a villainous plot to capture their…Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamThe Moonlight Dragon by Liz Flanagan
The last dragon, a secret-keeping king, and ripples of rebellion: this is a dream of an adventure story for dragon-mad fans of magical friendship-themed fiction.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamPocket Observology A Field Guide by Giselle Clarkson
A pocket sized nature field guide encouraging children to look closely at the small wild world around them, packed with practical tips and charming graphic novel style…Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamBeacons of Light by Gemma Koomen
A beautifully illustrated, narrative non-fiction picturebook, which takes the reader on an absorbing exploration of the worldwide history and technology of lighthouses…Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamBunny Vs Monkey: Day of the Heroes! by Jamie Smart
A Bunny vs Monkey extravaganza to delight their fans.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamBrilliant Sun, Luminous Moon by Agnes Monod-Gayraud
A beautifully illustrated non-fiction book that takes the reader on two incredible journeys.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamDonut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts by Neill Cameron
The Donut Squad is the perfect addition to any bookshelf, it’s wonderfully funny and so bright and interesting to read, I really love this series and recommend them to…Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamAfrican Queens by Onyinye Iwu
Traversing 2000 years, this informative illustrated primer to trailblazing African queens is a fact-packed inspiration.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamCorpse Talk: Dead, Famous and Very Chatty by Adam Murphy and Lisa Murphy
Funny, fact-filled, entertaining comic-strip interviews with famous (dead) people.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamA Trick of the Light by Christopher Edge
Packed with intriguing material from the top-secret DARKIVE database of the strange and unexplained, this scary school trip story injects middle grade horror with…Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamDangerous Influence by Sally Nicholls
This compelling, thought-provoking novella unpacks the complexities of digital “sharenting” and family dynamics in an eminently accessible style.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamEvenfall: The Tempest Stone by Alexander Armstrong
Laced with folk magic, folk music, and themes of friendship through a classic good-versus-evil storyline, this second Evenfall adventure is a rollicking fantastical…Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamLykewise by Darren Simpson
A chilling, tensely atmospheric horror story packed with eerie chills, clever twists and a terrifying folklore monster.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamAugusta Pine Does Not Exist by Emily Lloyd-Jones
A twisty, fast-paced heist thriller with a strong girl lead and mounting tension.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamI Can't Believe I Don't Have a Boyfriend by Harry Trevaldwyn
A short-film competition and tangled love triangle serves as the fabulously entertaining stage for the second Patch Simmons novel.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamA Flood of Memories by Nadia Mikail
A richly layered exploration of the realities of climate change, and the complexities of confronting family secrets and adolescent trauma.Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids team
Want more? See every Book of the Month, this week’s UK Top 10 children’s books, or all our reading guides.
Who chose these books
Every title here was picked by the LoveReading4Kids editorial team as a Book of the Month in 2026. This is not a bestseller chart: our children’s-book specialists read far more books than they put forward, and choose on merit.
Each is named, with a photograph and full biography, on our editorial experts page.
Members of the panel include:
Julia Eccleshare MBEAward-winning children’s literature expert and former Guardian Children’s Editor
Andrea ReeceChildren’s literature expert, editor and former children’s publisher
Joy CourtLeading children’s literature expert and former Chair of the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals
Deborah MaclarenLoveReading CEO and literary prize judge, championing books and reading for pleasure
We have recommended children’s books since 2005. When you buy through us, up to 25% of the cover price can go to a school of your choice.
Your questions answered
What are the best children’s books of 2026?
Our editors’ picks include Scaredy Cat by Alex Falase-Koya for little ones, Bunny Vs Monkey: Day of the Heroes! by Jamie Smart for confident readers and Lykewise by Darren Simpson for teenagers. All are new in 2026 and were Books of the Month. The full list of 24, by age, is on this page.
What is a good book for a 7 year old?
Try Adventuremice: Mini Mice Mayhem by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre or The Moonlight Dragon by Liz Flanagan from this list, then our guide to the best books for 7 year olds for twenty more.
How are these books chosen?
Each month the LoveReading4Kids editorial team picks its Books of the Month from the hundreds of new children’s books it reads. We choose on merit, not sales rank.
What are the bestselling children’s books in the UK right now?
Our UK Top 10 children’s books chart lists the week’s bestsellers. This page is different: it shows the new books our editors rate most highly.