WAYRBA 2026

West Australian Young Readers' Book Award Shortlist 2026

Updated March 3, 2026
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All that's left in the world
Brown, Erik J.
Paper Book
Jamie and Andrew are strangers, but they're two of the last people left alive. They don't know what they'll find on their dangerous journey ... but they might just find each other. The genre-bending queer dystopian romance about courage, hope and humanity for fans of The Last of Us,...
Bear
Lightfoot, Kiri
Paper Book
The powerful, humorous yet sensitive story of Jasper, a talented young artist, who learns to face his anger.
Bernie thinks in boxes
Horn, Jess; Bennett, Zoe
Paper Book
A beautiful story about thinking differently and navigating change in a neurotypical world. Bernie thinks in boxes. She has boxes for everything: for home, for school and even for the park. Bernie likes boxes. When things fit into boxes, they make sense. But one day,...
Chickenpox
Lai, Remy
Paper Book
A contagiously funny graphic novel from bestselling creator Remy Lai. Abby and her four younger siblings are itching to escape their house - literally. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier.
Creature Clinic
Than, Gavin Aung.
Paper Book
What do you do with a sick dragon, a concussed troll, or a unicorn with a broken horn? You take them to the only place that can help: Creature Clinic! From Super Sidekicks creator and New York Times-bestselling cartoonist Gavin Aung Than comes this...
The dagger and the flame
Doyle, Catherine
Paper Book
From the number one bestselling author Catherine Doyle comes the most fiery enemies-to-lovers romantasy of the year. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Stephanie Garber.   In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins...
Don't trust fish
Sharpson, Neil
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * An absurdly laugh-out-loud funny picture book about the villainy of fish, illustrated by National Book Award-winning creator Dan Santat "A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on." --Kirkus, starred review ONE OF...
The extremely embarrassing life of Lottie Brooks
Kirby, Katie
Paper Book
The first book in the hilarious illustrated series for children by the bestselling author Katie Kirby. Perfect for readers aged 9-12 and for fans of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, Dork Diaries and Wimpy Kid. Lottie Brooks is 11 ¾ and her life is ALREADY officially over....
Fairy Beach
Knaggs, Sheila.
Paper Book
Discover the hidden secrets of summer beach nights in this whimsical and unique Australian fairy story. Gather your beach toys, come down to the sand. Blue skies are calling. It's going to be grand! But when the sun sets...
The final gambit
Barnes, Jennifer Lynn
Paper Book
6 MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THE #1 BESTSELLING SERIES! 'A MASTER OF PUZZLES AND PLOT TWISTS' E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars The third thrilling and unmissable instalment in the global bestselling, 'impossible to put down' (Buzzfeed), romantic,...
Ink girls
Nijkamp, Marieke
Paper Book
"In this vibrant story about the power of the printed word and the strength of found families, every page is bursting with life and detail." --Ethan Aldridge, creator of the bestselling Estranged "Fabulous!" --Dan Santat, award-winning author of A First Time for Everything<...
Inked
Wasson, Karen
Paper Book
★ The bestselling new-release Australian graphic novel of 2025! ★ For fans of Remy Lai's Pawcasso and Raina Telgemeier's Drama comes this hilarious enemies-to-besties graphic novel, about a kid who just wants to blend in...
Kelpie chaos
Fitzpatrick, Deb
Paper Book
A kelpie puppy is about to be sent to the pound and Eli knows he has to do something. After adopting the flame-chested kelpie, now named Zoom, the family falls in love, but they soon learn there's a lot involved in raising a dog. Especially a working dog, who is hard wired to round up pretty much...
Luna's world #1 library dreams
Gannon, Hayley
Paper Book
Hi, I'm Luna! This diary you're reading? My mum's idea. She said it will help me to focus. You see, my mind is always racing with a million thoughts! I have so much I want to say and do! So, I'm going to use this diary to show you EVERYTHING that's going on in my world ... Luna Merrian...
The museum of broken things
Draper, Lauren
Paper Book
I didn't always live here. Not so long ago I was living in a thriving metropolis with more than one coffee shop on each block and four full bars of reception. I went to Heathmont High School, home to one thousand students, two best friends, a deeply average orchestra, and one cursed statue. Well,...
The other girl
Barr, Emily
Paper Book
Two girls meet on a train journey. One of them - privileged, chaotic - is heading to an exclusive Swiss rehab centre following months of partying and living wildly. The other - who couldn't be more different - is down to her last penny, running away. When they...
Reckless
Roberts, Lauren
Paper Book
THE INSTANT NO. 1 BESTSELLING SERIES! OVER 5 MILLION COPIES SOLD. The second heart-racing instalment in this bestselling and sizzling fantasy romance trilogy. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and The Hunger Games.  ...
Roarsome
Slack-Smith, Joel
Paper Book
A rover's story
Warga, Jasmine
Paper Book
New York Times bestseller * Best Book of the Year from The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library The One and Only Ivan meets The Wild Robot in this unique and deeply moving middle grade novel about the journey of a fictional Mars...
Shiver
Macx, Logan
Paper Book
Skandar and the spirit war
Steadman, A. F.
Paper Book
BLOODTHIRSTY UNICORNS. UNLIKELY HEROES. A MORTAL ENEMY. Don't miss this epic final adventure in the number 1 bestselling SKANDAR series, for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon and Impossible Creatures.  Pre...
I survived the battle of D-Day, 1944
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
It was a battle that would change the course of World War II... New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis commemorates the Normandy landings in this pulse-pounding story of the largest seaborne invasion in history. Eleven-year-old Paul's French village has been under Nazi...
This time it's real
Liang, Ann
Paper Book
When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin's essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favourite magazine ... and...
A thousand heartbeats
Cass, Kiera
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Selection series Kiera Cass is back with her most epic novel yet - a sweeping enemies-to-lovers standalone romance. 'Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.' Annika has lived a life...
The truck cat
Frenkel, Deborah
Paper Book
A #1 bestselling picture book. The Truck Cat is a story about cats and humans, immigration and identity, and homes lost and found.  With illustrations by multi-award-winning artist Danny Snell and words by acclaimed new writer Deborah...
Wandering wild
Noni, Lynette
Paper Book
A GIRL HAUNTED BY TRAGEDY. A BOY SEEKING REDEMPTION. A WILDERNESS AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS DEADLY. Zander Rune was the darling of Hollywood until he fell from glory and was labelled a problematic bad boy. His public image needs fixing-fast-<...
Watch me : a Shatter me novel
Mafi, Tahereh
Paper Book
OVER 8 MILLION COPIES SOLD. THE GLOBALLY BESTSELLING SERIES AND TIKTOK SENSATION IS BACK! Lose yourself in this explosive return to the #1 global bestselling SHATTER ME universe - the first book in a brand new spin-off series set ten years after we last left Juliette and Warner... ...
The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
Now a DreamWorks movie available on Prime Video! This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive--and...

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