Award Winning Children's Books

Winners and honor books from the 2026 Youth Media Awards.

Updated February 9, 2026
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Stalactite & Stalagmite : a big tale from a little cave
Beckmeyer, Drew
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor Book Four starred reviews! "Both gloriously expansive and goofy--in short, everything young readers could ask for." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A hilarious and thought-provoking picture book about two little cave rock...
Fireworks
Burgess, Matthew
Paper Book
Fireworks is a sparkling picture book from the award-winning team of Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien, highlighting the simple delights of a steamy July day in the city as two siblings eagerly anticipate a spectacular fireworks display. POP! As a hot day sizzles into...
Stop that mop!
Fenske, Jonathan
Paper Book
Winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Chase a runaway mop in this hilarious, rhyming Level 1 Ready-to-Read by award-winning author-illustrator Jonathan Fenske! Meet a mop. The mop does not want to mop the slop. See the mop run away. Can anyone stop this mop...
Fresh start
Galligan, Gale
Paper Book
Outstanding Comics Award for Children Honor Book * Asian/Pacific American Award Honor Book From New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan comes a funny and vibrant semi-autobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about friendship and belonging. Ollie Herisson's...
At last she stood : how Joey Guerrero spied, survived, and fought for freedom
Kelly, Erin Entrada
Paper Book
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Honor Book An ALA Notable Book Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Chicago Public Library Best Book ...
Octopus moon
Pyron, Bobbie
Paper Book
A deeply moving middle grade novel in verse about a girl struggling with depression when she starts fifth grade amidst a sea of changes. A 2025 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Pearl loves watching the majestic loggerhead turtles and octopuses...
Will's race for home : a western
Rhodes, Jewell Parker
Paper Book
★ Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award! ★ ★ A New York Times bestseller! ★ ★ "Rhodes deftly captures a unique ­aspect of this historical event, with a perspective...
Chooch helped
Rogers, Andrea L.
Paper Book
Every big sister knows the feeling: little brothers get away with EVERYTHING! Meet Sissy, who's had it up to here with her two-year-old brother Chooch. No matter what chaos he creates in their loving Cherokee family--and trust us, there's a lot--their parents just smile and say...
The history of We
Smith, Nikkolas
Paper Book
An awe-inspiring picture book about the origin and advancement of humans, from author and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith. Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back...
All the blues in the sky
Watson, Ren?
Paper Book
Winner of the Newbery Medal A New York Times bestseller | A USA Today bestseller | A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year | A Kirkus Best Book of the Year | A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year | A Chicago Public Library...

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