Green Promises: Girls Who Loved the EarthJeannine AtkinsThree women staunchly overcome poverty, racism, lack of formal education, and sexism to pursue careers as, respectively, a botanist, a geologist, and an entomologist. Free verse. Extensive back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book detailsBank Street Best Children's Books of the Year 2026
A large annual list organized by age group and subject.
The Best Children's Books of the Year [2026 edition]See the original list
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Twelve to Fourteen
35 of 78 selections on this pageContinued from page 8
Green Promises: Girls Who Loved the EarthJeannine AtkinsThree women staunchly overcome poverty, racism, lack of formal education, and sexism to pursue careers as, respectively, a botanist, a geologist, and an entomologist. Free verse. Extensive back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Peach ThiefLinda Joan SmithIn 1850s England, an earl’s gardener catches a workhouse orphan stealing. Mistaking 13-year-old Scilla for a boy, he offers her a job to pay her debt, simultaneously elevating her and complicating her desperate situation. Grayscale map and illustrations.Twelve to FourteenView book details
How to Draw a SecretCindy Chang, illustrated by Cindy ChangCindy’s father left for Taiwan four years ago; no one talks about it. Now she has a high-pressure art assignment, “What Family Means to Me.” Semi- autobiographical. Engaging, uncluttered artwork.Twelve to FourteenLexile 459LATOS 3.1View book details
Rebellion 1776Laurie Halse AndersonAfter her father goes missing, 13-year-old Elsbeth finds work as a maid for a wealthy family amid a smallpox epidemic in the early days of the American Revolution. Detailed grayscale map.Twelve to FourteenATOS 5.8AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
How to Say Goodbye in CubanDaniel Miyares, illustrated by Daniel MiyaresTwelve-year-old Carlos’s idyllic life is shattered when Castro’s forces take over Cuba, but can his family survive the dangerous journey to America? Lush, action-packed art. Back matter.Twelve to FourteenLexile 370LATOS 2.9View book details
Mature contentMax in the Land of Lies (Operation Kinderspion series)Adam GidwitzJewish 12-year-old radio expert Max returns to Berlin, now with spy training, which he needs in order to engage with Nazis and infiltrate their propagandist radio station.Twelve to FourteenLexile 660LFountas & Pinnell YView book details
One Crazy Summer: The Graphic NovelRita Williams-GarciaSent for the summer to their mother, who ignores them, 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters fend for themselves and go to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Bold artwork.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II StoryDaniel NayeriIn Iran in 1941, orphans Babak, 13, and his sister, Sana, 8, flee to the Zagros Mountains, hoping to find refuge with the Bakhtiari people. But will the nomads accept them?Twelve to FourteenATOS 4.3AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Under Attack (Kidnapped from Ukraine series)Marsha Forchuk SkrypuchDariia and other captured Ukrainian children are torn from their families, given new Russian identities, and “adopted” by families paid per child to take them in.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary GirlsJ. Anderson CoatsIn 1910 two sisters of a Slovenian immigrant family find different paths to escaping from small-town drudgery in Colorado.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Winner of the 2026 Josette Frank AwardWhere Only Storms GrowAlyssa ColmanIn 1930s Oklahoma, when other family members are unavailable, resourceful 12-year-old twins (one with scoliosis) battle a devastating dust storm to save their family farm.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Incredibly Human Henson BlayzeDerrick BarnesWhen a Black 13-year-old football phenom in Mississippi prioritizes justice for a friend over the game, it doesn’t take long for him to go from being a celebrity to an outcast.Twelve to FourteenATOS 6.0AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
Yoli’s Favorite ThingsPatricia SantanaIn 1968 Yoli’s favorite sibling—one of eight in her warm Mexican family—faces the possibility of being drafted in the unpopular Vietnam War.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Zarina DividedReem FaruqiThe Partition of 1947 forces Zarina and her family to make a wrenching move from India to Pakistan. Free verse. Grayscale spot art and map. Archival photos and images. Glossary, notes, sources.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Ghost QueenMahtab NarsimhanMalika, creator of a ghost-hunting Internet channel, and her boyfriend search for a ghost at a famous Indian tourist site. A hi-lo scary tale, based on a traditional legend.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Many Hauntings of the Manning FamilyLorien LawrenceThirteen-year-old twins Gabby and Trent have inherited the ability to free trapped ghosts . . . but can they defeat the terrifying demon that ended their grandparents’ careers?Twelve to FourteenView book details
NeshamaMarcella PixleyNeshama’s a middle school social outcast—plus, she speaks to the ghosts of her ancestors. The appearance of her aunt’s ghost reveals important heretofore hidden truths. Free verse.Twelve to FourteenView book details
A World Worth SavingKyle LukoffCan a golem really help a 14-year-old trans kid? A is so desperate that he literally jumps out the window and escapes into the night. Where will he go?Twelve to FourteenLexile 840LATOS 5.9View book details
The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex RamirezJasminne PaulinoA Dominican American teen assigned to a self- contained program because of his neurodivergence diagnosis yearns to take the mainstream science class to support his dream of joining NASA. Free verse.Twelve to FourteenATOS 5.1AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
The ExperimentRebecca SteadNathan, 11, has been raised to believe he is an alien explorer on Earth. But when he is called back to the mothership, he begins to doubt it all.Twelve to FourteenATOS 4.2AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Someone’s Been Messing with RealityJohn HearneA seaside Irish village hosts an annual event for UFO seekers. This year, not all visitors are from Earth. Can Martin and his friends save the planet?Twelve to FourteenView book details
Mature contentThe Queen Bees of Tybee CountyKyle Casey ChuA Chinese American seventh-grade basketball star learns to understand his queer identity and love for drag while staying with his eccentric grandma and participating in a small-town beauty pageant.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Daring: The Life and Art of Elisabeth Vigée Le BrunJordana PomeroyA talented, socially astute French painter survived her country’s revolution by traveling through Europe and thrived in the male-dominated art world. Numerous reproductions of her work illuminate her luminous, intimate style. Notes, resources.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Invisible: The (Sort of) True Story of Me & My Hidden DiseaseDavid SorenThe roller-coaster life of talented artist J.J., from first grade until he makes an animated film starring his disorder, Crohn’s disease, when he is 13. Humorous grayscale illustrations.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Mature contentNever Silent: A Hiroshima Survivor’s StorySetsuko Thurlow, Kathy LowingerThe disastrous aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and its impact on survivors eventually led Setsuko on a path of anti-nuclear activism. Somber illustrations. Archival photographs. Back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Okchundang CandyJung-soon Go, translated from Korean by Aerin ParkA tender, frank, sometimes painful grandchild’s-eye view of the last years of her loving grandparents’ lives. Delicate pencil and watercolor artwork.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Ours to Tell: Reclaiming Indigenous StoriesEldon Yellowhorn, Kathy LowingerIndigenous authors profile the work of notable Indigenous people, past and present, from Canada to Mexico. Illustrations include original collages and portraits as well as reproductions and archival photos and images. Index. Detailed back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Revolutions Are Made of Love: The Story of James Boggs and Grace Lee BoggsSun Yung Shin, Mélina MangalTwo different authors take us through 50 years of activism by a biracial Chinese American and Black couple. Free verse. Colorful realistic illustrations. Back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Sky Was My Blanket: A Young Man’s Journey Across Wartime EuropeUri ShulevitzYehiel, 15, left his home in Poland to explore Europe. Among his adventures were fighting in the Spanish Civil War and escaping Nazi capture in Italy. Expressive grayscale illustrations.Twelve to FourteenView book details
True Gretch: Lessons for Anyone Who Wants to Make a DifferenceGretchen WhitmerMichigan governor Gretchen Witmer shares her life story and future political ambitions, her significant personal challenges, and advice for facing them. Archival photos. Resources. Young adult edition of True Gretch: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Vanished: Seven Woman Magicians Who Simply DisappearedAnna Hays, illustrated by Mary Kate McDevittPortraits of remarkable women, from an illusionist to an escape artist, who were successful during the Golden Age of Magic (1860–1930) and later forgotten. Handsomely designed with colorful, vibrant illustrations and archival photos and images. Back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes OutNicholas Day, illustrated by Yas ImamuraThe cataclysmic 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora triggered worldwide climate change and a chain of historical events, including Mary Shelley’s creation of Frankenstein. Black-and-white mixed-media illustrations. Extensive back matter.Twelve to FourteenLexile 780LATOS 6.3View book details
Earthrise: The Story of the Photograph That Changed the Way We See Our PlanetLeonard S. MarcusThe extraordinary photograph of Earth captured by Apollo 8 astronauts in 1968 was the culmination of the rivalry of military enemies in space exploration. Engaging text. Exemplary back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
Many Voices: Building Erie, the Canal That Changed AmericaLaurie LawlorA detailed and exciting account of the origin, engineering, construction, impact, and evolution of the incredible inland waterway that rapidly transformed the United States. Sourcing. Archival maps, images, and photographs. Back matter.Twelve to FourteenView book details
The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women AstronautsLoren GrushDespite intense sexism, six talented, determined women succeeded in a profession previously restricted to men and joined NASA’s corps of people journeying into outer space. Color photos. Back matter. Young readers edition.Twelve to FourteenView book detailsFourteen and Older
25 of 104 selections on this pageContinues on page 10
CodebreakerJay MartelAfter the mysterious deaths of her parents, 17-year- old Mia, determined to find out what happened, follows the clues her father left behind. Aided by Logan, she tries to outwit the conspirators on her trail.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentThe Girl You KnowElle Gonzalez RoseWhile still mourning her identical twin sister’s death, Puerto Rican Luna poses as her in order to infiltrate her upper-class boarding school and prove she was murdered.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentThe Hidden GirlLouise BassettA Melbourne teen, in detention for fighting her bully, finds a diary in her counselor’s office of an Indonesian victim of sex trafficking. Can she possibly help?Fourteen and OlderView book details
Murder Between FriendsLiz LawsonThree former best friends reunite to try to solve a murder that one of their siblings was accused of committing. A mystery with many plot twists.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentSisters in the WindAngeline BoulleyLong after her Native American mother abandons her, Lucy’s White father dies. The teen, now at the mercy of an unreliable foster care system, finds herself being stalked.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Sole SurvivorNorman Ollestad, Brendan KielyAn 11-year-old boy fights to survive after a plane crash in the mountains. Based on a true story.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Songs for GhostsClara KumagaiAn ancient Japanese diary sends 17-year-old Adam on a literal ghost chase to discover the stories of his late mother and her Nagasaki family. Inspired by Madame Butterfly.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentThis Place Kills MeMariko TamakiDid Elizabeth, Juliet in the school play, die by suicide or murder? Outsider Abby Kita, a new girl disliked because others think she’s gay, wants to solve the mystery. Dramatic artwork.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Very Dangerous ThingsLauren MuñozThe annual murder mystery game at Dulce’s school turns deadly when a student is killed. Can Dulce and her friends discover the culprit before an innocent girl goes on trial?Fourteen and OlderView book details
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal StoriesCynthia Leitich SmithNo matter your nation or rez, Sandy June’s community space appears magically when you need it, serving up advice, food, music, movies, and romance. Notes from Indigenous authors. Glossary.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Angelica and the Bear PrinceTrung Le NguyenVietnamese American Angelica, 17, has a complicated relationship with her mother, while deeply grieving her beloved grandmother. A theater internship opens up fresh possibilities. Bright, colorful artwork.Fourteen and OlderView book details
A Catalog of Burnt ObjectsShana YoungdahlSeventeen-year-old Caprice is working on her relationship with her brother, home from rehab, as well as enjoying a new romance, when a wildfire destroys everything in her small California town.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Donut SummerAnita KellySixteen-year-old Penny has serious anxieties. Over the summer she finds romance, learns to control her over- active creative brain, deals with disappointment, and discovers important truths about herself.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentFitting IndianJyoti ChandNitasha’s Indian family demands that she conform to their ideas of good behavior—obedience, excellent grades, no dating—but her quest to break away involves alcohol, self-harm, and attempted suicide. Bold graphics emphasize emotional changes. Resources. Author’s note.Fourteen and OlderView book details
The Golden Boy’s Guide to BipolarSonido ReyesBack in school after being hospitalized, Cesar wants to continue his relationship with Jamal, but intrusive thoughts get in his way. Includes resources.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentThe Gone BookHelena CloseFifteen-year-old Matt keeps a diary, wears a ponytail, and is filled with self-loathing. Can he maneuver through the chaos of abandonment and changes in his relationships with family and friends?Fourteen and OlderView book details
I Am the CageAllison Sweet GrantNineteen-year-old Elisabeth Amos, suffering from the trauma of painful medical treatments, lives alone in a remote town, until a blizzard forces her to seek help. Vivid prose with poetry interspersed.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentThe Other Side of the OceanJ. D. NettoBrought to the U.S. from Brazil as a child, Matt, now a teenager struggling with his sexuality and his immigration status, meets his first love, James.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Right Beside YouTucker ShawEighteen-year-old Eddie embarks on a journey of self- exploration, discovering queer culture in 1930s New York through a Polaroid camera given to him by his ancient, exuberant great-aunt and finding romance in two different eras. Archival photos.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Sunlight Playing Over a MountainSelina Li BiJasmine, 15, raised on fantasies by her single mother, sabotages all her mom’s relationships to keep their family intact. When reality intrudes, Jasmine’s world fractures.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentTruth IsHannah V. SawyerrSeventeen-year-old Truth Bangura, pregnant and lost, lies to everyone but speaks truth in her poems. Can a slam poetry club membership help her create a future of her choosing? Free verse.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Mature contentBiology LessonsMelissa KantorA high school senior with big college plans gets pregnant in a state where abortion restrictions could have serious legal consequences for her and for anyone who helps her.Fourteen and OlderView book details
In Case You Read ThisEdward UnderhillGabe and Arden, transgender boys, meet at a motel in Nebraska as their families relocate. Failure to share contact information leaves them searching for each other.Fourteen and OlderView book details
Let Them StareJonathan Van Ness, Julie MurphySully loses the internship which was supposed to enable them to leave their bigoted home town. Dispirited, they find a vintage handbag to sell so they can get away, but discover that it comes with strange baggage.Fourteen and OlderView book details
One KissMarthe JocelynMaya, 16, knew Ross as her best friend’s dad, but when the rock star makes an inappropriate gesture, her life is disrupted. Aimed at reluctant readers.Fourteen and OlderView book details