Andy Minshew is an author and book reviewer who explores the intersections between queerness, faith, and neurodivergence in fiction and nonfiction. He is currently writing a peer guide to living with co-occurring OCD and autism with Jessica Kingsley Publishers. | www.andyminshew.com
Like Matilda, I wanted to read every book in the library when I was a kid. That ambitious, curious inner child of mine comes to life when I take a look at all the books coming out in 2026. I wish I had time to read them all, though it’s a happy problem to have so many to pick from and never run out of good books.
Whether you’re an educator, caregiver, or a young-at-heart reader, these six upcoming children’s books are worth keeping an eye on at your local library or bookstore. In addition to my four recommendations, you’ll find two picks from fellow Book Riot writers. They are as varied as children’s literature itself, from silly graphic novels to thoughtful realistic fiction.
Check out Book Riot’s full list of Most Anticipated Books of 2026 for more!
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026
The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller
After adoring Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, talk of another middle grade novel by Miller had me on the edge of my blue sofa. With a comp like Judy Blume’s iconic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (a comfort book of mine), I cozied up with this moving story featuring 12-year-old Luna the day it arrived. When classmates begin confiding in the seventh grader, she and her best friend, Scott, create zines to uplift them. Delving into attentiveness, insecurities, friendship, and growing up, this—with its Mean Girls vibes—made me laugh, and I marked up so many passages and hearted so many sentences that my copy resembles a bathroom stall wall. —Connie Pan
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Sashimi by Dan Santat
Sashimi is a fishboy. He’s never met his parents or anyone who looked like him. Rumors of a strange beast bring him to Barnacle Bay, where he tries to pass for human at the local school to gather intel. Students question his fishy smell, wet skin, and close connection with Kevin the class fish. But Sashimi is undeterred, hoping the beast might be a long-lost relative. Plenty of slap fights, names like Taco Fart and Brocano, and the etymology of the term “poop deck” are peppered in throughout this graphic novel about his journey to find out. —Alison Doherty
My Most Anticipated Children’s Books of 2026
Red River Rose by Carole Lindstrom
This March, Caldecott award-winning author Carole Lindstrom will make her debut in middle grade fiction. Set in 1885, it follows a Métis girl named Rose whose community is threatened with removal from their land. Determined to protect those she loves, Rose joins the resistance, even if it means risking her life.
Now I See by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen have a four-part picture book series out this April. Each one explores what makes a season beautiful and unique from a child’s perspective.
I was a teaching assistant for a Children’s Literature course in college, where I was introduced to the duo’s I Want My Hat Back and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. I adore their humor and distinctive art style, and this upcoming quintet looks especially cozy.
Nell O’Dell Hates Quests by Emily B. Martin
Like a young Bilbo Baggins, Nell O’Dell comes to her adventure reluctantly. She’s perfectly content tending to the garden, far away from the questers passing through her family’s inn. But when a messenger comes knocking with grim news, Nell is chosen to take a letter to the capital. The fate of the inn, and her whole family, depends on it. How dangerous can it be to deliver one letter… right?
No Place on Earth by Andrea Beatriz Arango
This upcoming novel by Newbery Award winner Andrea Beatriz Arango follows two boys who are connected in unexpected ways. Gus worries a lot about the future, and he struggles with nightmares. Moving to a new town unleashes all kinds of questions. Like, what is his classmate Kordell doing in his dreams all of a sudden? And is there a way for Gus to help him in real life?
Need to catch up on last year’s highlights? Explore the Best Children’s & Middle Grade Books of 2025.
English (US) · 