Shortlist for the 2026 English 4-11 Picture Book Awards announced
The English Association has revealed the shortlist for the 2026 English 4-11 Picture Book Awards.
Established in 1995, the awards are presented by the English Association to the best children’s picture books of the year. Awards are given to Fiction and Non-Fiction in age ranges 4-7 years and 7-11 years.
The winning books are chosen by the editorial board of English 4-11, the journal for primary teachers published by the English Association, the National Association for the Teaching of English, and the United Kingdom Literacy Association, from a shortlist selected by a panel of teachers and Primary specialists.
The shortlist is:
Fiction 4 – 7
Pencil’s Best Story Ever by Carly Gledhill, Postwave Children’s Books
Taking the Long Way Home by Jake Hope, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald, Scallywag Press
To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis, Scallywag Press
A Winter’s Morning by Angélique Leone, illustrated by Grégoire Solotareff, Post Wave Children’s Books
Non Fiction 4 – 7
The Great Pollination Investigation by Deborah Hocking, Bonnier Books
This Book is too Quiet by Cristina Cubells, illustrated by Joana Casals, What on Earth Books
Tuck Me In by Nathan W. Pyle, Hodder Children’s Books
Weirdosaurus Prehistory’s Most Peculiar Dinosaurs by Philip Bunting, Happy Yak
Fiction 7 – 11
The Great Bear, Annie Booker, Two Hoots
Boss of the Underworld Shirley vs The Green Menace, Tor Freeman, Hodder Children’s Books
Leave the Trees Please, Benjamin Zephaniah, illustrated by Melissa Castrillon, Magic Cat
Hupo and the Wonder Thief, Billy Partridge, Flying Eye Books
Non-Fiction 7 – 11
How to Save Your Granny from a Runaway Train by Swapna Haddow, illus by Jess Bradley, Red Shed
A Tree is a Time Machine by Rob Sears and Tom Sears, Laurence King Publishing
Comic Strip Adventures Amazing Inventions by Paul Mason and Jess Bradley, Wayland
Life (as we know it) by Ziggy Hanaor, illus by Cristobel Schmal
Each year, one of the books submitted to the English 4-11 Picture Book Awards will be selected as the recipient of the Margaret Mallet Prize for Children’s Non-Fiction.
The winners in each category, plus the winner of this year’s Margaret Mallett Award for Children’s Non-Fiction, will be announced via email and on social media on Monday 27 April 2026.
The shortlist will be displayed and celebrated throughout this year’s English Association Conference at Senate House, London on Saturday 13 June 2026.
