The longlist for the 2026 Branford Boase Award has been announced. Set up in 2000, in memory of author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of Walker Books, the Branford Boase Award recognises the author of the year’s outstanding debut novel for children and young people, together with the editor of the book.

This year no less than 67 books were submitted. 24 of those have made it onto what co-founder and chair of the judges, Julia Eccleshare describes as ‘the most varied longlist in the 25 years + of the Branford Boase Award.’

The longlist features original new fantasy adventure stories such as Inkbound by Philippa Leathley, edited by Natalie Doherty (HarperCollins Children’s Books); romantasy in Ova Ceren’s The Book of Heartbreak, edited by 2023’s winning editors Ruth Bennett and Ella Whiddett (Hot Key Books); and thoughtful contemporary stories including The Doughnut Club by Kristina Rahim, edited by Zoë Griffiths (Nosy Crow). There are illustrated stories, such as Marty Moose by Claire Powell, edited by Gráinne Clear (Walker Books), alongside stories examining cultural identity, such as Odd Girl Out by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid, edited by Rosie Fickling (David Fickling Books).

The full list follows:

Odd Girl Out by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid, edited by Rosie Fickling (David Fickling Books)

Letty and the Mystery of the Golden Thread by Penny Boxall, edited by Katie Sinfield (Puffin)

Shadow Thieves by Peter Burns, edited by Lucy Courtenay (Farshore)

The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren, edited by Ruth Bennett and Ella Whiddett (Hot Key Books)

Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley, edited by Cathy Liney (Bloomsbury)

How to Roller Skate with One Leg by Ella Dove, illus by Jennifer Jamieson, edited by Anne Marie Ryan (Orchard Books)

The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni, edited by Asmaa Isse (Electric Monkey)

Grumpfort by Jamie Hammond, illus by the author, edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)

The Girl Who Raced the World by Nat Harrison, edited by Ruth Bennett (Bonnier)

Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree by Janeen Hayat, edited by Bella Pearson (Guppy Books)

The Misadventures of Mina Mahmood by Farhana Islam, illus by Simran Diamond Singh, edited by Asmaa Isse (Farshore)

Love on Sight by Asli Jensen, edited by Shalini Vallepur (Chicken House)

Inkbound by Philippa Leathley, edited by Natalie Doherty (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Gloam by Jack Mackay, edited by Katie Jennings (Rock the Boat)

A Beautiful Terrible Thing by Miranda Moore, edited by Meggie Degurney and Liz Cross (David Fickling Books)

Wildlands by Brogen Murphy, edited by Linas Alsenas (Puffin)

Rock Band Music and Misfits by Leah Osakwe, edited by Mattie Whitehead and Karelle Tobias (Little Tiger)

Marty Moose: First Class by Claire Powell, illus by the author, edited by Gráinne Clear (Walker Books)

The Doughnut Club by Kristina Rahim, edited by Zoë Griffiths (Nosy Crow)

The Girl with Gills by Becca Rogers, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Zephyr)

Run Away With Me by J.L. Simmonds, edited by Amina Parchment-Youssef (Penguin)

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn, edited by Emma Jones and Charlie Castelletti (First Ink)

Augmented by Kenechi Udogu, edited by Natasha Brown and Jenny Glencross (Faber)

My Dog by Olivia Wakeford, illus by David Litchfield, edited by Megan Reid (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Chair of the judges and co-founder of the Branford Boase Award, Julia Eccleshare says, “From a record number of submissions, we are delighted to present our judges with this longlist, which is the most varied in the 25 plus years of the Branford Boase Award. In this National Year of Reading, we are delighted to be highlighting so many exciting new voices, and stories to appeal to readers of all tastes and abilities. We thank our sponsors Walker Books and ALCS for enabling the Branford Boase Award to continue to promote the best new writers for young people and the talented editors who nurture them.”

This year’s panel of judges will be led by Margaret McDonald, who together with her editors Alice Swan and Ama Badu won the 2025 Branford Boase Award with Glasgow Boys. Joining her on the panel are children’s book experts, Katherine Woodfine, author and reviewer for The Week Junior; Stephen Dilley, Head of English at Kendrick School, Reading and part of the UKLA Book Awards team; and Anjali Patel Lead Advisory Teacher, CLPE. The judging panel will be chaired by Julia Eccleshare, children’s book consultant, the Hay Festival.

The Branford Boase Award is delivered in partnership with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) and supported by Walker Books.

The shortlist for the Award will be announced on Thursday 23 April 2026.  The winner will be announced on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 at an award ceremony at CLPE in London.

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition, the annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the Branford Boase Award, will open on Monday 2 February 2026.