InspiRead 2026 Shortlist

You can read the books from one, two, or all three categories for the InspiRead Book Awards 2026: 

• Picture Books
• Shorter Books
• Longer Books. 

Take a look at our shortlisted titles below, and discover some amazing stories.

Voting opens on Wednesday 1 April!

Happy reading!

Zebracadabra 

Written by Kes Gray

Illustrated by Fred Blunt

Published by Hodder Children's Books

Letters to a Monster

Written by Patricia Forde

Illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Frank is a Butterfly

Written and illustrated by Alex Latimer

Published by Oxford University Press

The Bear and the Hare and the Fair

Written by Em Lynas

Illustrated by Matt Hunt

Published by Nosy Crow Ltd.

Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

Written by Abiola Bello

Illustrated by Emma McCann

Published by Simon & Schuster

Marty Moose

Written and illustrated by Claire Powell

Published by Walker Books

Solving Crimes is NOT my Superpower

Written by Nathanael Lessore

Illustrated by Simran Diamond Singh 

Published by Little Tiger Press

Badgers Are Go!

Written by Susannah Lloyd 

Illustrated by Nici Gregory 

Published by David Fickling Books

Scarlet Defender of the Universe

Written by James Davis

Illustrated by Dotty Sutton

Published by Harper Collins

Zak Monroe is (Not) My Friend

Written by Simon Packham

Published by UCLan Publishing

Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder

Written by Bali Rai

Illustrated by Daniel Duncan

Published by Barrington Stoke

The Cheat Book: Can Kamal Cheat his Way on to the Cool Table? 

Written and illustrated by RAMZEE

Published by Hodder Children's Books