Back for a fourth year, the longlist for the 2026 edition of CBC Kids Reads—featuring 15 Canadian picture books—was announced last week. This list will ultimately be narrowed down to a shortlist of five, with one being named this year's champion. The shortlist will be revealed on September 24. The longlist is listed below.
The winner will be announced on a special TV broadcast on Saturday, October 19, on CBC TV, CBC Gem, and on the CBC Kids YouTube channel. The CBC Kids Reads TV special will be recorded at the Central Library in Whitby, Ontario. An audience of kids and families will vote for the winning book.
2026 CBC Kids Reads Longlist
At The Rescue Cat Café, written by Anna Humphrey, illustrated by Kari Rust (Owlkids Books)
Beautiful Black Boy, written by Sophia Robinson, illustrated by Ken Daley (Orchard Books/Scholastic)
Bob the Boo-Boo, written by Mélina Schoenborn, illustrated by Sandra Dumais (Kids Can Press)
Colette: The Solitary Bee, written by Jean-François Sénéchal, illustrated by Pascale Bonenfant, translated by Nick Frost and Catherine Ostiguy (Milky Way Picture Books)
Do Not Turn the Page!, written by Jane Blondie, illustrated by Marcus Cutler (North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada)
The Fawn, written by Etua Snowball, illustrated by Shuggie Crossland (Inhabit Media)
I Need Pants!, written by Susan Sweet, illustrated by Cailin Doherty (Owlkids Books)
If You Were Here, written by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Maya McKibbin (Greystone Kids)
The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan, written and illustrasted by Hala Tahboub (Clarion Books)
Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!), written by Linda Bailey, illustrated by K-Fai Steele (Tundra Books)
Monster Mender, written by Christine Baldacchino, illustrated by Ilona Iske (Groundwood Books)
The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James (Tundra Books)
Raven's Ribbons, written by Tasha Spillett, illustrated by Daniel Ramirez (Owlkids Books)
Sarabeth’s Garage, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Nadia Alam (Tundra Books)
You Can’t Tame a Tiger, written by Stephanie Ellen Sy, illustrated by Julien Chung (Owlkids Books)
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