Core, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced the 2026 Excellence in Children's and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists at last month's ALA conference in Chicago. Five Canadian titles made the lists, which are divided into picture books, middle grade and young adult.
The Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List
Wait 'Til You're Older, written by Maria Marianayagam, illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich (Sourcebooks)
Reha is done with being told that she is too young to play with her brother’s toys. She decides to build a time machine to jump to when she’s older. This is a picture book about siblings, science, and enjoying the time that you’re in.
The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List
Oasis, written and illustrated by Guojing (Godwin Books)
JieJie and her young brother, DiDi, live alone in a barren desert while their mother works in a far away city. When the children find an abandoned robot, they find themselves no longer alone as the robot assumes the duties of a substitute mother. When their real mother returns for a visit, the bonds among mother, children, and robot become strained.
The Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List
Best of All Worlds, written by Kenneth Oppel (Scholastic Press/Penguin Teen Canada)
It was supposed to be a long weekend at the lake with his dad and stepmom, but when Xavier Oak wakes up on the first morning at the cottage, it isn’t where it is supposed to be. The cottage and the land surrounding it have been placed in a dome, with no escape, and no other people. Three years later, another family appears in the dome, bringing discord and suspicion with them and upsetting the carefully tended life that the Oak family has settled into.
Meet Me at Blue Hour, written by Sarah Suk (Quill Tree Books)
Yena Bae is spending the summer in Korea working at her mother’s memory-erasing clinic, trying to find a way out of the depression she has suffered ever since her friend Lucas moved away. One day, Yena runs into Lucas, who is also in Korea and trying to get his grandfather into an experimental memory recovery study. He doesn’t remember Yena, although they have an instant connection. As they spend time together, they begin to unravel the mystery of what happened to drive them apart.
Titan of the Stars, written by E.K. Johnston (Tundra Books)
Apprentice engineer Celeste and prominent heir Dominic are drawn to each other as the Titan embarks on its maiden voyage from Earth to Mars. As Celeste and Dominic navigate societal expectations and class differences aboard the extravagant ship, the ancient aliens on board, thought to be long dormant, awaken. The aliens are out for blood regardless of passengers’ wealth or status, and Celeste and Dominic will need both wits and luck to make it off alive.
For the complete list, visit sfnotables.org.