Wowee! We are extremely lucky to have so many great books for kids coming out this year. And with such a wide range of genres, from fantasy and mysteries to contemporary stories, I just know there's something for everyone to enjoy!
This is a list of books being released in the first half of 2026 as there's just so many incredible new releases coming, they couldn't fit into one post! But keep an eye on the blog to see more exciting books coming in the second half of the year …
Looking for upcoming young adult releases? Read my previous blog here.
Ruby’s Web
Ellen Van Neerven
This is a book every child starting high school should read. It's about how to seek help when dealing with online bullying and racism, the connections that the internet makes possible, and the power of using your voice. Coming out in February, for ages 12+.
Ruby is starting year 7 at a new school. Her cousin Amber used to be her best friend, but she has started hanging out with the cool kids and pretends she doesn't know Ruby anymore. Ruby dreads school every day. At the same time, the whole country is also debating the referendum for a First Nations Voice to Parliament, and Ruby is facing more and more nasty comments online from her classmates. The gap between the internet and real life is getting thinner and thinner.
The Boy and the Dog Tree
Fiona Wood
Looking for a heart-lifting tale of friendship, courage and belonging? Then you need to check out this book about the special bond between a boy and his dog. Coming in March for ages 9+.
'So, are you my dog?' Mitch asked, in a whisper.
'No,' said Argos. 'But you are my boy. For a time.'
Mitch's life has been uprooted and he's struggling to fit in at school. The one thing that would make his life better is a dog, if only he could persuade his parents. Then Mitch discovers an old oak tree that seems to … growl. And one night, a huge, strange dog-like creature emerges from the trunk. His name is Argos. He has been bound in the tree by 'history, mystery, magic and chance', and he is here, for a time, to help Mitch find his way. But being different can be dangerous, especially for a wild and wilful beast like Argos …
The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay
Charlie Archbold
Big news! There's a new Sugarcane Kids book heading our way in March! The first book in the series, The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat, won the The Readings Children’s Prize in 2022 and trust us when we say, the whole series is delightful! For ages 8+.
Andy and the Sugarcane Kids love riding their bikes to Angel Bay. And they love seeing their old mate Jerry lurking under the jetty looking for the spiny lobsters he loves to eat. Jerry's a massive Queensland groper fish – he's almost as big as a queen-sized bed. But something very strange is going on at Angel Bay. A pile of dead fish has washed up on the beach. Mysterious shark eggs have appeared, which is very cool, but also weird because Port Jackson sharks don't usually live in the tropical waters of far north Queensland. And – worst of all – Jerry is missing …
Myra in the Middle
Seetha Dodd, illustrated by Peter Cheong
Don't be fooled by the cover, this is so much more than a sports book (although young sports fanatics will love it!). Myra in the Middle is about adapting to change and finding your place in your family – and on the soccer field. Out in late March, for ages 5+.
Seven-year-old soccer enthusiast Myra lives with her mum, dad, Muthashi (grandma) and big sister. Her world turns upside down when her family welcomes a new baby, making Myra a middle child. On top of that, Myra joins the school's soccer team, only to be put in the midfield. Nothing exciting ever happens there! What will it take for Myra to feel marvellous in the middle?
The Silent Island (Oceanforged, Book 2)
Amelia Mellor
Get excited! The next installement of Oceanforged is almost here. And we can't wait to see what epic adventures Cori and her friends go on next! For ages 8+, coming in March.
Guided by a mysterious message, Cori, Tarn and Jem sail north to meet the secretive Loyalists, who will help them on their quest for the Oceanforged Armour. Instead, the Loyalists warn of a looming disaster … Unless Cori can master all the powers of the Champions before it strikes, Aquinta will be doomed. The Loyalists believe that a piece of armour may be hidden in Mutemount. But sea monsters once lurked in those waters, and no one who has travelled near the silent island in the last century has ever returned …
The Dragon Snare: Volume 1
Rhiannon Williams
Looking for an epic fantasy to sink your teeth into? Then check out this exhilarating new fantasy series, that's perfect for fans of Wings of Fire, Deltora Quest and Ranger's Apprentice. For ages 9+, coming out in March.
Ever since he was orphaned in the Dragon War, thirteen-year-old Henry Haddow has lived with the dogs in the castle's kennels – and that's where he's expected to stay. But Henry dreams of becoming a knight. His one chance is to compete for a coveted novice spot in the Twilight Tournament, and when he discovers a magical sword that will grant him a single wish, he knows he can win. That is, until he accidentally uses the magical sword and turns a dragon named Snare into a teenage girl.
Henry is horrified. Snare is furious. They both live by the law that neither humans nor dragons may enter the lands of the other; it's the only thing preventing another war. But a dragon trapped in a human body can enter Henry's city undetected … and seek revenge.
Frank the Monster
Mats Strandberg, illustrated by Sofia Falkenhem
Does the little person in your life like their stories a little scary? Then Frank the Monster will be their new favourite book! It's a just-scary-enough Nordic noir illustrated chapter book about a town terrorized by monsters, and a warm-hearted werewolf trying to find his pack. For ages 6+, out in April.
Frank is nipped by a dog on his ninth birthday, and his life turns inside out. His nights fill with mysterious dreams and eerie adventures. A wild beast is reported roaming the town after dark. Frightening encounters lead Frank to discover that he is the werewolf! Forced to own his new identity, Frank learns about the town's secret underbelly – beneath the streets live other monsters, cast out of their human families. Perhaps he has found his pack of misfits.
The Clueless Guide to Solving a Mystery (Clueless, book 1)
Samera Kamaleddine, illustrated by Hykie Breeze
Everyone loves a good mystery book! And we can't wait for the first book in this fresh new mystery series! For ages 9+, coming out in April.
Claudia Smith's parents have left her to (temporarily) live with her grandparents at the Boonside Heights Retirement Village while they're away on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise. The only good thing? The most popular kids at school, Yasmin and Zayn Bassal, have turned up to visit their grandmother. The not-so-good thing? Orpheus McAdoo, the most annoying kid at school, is hanging around like a bad smell. When the discovery of a mysterious note has the oldies in a fluster, Claudia sees an opportunity for the unlikely foursome to get together and solve the mystery. There's just one problem … They don't have a single clue.
Annie and Maeve Are Definitely Not Friends
Olivia Muscat
This novel celebrates the unexpected happiness of finding somebody who really gets who you are, from the author of the adorable My Name is Jemima. For ages 12+, out in April.
When Annie and Maeve end up in the same class and are essentially forced into a friendship, neither one is very impressed. Both girls are blind – Maeve since birth, and Annie due to a fairly recent accident. According to most of the adults in their lives, this should be the basis for a beautiful friendship. Annie and Maeve disagree.
When overlapping friends, birthday parties, pesky classmates, school camp, concert auditions and holiday sleepovers conspire to force the girls into hanging out, they realise that they might have more in common than they could have guessed. Their shared disability isn't the reason they decide to be friends, but they both learn that sometimes it is a true revelation to find someone who totally gets some of the things you're going through.
Running in Circles
by Shivaun Plozza
Have a fascination for science? Look no further than this moving coming-of-age story about family, picking your battles and the transformative power of science. For ages 11+, out in April.
When crop circles appear in Tully, North Queensland, twelve-year-old Dell knows it's a hoax. She's a future climate scientist who believes in facts, not science fiction. But Dell's estranged mum is an extraterrestrial fanatic. She blusters back into town armed with alien conspiracy theories and a dazzling smile.
If Dell can prove the crop circles are fake, surely her mum will hightail it out of Tully again, preferably before she causes Dell's dad and three sisters further heartbreak. But as her mother's claims grow more out of this world and alien fever takes over the country, Dell worries she's fighting a lost cause. How can she convince anyone of the truth when they're all so desperate to believe a lie?
Raised by Wolves
Tristan Bancks
Got a hankering for a heart-stopping thriller? Then mark May on your calendar for a new book from the award winning author of Two Wolves. For ages 12+.
When your dad's a fugitive, who do you trust – him, or yourself? Twelve-year-old Olive Silver knows how to check every room with a knife when she gets home from school, how to survive alone and how to keep secrets. She's had to – ever since her criminal dad abandoned her family five years ago and let them pay for his crime. But now, he's back.
The day she spots him outside her school, everything tilts. Olive calls her big brother Ben, who's two days from graduating the police academy, and follows Dad through rain and darkness, across railway tracks and through wrecking yards, desperate for answers. Does Dad love her? Or is he only back for the money? As the night spins out of control, Olive faces a choice – let Dad go, or hunt him down and bring him to justice.
