Last month, the National Book Award judges announced their longlists in five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. Today, they’ve shared the finalists in each category.
Each finalist takes home $1,000, while the winner in each category receives $10,000 and a bronze sculpture. The winners will be announced on November 18 at the National Book Awards Ceremony and Dinner.
This year’s judges for the National Book Awards for Young People’s Literature are Edith Campbell, Brandy Colbert, Tricia Ebarvia, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and Anne Ursu. Here are the five finalists they’ve selected, along with praise from critics and authors.
The 2026 National Book Award Shortlist for Young People’s LiteratureHolloway by Elana K. Arnold
“Elana K. Arnold paints prose like a master. A fascinating journey through time, love, and forgiveness.” —A.S. King
“Arnold successfully renders Nora’s sensory and intellectual overload through the protagonist’s lyrical reflections on perception, the societal connections between post–Covid pandemic and post-WWII eras, and the making of art as essential and eternal. Posing thought-provoking questions about time, love, and relationships, it’s an ambitious and immersive portrait of one neurodivergent teen’s experience.” —Publishers Weekly
When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller
“Another unforgettable novel from one of my favorite authors. I loved Nomi, Arthur, and Vi. I have a prophecy that readers will love them, too.”—Erin Entrada Kelly
“[A] pretty profound dose of reality….Keller asks and answers a fundamental question about community, friendship and family: ‘What do you do when your biggest fear comes true?’” —The New York Times
That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic by Keala Kendall
“With incisive prose that brings the plantation-turned-luxury-resort of Kōpa`a alive in all its excess and fruit-spoil, Kendall offers a striking Hawaiian gothic that is as terrifying as it is emotionally resonant. A deeply intimate tale of belonging, sisterhood and intergenerational trauma bookended by larger inquiries of colonialism exploitation—That Which Feeds Us bites with real teeth and is sure to leave its mark.” —Jihyun Yun
“Kendall effectively leverages colonialism’s horrors and its effects on Hawaii’s history to maximize tension and terror.” —Publishers Weekly
The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America by David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels
“I was a pre-teen during the AIDS Crisis. I watched my neighbors and family members disappear, first at the hands of judgement, then at the hands of the illness—a double death—and I wish I would’ve had this book to help me understand what was happening, so that I might better know how to fight and love.” —Jason Reynolds
“Balancing rigorous research with accessibility for teen readers is no small feat, but the co-authors achieve it by drawing on their complementary expertise….Honors the dead and inspires the living.” —Kirkus Reviews
Shook by Julian Randall
“Readers, make permanent room on your shelves—and in your hearts—for this witty and poignant novel.” —Elizabeth Acevedo
“Confronting mental health stigma and emphasizing the value of seeking and accepting help, this astute narrative thoughtfully handles issues of identity.” —Publishers Weekly
To see all of this year’s nominees, check out the 2026 National Book Awards Longlist for Young People’s Literature.