For immediate release | June 28, 2026

Announcing the 2026 Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists

Core presents the 2026 Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists. The lists are composed of notable children’s and young adult science fiction published between November 2024 and March 2026 and organized into three age-appropriate categories. The annotated lists will be posted on the website at www.sfnotables.org.

The Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List is selected from books intended for pre-school children and very early readers, up to 6 years old. Recognition is given to the author and the illustrator:

The Aliens Do NOT Want to Go Home by Adam Gustavson. Charlesbridge
ARLO by Sophia Gholz, Illustrated by MacKenzie Haley. Sleeping Bear Press
Field Trip to Dinosaur Valley by John Hare. Margaret Ferguson Books
I Come From Another Galaxy by James Kwan. Abrams
Old MacDonald Had a Farm E-I-UFO by Zach von Zonk. Illustrated by Benjamin Chaud. Chronicle Books
Search for our Cosmic Neighbors by Chloe Savage. Candlewick
Tate Tuber Space Spud by Michael Slack. Holiday House
To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here by Antoinette Portis. Neal Porter Books
Wait 'Til You're Older by Maria Marianayagam, Illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich. Sourcebooks
The Wild Robot on the Island by Peter Brown. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List titles are chapter books or short novels that may be illustrated. They are written for ages 7 - 11. This list is named for Eleanor Cameron, author of the Mushroom Planet series.

The AI Incident by J.E. Thomas. Levine Querido
Deeply Dave by Michael Grover. Henry Holt and Co.
Encounter at Owl Rock by Rucker Moses. Nancy Paulsen Books
The Experiment by Rebecca Stead. Feiwel & Friends
The Girl and the Robot by Oz Rodriguez and Claribel A. Ortega. Disney Hyperion
Mr. Muffin: Defender of the Stars by Ben Kahn, Illustrated by Georgeo Brooks. Oni Press
Oasis by Guojing. Godwin Books
The Space Cat by Nnedi Okorafor, Illustrated by Tana Ford. First Second
Starstuff edited by William Alexander. MIT Kids Press
The Stowaway by Griffin McElroy. Choose Your Own Adventure
Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy. Nosy Crow
Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop by Krystal Sutherland and Martin Seneviratne. Nancy Paulsen Books
Unboxing Libby by Steph Cherrywell. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
What Fell from the Sky by Adrianna Cuevas. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend by Lance Rubin. Clarion Book

The Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List contains science fiction books written for ages 12 - 18 with a young adult protagonist. This list is named for Hal Clement, a well-known science fiction writer and high school science teacher who promoted children’s science fiction.

Augmented by Kenechi Udogu. Faber & Faber Children’s
Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel. Scholastic Press
Candace, the Universe, and Everything by Sherri L. Smith. G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
The Celestial Seas by T.A. Chan. Viking Books for Young Readers
Coldwire by Chloe Gong. Margaret K. McElderry Books
Echo Nova by Clint Hall. Enclave Escape
Meet Me at Blue Hour by Sarah Suk. Quill Tree Books
Sea Change by Susan Fletcher. Harry N. Abrams
The Singular Life of Aria Patel by Samira Ahmed. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Tectiv Vol. 1: Noirtopia by Richard Ashley Hamilton, illustrated by Marco Matrone, lettered by Dave Sharpe. Maverick
This is the Year by Gloria Muñoz. Holiday House
Time-Tripping Over You by Brennon Lane. Page Street YA
Titan of the Stars by E.K. Johnston. Tundra Books
You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne. Henry Holt and Co

Selections are made by the Core Committee Recognizing Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction each June.

Selections are made by the Core Committee Recognizing Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction each January.

About Core
Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures is a community of library professionals in core functions of management and leadership, technical services, and technology shaping the future of the profession by aspiring library leaders, preserving library resources, and empowering libraries through technology. Core is a division of the American Library Association. Follow us on our Blog, Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Contact:

Tom Ferren

Deputy Executive Director Learning & Events

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures

tferren@ala.org

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