The Inclusive Book Awards have announced their 2026 longlist titles! Explore these fantastic inclusive stories for children, including short novels and picture books.
All these books are free to borrow with your library card.
Want more suggested books? Take a look at our recommendations.
Children’s fiction longlist
Supa Nova
Chanté Timothy
Meet Nova! She’s a scientist. Some people say she’s a genius. Some people even call her Supa Nova – get it? Like a supernova. Basically she’s a huge star, exploding right at you with her adventures!
When Nova invents a plastic-eating monster, she thinks she’s solved the world’s pollution problem. But she doesn’t expect her monster to start rampaging through the city!
Can Nova find a way to save the day? It will take a genius to figure it out!
Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem
Serena Patel and Emma McCann
Pia LOVES pets, but no matter how much she begs her parents for one, the answer is always NO! But Pia doesn’t give up easily. She decides to help her friend Hari train his troublesome puppy, Luna, to show her parents that she can look after one of her own.
But when Luna continues to cause CHAOS, Pia will need to work really hard to show her how to behave. It’s time to join forces with her animal-loving friends, and form Pet Club! But will Pia ever get a pet of her very own?
Marv and the Duck of Doom
Alex Falase-Koya and Paula Bowles
Marvin meets a blast from his grandad’s past when the Duck of Doom shows up at the park, controlled by a new generation of super villain-Professor Feather 2.0. It’s time for Marvin to become MARV-unstoppable, invincible, and totally MARVellous!
With the Ducklings of Doom also hot on his heels, the odds are quacked against Marv. He’s going to have to ruffle some feathers in order to put these dastardly ducks back in their place.
Destiny Ink: Birthday Secret
Adeola Sokunb
Destiny is really looking forward to her cousin Lola’s birthday party. Lola and Destiny love doing everything together! Drawing, dancing, you name it! But when Destiny arrives at the party, things are different.
Lola is so busy playing with her friends, she doesn’t have time for Destiny and Destiny can’t help feeling left out. And when Lola receives lots of presents as well as all the attention, Destiny starts to feel jealous. Destiny draws herself a friend in her sketchbook – a gorgeous teddy bear. She can hardly believe it when her aunt gives her a teddy that looks exactly the same and when no one else is around, the teddy talks!
Finally someone for Destiny to play with. But while Destiny has fun with the bear, it’s not the same as playing with Lola. Will Destiny be able to join in the party?
The Misadventures of Mina Mahmood: School Trip
Kate Thompson and Natelle Quek
Mina, Reema and Mobeen can’t wait to go on their school trip, an overnight stay at Shiremoor Oaks Adventure Centre – until somebody spooks them with stories about Bertie Blackteeth: who haunts the woods, who sharpens her toenails with twigs, who is waiting to skewer her next unfortunate victim all over with cheese-and-onion crisps!
With Bertie Blackteeth lurking and the school bully seeming to have become the teacher’s pet – this trip will test their friendship, courage and love of potato chips to the limit.
George and the Mini Dragon
George Webster, Helen Harvey and Tim Budgen
Most of George’s classmates have cats and dogs as pets, but George’s parents are not pet lovers and despite George’s pleading they refuse to get him either.
On George’s birthday, he decides to wish for a pet Labrador, but at the last minute he changes his mind… a pet dragon would surely be more fun?!
When George finds a dragon at the end of the garden, he realises his wish has come true, but this dragon has a mind of its own, and it’s going to be hard to conceal its antics at school and to his parents.
Can George and his friends keep Lava a secret together?
Picture book longlist
A Taste of Home
Maryam Hassan and Anna Wilson
Tariq loves food, from delicious dinners with his big family to scrumptious surprises in his lunchbox at school. But when he’s asked to bring in a special dish for his class picnic, Tariq begins to worry about how he’ll choose just one tasty favourite!
As his family inspire him with stories of their favourite foods, Tariq soon realises that choosing the perfect dish is about more than just how it tastes. Empower little ones to be proud of where they come from with this illustrated celebration of food, family, and the magic of memories.
Cloud Boy
Greg Stobbs
When Bobby gets distracted, he starts to float. Everyone tries to help him, but there are so many sights and sounds and smells which draw his attention away from everyday things.
Bobby would like to concentrate like his friends, but it’s very hard, so his family and friends come up with all sorts of clever plans. But a string tied around Bobby’s ankle just makes him feel empty inside.
In this uplifting story, Bobby’s friends and family might just learn that the best way to understand Bobby to think a bit like him. This is a positive fable that celebrates the value of neurodivergence.
Dancing Dumplings for My One and Only
Eva Wong Nava and Natelle Quek
‘Dancing Dumplings for My One and Only’ is a story celebrating the power of love, family bonds, the memory of traditions and a truly (delicious!) universal food.
A little girl is shown how to make dumplings by her grandma and they absolutely love the ritual of cooking together: We roll. We fill. We pinch and pleat. We cook!
When Grandma gets sick, the little girl takes her turn to make dumplings and help soothe her grandma back to wellness – channelling as much love and comfort as she can into her cooking. Luckily, delicious homemade dumplings hold a lot of goodness inside.
Noah’s New Home
Zeshan Akhter and Nabila Adani
In a tale of home and healing, Noah’s family have taken a journey no one should have to make.
They arrive in a different country as refugees. While settling into their new house, Noah misses his Baba, Jida and their old home.
When a fireworks display brings back both happy memories and difficult moments of their journey and arrival, his family and their new community support him in facing his fears and feeling hopeful for the future.
That’s Not Stella!
Donna Fredin
How well do you really know your pets?
Milo is convinced that his cat pet Stella is an imposter! Is Stella just trying some new things or is she a completely different cat altogether?
A humorous story of the bond between a young boy and his pet.
The Beautiful Layers of Me
Sophia Payne and Ruchi Mhasane
Ameena can’t wait for her aunty’s wedding. She is wearing a brand-new salwar kameez – the layers of floaty fabric adorned with pretty patterns make her feel like a princess.
But when someone comments on her ‘pyjamas’, she loses all confidence, fearing that her friends might not accept her traditional clothing.
Through courage, familial love and self-belief, Ameena discovers what it means to take pride in the beautiful layers of her cultural heritage in this authentic and sensitively told story.
The Hunt for the Fog Town Moose
Stefania Aldana Trujillo
A photographer and his son are searching for a creature many talk about but few have ever seen … the Fog Town moose!
They look high. They look low. But the town is foggy and the moose is an expert at hiding in plain sight.
Will they manage to photograph the missing moose before it’s time to catch the train home?
Wednesday Is for Wiggling
Eva Wong Nava and Holly Sterling
With lively text and charming illustrations, this sweetly observed story introduces children to the days of the week, and shares a positive experience of growing up with separated parents.
Whether it’s wiggling on her cosy Wednesday with Mama, visiting the library with her childminder on Thursday, making origami cranes with her grandparents on Saturday or scooting in the park with Daddy on Sunday, this little girl cherishes the time she spends with all her caregivers.