The Wainwright Prize recognises the power of words to shape a greener future, celebrating the books that help us see the natural world, and our place within it, more clearly.
Take a look at these beautifully illustrated stories shortlisted for the 2026 Children’s Picture Books prize, now available to borrow with your library card.
Want more suggested books? Take a look at our recommendations.
Whale Song
Nicola Davies and Britta Teckentrup
Listen! Listen! Somewhere in the deep, deep blue, a humpback whale is singing.
Follow the story of one whale’s song as it spreads across the world’s oceans in this awe-inspiring non-fiction picture book from Welsh Children’s Laureate Nicola Davies. Discover the hidden wonder of how humpback whales listen and learn songs from each other, in this celebration of the beauty and power of nature.
With spectacular artwork by award-winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup, this is the perfect bedtime story to share with curious young animal-lovers.
The Great Bear
Annie Booker
Since the dawn of time, the Great Bear has patrolled the oceans, protecting the earth and her animals and overseeing the delicate balance of life. But now, one creature is changing everything. And the Great Bear cannot stand by.
Debut author and illustrator Annie Booker’s The Great Bear has the feel of a classic. The hand-painted illustrations capture the fragility and power of the natural world, making this book a beautiful gift for fans of illustration and animal lovers of all ages.
Featuring inspiring facts about real-life polar bears and the regeneration of the Arctic, this is the perfect read for budding environmentalists and conservationists.
A River Running Through You
Amy-Jane Beer and Elin Manon
Have you ever lingered on a riverbank watching the water flow, and wondered where it comes from or where it might be going?
Embark on a never-ending voyage in which young readers explore some very old questions – questions so old that they have stories for answers. This mesmerizing journey through mountain springs to vast oceans, from rivers in the sky to streams within our own bodies, guides readers through reflections on nature, life and our place within it.
Written by nature writer Amy-Jane Beer, this enchanting book spirals through time and space to remind us that water is more than just a resource – it is part of who we are.
The Sun Thief
Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater
Squirrel is back, and he’s enjoying the long, sunny summer days. But when the sun starts to disappear earlier and earlier each night, Squirrel is convinced there must be a sun thief about!
Join Squirrel on a mission to find the culprit, and meet some new nocturnal friends along the way. Luckily, the sun always comes out in the end!
Firefly
Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker
In the darkness of December, through the winter’s deepest snowing, when the world is steep in camber, and all hope is downwards – flowing, then’s the time to seek what’s glowing.
Written in lyrical verse, this story follows one light-seeking child who discovers a meadow illuminated by fireflies: ‘fallen constellations’ that dance like stars among the summer grasses, setting fears to flight.
Enchanting to read aloud and exquisite to hold in the hand, each scene is rendered in spellbinding detail, showing the power of hope in a world steeped in darkness.
The Summer Puppy
Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher
From a little furry bundle, Rosie the puppy grows, learns and explores her world – rose petals, spiders and butterflies in the garden, the jungle of long summer grass, the fields where a fox calls, the beach where she chases waves and digs deep in the sand.
Warmly and lovingly, Rosie’s first summer is recreated in Jackie Morris’s poetic words and Cathy Fisher’s unforgettable images.
Isla and the Sky
গ্রেগ স্টবস
Sometimes Sky is vast, bright, and blue; sometimes she is dark and thunderous, her raindrops reflecting the town below. Isla loves all Sky’s moods and tries to capture the variety in her paintings.
When Sky rains or clouds over, however, all the other townspeople grumble and moan. Sky decides she should just try to be happy all the time, so people aren’t cross with her. But this is harder than it looks and soon the world below – and Isla’s paintings – start to suffer.
Can Isla convince big, bold Sky to let all her feelings and colours show? What happens to Sky when she is on the brink of bursting?
The Whale That Sings in the Deep
Yuval Zommer
The Whale that Sings in the Deep tells the story of one blue whale’s incredible journey so that we can share every moment of joy and feel every heart-stopping moment of danger.
Following the journey of a solitary blue whale from its Arctic birthplace to the warm waters where it migrates in the winter months, this illustrated story enables readers to discover the perils and beauties of one of the most extraordinary animal journeys on Earth.
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