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Book challenges and awards

Newbery Honor Books, 2023 to 2026

Honor books are the runners-up the Newbery committee also names. Several recent honors are as widely read as the medal winners, so they are worth a look when a child has finished the winners.

Drawn from ALSC's Newbery Medal and Honor Books list (PDF dated March 2026); each entry carries the year it was named an honor book, Oct 2026. Checked 2026-10-25. Nobody paid to be here. The buy links are plain search links, not affiliate links, so Peabody earns nothing from them.

  1. The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli

    Karina Yan Glaser · Ages 8-12

    2026 honor. From the author of the Vanderbeekers series.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  2. A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez

    María Dolores Águila · Ages 10-14

    2026 honor. Also a 2026 Pura Belpré honor book.

    Watch for: Check themes before handing to younger readers.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  3. The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story

    Daniel Nayeri · Ages 10-14

    2026 honor. Nayeri also had a 2024 honor.

    Watch for: World War II setting.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  4. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest

    Aubrey Hartman · Ages 8-12

    2026 honor. Illustrated by Marcin Minor.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  5. Across So Many Seas

    Ruth Behar · Ages 9-13

    2025 honor. A story that follows one family across generations of leaving home.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  6. Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All

    Chanel Miller · Ages 8-12

    2025 honor. Also on the Texas Bluebonnet and Maryland Black-Eyed Susan lists for 2025-26.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  7. One Big Open Sky

    Lesa Cline-Ransome · Ages 8-12

    2025 honor. Historical fiction from the author of many picture-book biographies.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  8. The Wrong Way Home

    Kate O'Shaughnessy · Ages 9-13

    2025 honor. Also on the 2025-26 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan grades 6-8 list.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  9. Eagle Drums

    Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson · Ages 9-13

    2024 honor. A story rooted in Iñupiaq life in northern Alaska.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  10. Elf Dog and Owl Head

    M.T. Anderson · Ages 8-12

    2024 honor. A fantasy illustrated by Junyi Wu.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  11. Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

    Pedro Martín · Ages 9-13

    2024 honor. A funny graphic memoir about a family road trip to Mexico. Also on the 2026 Rebecca Caudill list.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  12. Simon Sort of Says

    Erin Bow · Ages 9-13

    2024 honor. Also on the 2026 Rebecca Caudill list.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  13. The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

    Daniel Nayeri · Ages 10-14

    2024 honor. Illustrated by Daniel Miyares.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  14. Iveliz Explains It All

    Andrea Beatriz Arango · Ages 9-13

    2023 honor. A novel in verse about a girl with anxiety and depression.

    Watch for: Mental health themes.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  15. The Last Mapmaker

    Christina Soontornvat · Ages 9-13

    2023 honor. An adventure on the high seas.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

  16. Maizy Chen's Last Chance

    Lisa Yee · Ages 8-12

    2023 honor. A girl spends the summer in her grandparents' small-town Chinese restaurant.

    Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon

More lists

All 348 lists →