THE HEADLINE

The books on the longlist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature

The National Book Awards are presenting their longlists this week, beginning with the contenders for Young People’s Literature, announced yesterday.

Two of this year’s longlisted authors have been previously nominated for the award, and the selection of books offers a little of everything, style- and form- wise. There’s nonfiction, verse, and even a picture book among them.

The 10 longlisted titles for the 2026 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature are:

The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa Holloway by Elana K. Arnold The Celestial Seas by T. A. Chan When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic by Keala Kendall The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS In America by David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller Clothes to Make You Smile: Patrick Kelly Designs His Dreams by Eric Darnell Pritchard Shook by Julian Randall Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

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.

Learn more about the National Book Awards on their website, and keep your eyes peeled for the rest of the longlists this week!

AWARDS SEASON

Get smart about the National Book Foundation’s lifetime achievement awards

national book foundation flagship feature

Are you in the know about the National Book Foundation’s two lifetime achievement awards? We now know the 2026 recipients of:

The Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (DCAL), honoring “a person who has enriched our literary heritage over a life of service, or a corpus of work.” The Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, honoring literary activists “helping to increase access to and diversity in literature.”

The Foundation’s 2026 lifetime achievement award winners are:

Salman Rushdie for the DCAL. Author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction (Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder), Rushdie was described as “a bold, innovative writer and an indefatigable defender of free speech.” Perri Klass for the Literarian Award. National Medical Director of Reach Out and Read and prolific writer (Other Women’s Children), the Foundation recognizes Klass for her work in “reaffirming the importance of reading and storytelling as an integral part of early childhood.”

Previous winners of the DCAL and notable contributions include:

Nobel Prize-winning author of Beloved, Toni Morrison Key figure in the New Journalism movement and Play It As It Lays author Joan Didion

Previous winners of the Literarian Award include:

Feminist activist, literary champion, and Difficult Women author Roxane Gay Cave Canem, a program that provides safe spaces for African American poets to practice their craft

Dolly Parton, who famously twice declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom also declined the Literarian Award. According to the Foundation’s executive director, Ruth Dickey, Parton “graciously declined each time saying that she didn’t need the recognition.” —SZW

GO ANALOG

Bookish puzzles for fall fun

Image of two bookish puzzles on top of an image of loose puzzle pieces

It took me many years to fall in love with doing jigsaw puzzles, but when I realized I could puzzle while listening to audiobooks and podcasts, it became a hobby synonymous with fall. I love a big ole cup of tea, a great listen, and a fun bookish puzzle to while away the chillier and darker evenings.

Puzzle creators have gotten the memo about how many book lovers are into doing jigsaws and have really stepped up their offerings. There are a slew of great bookish puzzles this year to make your analog fall even more fun.

Elena Essex does some of the most gorgeous, richly-colored puzzles out there, with high-quality pieces to boot. This 1000 piece bookshelf puzzle–featuring cats and plants aplenty–is at the top of my pile. Galison puzzles are my absolute favorite, with great images and well-cut, good-fitting pieces. Readers looking for a slightly creepy take on a bookish puzzle will enjoy this 1000-piece option called The Gilded Spine. Check out the foil pieces! This 500-piece Springbok puzzle brings all of the cozy book nook vibes. Who wouldn’t want to spend the afternoon inside the Wisdom & Whimsy Bookshop on this 1000-piece Galison puzzle? You can also imagine the inside of this 500-piece Pippi Post Book Nook puzzle. The same brand has a fun-looking 500-piece Little Women puzzle, too.

While this puzzle isn’t book-themed, it’s from a book publisher, and I’m including it because it’s the one I’ll be starting next as I listen to Hit Girls by Nora Princiotti.

Itching for more cozy bookish hobbies this fall? Check out these granny hobby books for inspiration. —KJ

ADAPTATION NATION

The latest page-to-screen news

Books are big business in Hollywood, and that’s not changing any time soon. Here’s a look at the latest adaptation announcements.

Slow Horses, based on Mick Herron’s hilarious and hilariously flatulent spy novels, has been renewed for an eighth season at Apple TV.

Lonesome Dove is headed to Netflix for a series adaptation created by Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart, the team behind the East of Eden limited series that is landing October 1.

Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go, about a divorced couple who just can’t quit each other, is set for series adaptation at Peacock.

The Bell Jar has wrapped production with an absolutely stacked cast, including Billie Eilish, Carey Mulligan, Danielle Deadwyler, and Connor Storie. Expect to see it in theaters next year.

The new Pride & Prejudice series starring Emma Corrin and Slow Horses‘ Jack Lowden will arrive on Netflix December 3.

Netflix just paid $1 million to acquire a short story called “Understudy” from sci-fi and horror author Nicholas Binge.

SWORDS & SPACESHIPS

Introducing the cover of Situationship

photo credit: Kat Veldt

Máire Roche is the author of the queer cozy fantasy Bromantasy. Her next novel is Situationship, out June 1, 2027 from Putnam. Today, Book Riot is hosting the cover reveal! The cover artist/designer is Tal Goretsky. Below, Máire Roche discusses the book and the cover design process.

Tell us about Situationship!

Situationship is a queer, cozy standalone follow-up on the high seas featuring an underemployed mercenary, a wickedly hot pirate queen, and the mortifying ordeal of being known.

Rosa, our underemployed mercenary, has retired with her girl gang…well, she tried to. It didn’t stick. She didn’t like basket weaving. Or having roommates. The pet goat her friends adopted didn’t help matters, either. When she takes a big job to catch an infamous pirate, she realizes too late that she’s been asked to kill the pirate—or that the king of the realm will kill her.

But Rosa isn’t a killer, the pirate is really, really hot, and the crew quickly makes Rosa feel like family. Alongside her trusty-but-dumb pet crow, Rosa must decide whether to ignore her newfound feelings and carry out her job, or put aside her mercenary days and follow her heart into piracy.

Has it been exciting to see your characters come to life on the Bromantasy and Situationship jackets? What has been your favorite part of that process?

I am OBSESSED with the beautiful covers, and can’t wait to see the two covers together in person!

I adored the silly, chaotic Bromantasy cover so much (and the first-edition sprayed edges!!), and it was hard to imagine ever loving a cover more.

Then, of course, my incredible team at Putnam pulled together something that made me audibly gasp. I LOVE Gráinne’s depiction, and that it includes so many little details (like her scars), I am delighted by Rosa’s look of petulant dismay, and having Ignoto (the pet crow) front and center is perfect.

It’s been such a gift to have not one, but two covers where my characters have come to life. Tal Goretsky is the fantastic art director behind the magic, and I’m so thrilled to have this type of magic twice over. It’s truly been life-changing.

Check out a larger version of the cover on Book Riot, as well as Máire Roche’s answers to questions about the inspiration behind the book and the role of queer found family in the novel.

COMICS

New graphic novels for Latine Heritage Month

Latine Heritage Month is underway! The month-long celebration runs from September 15 to October 15, and highlights the culture and contributions of Latine Americans. The middle-of-the-month start signifies several countries’ independence days. Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and El Salvador all gained independence on September 15, while Mexico, Chile, and Belize obtained it only a few days later.

Of course, all year is the best time to read more books by Latine authors, but if you want to participate in the month’s celebration, add the following graphic novels to your TBR. They include an adapted classic, the companion to an award-winning graphic memoir, and coming-of-age YA fiction that is out later this month.

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and Krystal Quiles: The classic novel this was adapted from was inspired by real life. It follows the Mirabal sisters as they fought against Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican Republic’s dictator. Mexikid Dreams by Pedro Martín: In the follow-up to Martín’s award-winning middle grade graphic memoir, Pedro is sick of having to pick strawberries under the hot summer sun with his family, all while worrying about immigration patrols. Once he starts learning more about his family’s past, though, his view of freedom starts to change. Second Generation Blues by Julio Anta and Red Dryer (September 29): More summer longing! Cuban American teen Luis Menendez just wants to kick it with his crush this summer, but he’s forced to work as a delivery driver for his parents’ failing restaurant. Trying to have the time he wants and please his parents doesn’t go smoothly, and soon, he’s wondering if he’ll always have to sacrifice himself to be loyal to his family.

Here are even more Latine graphic novels for you to add to your reading this month.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Elizabeth McCracken, born September 16, 1966

Did you know? When asked if she keeps a record of favorite sentences, McCracken responded, saying that she only kept them in her heart…and that they were mostly Oscar Wilde and Grace Paley.

CRITICAL LINKING

You are now free to roam about the internet

a laptop computer with scattered headlines on its screen against a red background

Singapore is paying citizens to read.

Cormac McCarthy’s midlife crisis changed American literature.

A new report from MIT finds that AI harms learning. This is our surprised face.

Keep it moving with 7 books to help you bounce back after failure.

Stack your Fall TBR with the most-anticipated SFF book releases.

END NOTES

Written by Rebecca Schinsky, Jeff O’Neal, Kelly Jensen, Sharifah Williams, Danika Ellis, Erica Ezeifedi, and Vanessa Diaz. Thanks to Danika Ellis for copy editing.

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