My Home Is in My Backpack (Perella) © by Angela Salerno

The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) announced its 2026 Outstanding International Books list, featuring 41 exceptional titles for children and young adults published in 2025 and originating from 24 countries. Since 2006, USBBY’s annual lists have introduced young readers in the U.S. to global perspectives, outstanding international creators, and stories that foster empathy, bridge cultures, and build connections. 

Together, these books show young people around the world seeking connection and belonging—through family, friendship, self-discovery, and engagement with their communities. “The Outstanding International Books list is a unique resource offering exceptional books that will expose young readers to perspectives and experiences that expand and enrich their world views,” said Susan Polos, USBBY President, 2026-27.

This year, for the first time, the 2026 Outstanding International Books list was officially presented as part of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Winter Conference in New York City on January 18. In previous years, the presentation was held at the winter meeting of the American Library Association. 

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The full 2026 Outstanding International Books list, along with previous years’ selections, is available on their website. 
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Grades PreK-2

●    Andruetto, María Teresa. Clara and the Man with Books in His Window. tr. from Spanish by Elisa Amado. illus. by Martina Trach. Aldana Libros/Greystone Kids. (Argentina) 
●    Arai, Ryōji. The Snow Theater. tr. from Japanese by David Boyd. illus. by author. Enchanted Lion. (Japan) 
●    Atinuke. M Is for Mango. illus. by Angela Brooksbank. Candlewick. (UK/Nigeria) 
●    Auh, Dayeon. The Three-Year Tumble. tr. from German by Tim Mohr. illus. by author. NorthSouth. (Switzerland/South Korea) 
●    Brandelius, Uje. The Playdate. tr. from Swedish by Nichola Smalley. illus. by Clara Dackenberg. Lantana. (Sweden) 
●    Flett, Julie. My Friend May. illus. by author. Greystone Kids. (Canada) 
●    Guarda, María J. Paloma Flies Away. tr. from Spanish by Melanie Córdova. illus. by author. Candlewick. (Chile) 
●    Kim, Hye-Eun. Pencil. illus. by author. TOON Books/Astra. (South Korea) 
●    Kim, Jihyun. Blue Sky Morning. tr. from Korean by Polly Lawson. illus. by author. Floris Bks. (South Korea) 
●    Lam, Thao. Everybelly. illus. by author. Groundwood. (Canada) 

●    Liu, Hao. Wrestlers of the Grasslands. tr. from Chinese. illus. by author. Clavis. (China) 
●    López, Azul. Croco. tr. from Spanish by Kit Maude. illus. by author. Tapioca Stories. (Mexico) 
●    Ohnari, Yuko. Downpour: Splish! Splash! Ker-Splash! tr. from Japanese by Emily Balistrieri. illus. by Koshiro Hata. Red Comet Pr. (Japan) 
●    Perella, Eugenia. My Home Is in My Backpack. tr. from Spanish by Sally Polson. illus. by Angela Salerno. Floris Bks. (Chile) 
●    Saunders, Kirli. Afloat. illus. by Freya Blackwood. Levine Querido. (Australia) 
●    Schuff, Nicolás. How to Reach the Moon. tr. from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. illus. by Ana Sender. Amazon Crossing Kids. (Argentina) 
●    Tallec, Olivier. Is It Asleep? tr. from French by Antony Shugaar. illus. by author. Gecko Pr. (France) 
●    Xiong, Liang. Take a Walk with the Wind. tr. from Chinese by Chloe Garcia Roberts. illus. by author. Elsewhere Editions. (China) 
●    Xu Bin. Picking Tea with Baba. tr. from Chinese by Shan Chen. illus. by Yu Yin. Charlesbridge. (China) 

Grades 3-5 

●    Dautremer, Rébecca. The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough. tr. from French by Charis Ainslie. illus. by author. Post Wave. (France) 
●    Djupvik, Laura. My Brother. tr. from Norwegian by Martin Aitken. illus. by Øyvind Torseter. Elsewhere Editions. (Norway) 
●    Fadeeva, Olga. Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear. tr. from Russian by Lena Traer. illus. by author. Eerdmans. (Russia) 
●    Kashiwaba, Sachiko. The Village Beyond the Mist. tr. from Japanese by Avery Fischer Udagawa. illus. by Miho Satake. Yonder/Restless Bks. (Japan) 
●    Krishnaswami, Uma. The Sunshine Project. illus. by Julianna Swaney. Groundwood. (Canada/India) 
●    McQuoid, Judith. Giant. Little Island. (Ireland/UK) 
●    Muñoz Toro, Juliana. Journey of the Humpbacks. tr. from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. illus. by Dipacho. Eerdmans. (Colombia) 
●    Naïr, Karthika. Electric Birds of Pothakudi. illus. by Joëlle Jolivet. Abrams. (France/India) 

 Grades 6-8

●    Åstot, Moa Backe. Butterfly Heart. tr. from Swedish by Agnes Broomé. Levine Querido. (Sweden) 
●    Bjerkeland, Ingvild. Beasts. tr. from Norwegian by Rosie Hedger. Levine Querido. (Norway) 
●    Dzotap, Alain Serge. Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon. tr. from French by author. illus. by Marc Daniau. Eerdmans. (France/Cameroon) 
●    Go, Jung-soon. Okchundang Candy. tr. from Korean by Aerin Park. illus. by author. Levine Querido. (South Korea) 
●    Lessore, Nathanael. Dropping Beats. Little, Brown. (UK) 
●    Mansour, Vivian. Pilgrim Codex. tr. from Spanish by Carlos Rodríguez Cortez. illus. by Emmanuel Valtierra. Levine Querido. (Mexico) 
●    Marsol, Manuel. Astro. tr. from Spanish by Lizzie Davis. illus. by author. Transit Bks. (Spain) 
●    Rundberg, Johan. Biggest Fake in the Universe. tr. from Swedish by Eva Apelqvist. Amazon Crossing Kids. (Sweden) 
●    Said, SF. Tyger. illus. by Dave McKean. Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House. (UK) 

Grades 9-12

●    Bassett, Louise. The Hidden Girl. Walker Books Australia. (Australia/Indonesia) 
●    Magicdusté, Akvilė. The Bees: The Women Who Rocked Lithuania. tr. from Lithuanian by Erika Lastovskytė. illus. by author. Fantagraphics. (Lithuania) 
●    O’Brien, Gráinne. Solo. Little Island. (Ireland) 
●    Sanna, Alessandro. Old as Stone, Hard as Rock: Of Humans and War. tr. from Italian by Ammiel Alcalay. illus. by author. Unruly/Enchanted Lion. (Italy) 
●    Volbeda, Ludwig. Self Portrait. tr. from Dutch by Lucy Scott. illus. by author. Levine Querido. (The Netherlands)
 

 The 2026 Outstanding International Books Committee 
 Susan Polos (Chair), Katonah, NY 
 Junko Sakoi (Asst. Chair), Tucson, AZ 
 Jackie Garcia-Morales, Medford, NJ 
 Robin Gibson, Granville, OH 
 Taraneh Matloob Haghanikar, Cedar Falls, IA 
 Suzii Christian Parsons, Stillwater, OK 
 Emily Pendergrass, Nashville, TN 
 Laura Simeon, Redmond, WA 
 Riky Stock, Highlands, NJ 
 

About the United States Board on Books for Young People 
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) is a nonprofit organization devoted to building bridges of international understanding through children's and young adult books; it serves as the U.S. national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Learn more at usbby.org.