Best children's books of August 2026

Learn some early describing words with this fun board book packed with doggy opposites. Look out for the BookTrust tips on reading with your child at the end, too.

A fun hide-and-seek board book with interactive flaps, a repeated refrain and beautiful design. A great choice for encouraging joining in during shared reading experiences.

Rock reflects on its time on Earth before its 3 billionth birthday but is worried that nobody will come. This is a hilarious and original picture book that includes some accessible information about geology. 

Best friends Lotta and Lola are very chattery. In this story, they chatter about kindness and manners in their own inimitable way. Funny and stylish, this spin-off from the Charlie and Lola books is a delight. 

A sweet story about fitting in, standing out and feeling a bit different. A heartwarming debut picture book.

A charming bedtime book for children that don’t want to go to bed just yet! Kit’s family make up lots of challenges for her to complete in the run up to bed – but it’s a book that finally saves the day.

A vibrant rhyming picture book about one child’s experience of ADHD.

Gabe and his family have a new, shy cat. Slowly and with patience, Gabe teaches Art to trust him, which helps him overcome his own shyness. 

This interactive seek-and-find guide to a variety of fascinating creatures that live in the ocean encompasses habitats as varied as mangroves, underwater volcanoes, shipwrecks and the polar ice cap.

Dylan is in a bad mood, but Granny knows just what to do to brighten the day. Together, they explore different Caribbean ingredients to cook up a rainbow of joy. 

You be you – you’re amazing at that. Let me be me – I’m terrific at that. A rhyming picture book that celebrates individuality. Inclusive and accepting, this may help promote empathy when read with children. 

Olivier Tallec’s beautifully profound book about embracing difference and remaining friends could also be read as a political allegory – especially with the choice of red and blue, with opposing views. 

Meet the Dino Racers, a group of dinosaurs who love to race fast cars in Rumble Ridge. Two action-packed stories feature in this one entertaining book, each focusing on a different race. 

While exploring a museum, Thomas falls through time and ends up lost in the middle of ancient Egypt in this brilliant and informative picture book.

A highly illustrated mermaid adventure starring Atalanta Scrimshaw, the second book in a series. 

When a guest is poisoned at Sir Percy’s midsummer costume party, Eliza pieces together the clues and attempts to uncover the identity of the murderer. The first in a series of charming whodunnit mysteries, ideal for dyslexic readers. 

Séamus Murphy is on a mission to become famous like the rest of his family, but it’s more of a challenge than he’d expected. This hilarious illustrated chapter book is packed with laugh-out-loud moments. 

Mo T, The Airport Guy, is the reader’s airport guide through this colourful, detailed and graphic-style book, taking children through every step of the way from packing to go on holiday to the airport experience, the plane and arriving at a holiday destination. 

Sandy and Arjun suspect that grown ups are being replaced by robots. Is Tony Toaster, owner of the local factory, behind this dastardly plan? Join the friends as they navigate lasers, robot whales and a lot of puffin poo to save their town! A very funny, action-packed story. 

Wilomina and her baby brother are trapped in the nightmare world of Nocturna. Can they escape? An action-packed graphic novel adventure for fans of the Amulet series, and of Studio Ghibli.

This heartwarming and heartbreaking story about a life-limiting illness in a sibling intertwines joy, grief, hope, laughter and loss with the comfort and healing power that can be found in nature.

Newt Hawkin is thrilled to be gaming as part of the Holomonster Youth Development Squad. But when the holograms of monsters seem a bit too real, Newt and his new friends investigate what’s really going on. An enthralling action-packed adventure. 

Why does Jamaal suddenly have super strength and speed? And who’s kidnapped his best friend? A high-octane, pacy thriller packed with action. 

Owen is scouted for a Premier League academy, but when he discovers some of the ugly secrets behind the beautiful game, he has some difficult decisions to make. 

Featuring characters who are non-binary, queer, and disabled, Spindlewood is a truly inclusive book following the exploits of Lilac Black, the only non-magical student at a magical School for Seers. 

Scamp the dog and his animal friends must navigate a post-apocalyptic world to find safety. 

Two best friends find themselves caught up in an epic space adventure to take down an empire of robotic overlords. A superb sci-fi action romp for middle grade readers and beyond.

When Youngest is told he will be a pig watcher for the rest of his life he embarks on a quest to find magic and prove himself. An exciting and funny fantasy adventure with black-and-white illustrations. 

A wonderful coming of age verse novel set in Australia, interweaving poetry, growing up and history. 

Morgan Taylor is hiding a traumatic past when she comes to England to stay with her cousins. Can a summer working with horses help heal her? A mystery, an adventure and a romance – compelling and deeply satisfying.