5 Canadian picture books in the running for CBC Kids Reads 2026

Posted 1 day ago by Technology Coordinator

The fourth edition of CBC Kids Reads, a literary celebration for young readers, has announced this year’s five shortlisted titles.

From a fish with a passion for fashion, to a little girl with a passion for cars and helping her father in the garage, the five shortlisted books are sure to make you crack a smile or two.

The 2026 shortlist is:

  • Beautiful Black Boy by Sophia Robinson, illustrated by Ken Daley
  • I Need Pants! by Susan Sweet, illustrated by Cailin Doherty
  • The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan by Hala Tahboub
  • Sarabeth’s Garage by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Nadia Alam
  • You Can’t Tame a Tiger by Stephanie Ellen Sy, illustrated by Julien Chung

The winning book will be announced in a special TV broadcast on Oct. 19 on CBC TV, CBC Gem and the CBC Kids YouTube channel at 9 a.m. local time (9:30 a.m. in New Brunswick and Newfoundland).

CBC Kids Reads will include a short feature of each shortlisted book, including a read-aloud of the story, followed by a finale special featuring the CBC Kids Reads live event at the Central Library in Whitby, Ont., where attending kids and families voted for the winning book.

CBC Kids Reads began in 2023 as a program to highlight and celebrate Canadian picture books and inspire an early love of reading.

Last year’s winner was Mad at Dad by Janie Hao, a picture book about exploring big feelings and managing anger in healthy ways.

The CBC Kids Reads 2026 longlist of 15 picture books was revealed in August.

Learn more about the five books on the CBC Kids Reads 2026 shortlist below.

 

Beautiful Black Boy by Sophia Robinson, illustrated by Ken Daley

Left, a man in green hat. Middle, an illustrated book cover with a young boy laying in bed. Right, a woman in a black and white shirt smiling.

Sophia Robinson’s Beautiful Black Boy is a poetic-style picture book about self-love. The story celebrates the strength, bravery and joy of Black boyhood.

Beautiful Black Boy is for ages 4 to 8.

Robinson has been an elementary school teacher for over 20 years. She was born and raised in Ontario.

Ken Daley is an artist and illustrator. His previous works include Joseph’s Big Ride, Jayden’s Impossible Garden and A Feast for Joseph. He lives in Tillsonburg, Ont.

 

I Need Pants! by Susan Sweet, illustrated by Cailin Doherty

Left, an illustrated book cover of a yellow fish smiling. Upper right, a woman with blonde hair. Lower right, a woman with black hair.

Fish wants to wear pants, but Octopus points out that Fish can’t wear pants. Fish doesn’t even have legs! In I Need Pants!, Octopus worries the other sea creatures will make fun of Fish and his bold fashion choices. But once Fish starts strutting around the ocean floor, Octopus is willing to try on a few pairs of pants of his own and learns about the joys of dressing the way you want to.

I Need Pants! is for ages 3 to 8.

Susan Sweet is a writer and a clinical child psychologist. She currently lives in Toronto.

Cailin Doherty is a Toronto-based illustrator who specializes in 2D work. I Need Pants! is her debut picture book.

 

The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan by Hala Tahboub

Left, an illustrated book cover of young boy and an elderly woman hanging on to a hose. A giant ice cream cone is behind them. Right, a woman with brown hair.

All Mango and his grandmother Nan want is a summer ice cream cone. But instead, they end up on a topsy-turvy adventure that leads them all over town. The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan is a story about learning that sometimes cancelled plans are best served with sprinkles and a cherry on top.

The Interrupted Plans of Mango and Nan is for ages 4 to 8.

Hala Tahboub is a children’s book writer and illustrator. Tahboub currently lives in Montreal.

 

Sarabeth’s Garage by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Nadia Alam

an illustrated picture book of a little girlin overalls in a garage. Author and illustrator headshots.

In Sarabeth’s Garage, Sarabeth loves cars. When her father teaches her how to fix them. Sarabeth’s grandmother doesn’t approve of this – but when her car is making weird noises, Sarabeth is the one who knows what to do.

Sarabeth’s Garage is for ages 3 to 7.

Melanie Florence is a Toronto-based writer of Cree and Scottish heritage. Her previous books include Missing Nimâmâ, which won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the Forest of Reading Golden Oak Award, and Stolen Words, which won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.

Nadia Alam is a Bangladeshi Canadian illustrator based in Toronto. She is the illustrator of The Wishing Machine, Awake, Asleep, Mauntie and Me and The House Without Lights.

 

You Can’t Tame a Tiger by Stephanie Ellen Sy, illustrated by Julien Chung
The front cover of You Can't Tame a Tiger by Stephanie Ellen Sy, illustrated by Julien Chung, showing an illustration of a child sitting on top of a tiger's head. The book's creators are also pictured.

A young boy adores his pet tiger Imran, but can’t help wishing that Imran looked like a regular tiger. In You Can’t Tame a Tiger, the boy tries to paint Imran orange with black stripes to impress the other kids. But Imran is a confident animal and he doesn’t want a makeover. The boy learns an important lesson in letting others be themselves.

You Can’t Tame a Tiger is for ages 4 to 7.

Stephanie Ellen Sy is a Filipino Chinese Canadian author originally from Hong Kong. Her first picture book was A Roof!. Sy currently lives in Vancouver.

Julien Chung is a New York Times-bestselling illustrator of 20 children’s books, including This is a Dog Book! He lives in Montreal.

Source: CBC Books