Sneak Peek list of Poetry for Young People 2026

It's time to share my "sneak peek" list of anticipated poetry books for young people set to be published this year. MY LAST LIST! After 20 years of maintaining this blog, I'm bringing it to a close--mostly. I may post here and there, but I would LOVE for someone else to pick up the mantle and post a "sneak peek" list next year and in the future. I'm happy to share the tips I've found helpful. Just let me know! 

Meanwhile, here's the list I've gathered so far-- including poetry books and novels in verse--for children and young adults. I'm sure I've missed some, so please let me know of any titles to add. (I'm not including rhyming or poetic picture books). Once again, I'm so happy to see so many goodies heading our way-- by many new names, too. Woohoo!

Sneak Peek list of Poetry for Young People 2026

1. Adjoa, Delali. 2026. The Free Verse Society. Peachtree Teen. 
2. Alexander, Kwame. 2026. The Mighty Macy. Ill. by Kitt Thomas. Little, Brown. 
3. Arango, Andrea Beatriz. 2026. No Place on Earth. Random House. 
4. Barnes, Derrick. 2026. Do It for the People. Ill. by Gordon C. James. Versify.
5. Barrow, Rebecca. 2026. Doe. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books. 
6. Bennett, Joshua. 2026. The World Is Full of Beautiful Quiet Things. Ill. by Minako Tomigahara. Little, Brown. 
7. Biddle, Kimberly A. Gordon. 2026. As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons. Ill. by David Wilkerson. Magination Press. 
8. Bigna, Sandy. 2026. Little Bones. Simon & Schuster. 
9. Bulion, Leslie. 2026. Nature’s Remarkable Partners: Wild Poems for Two Voices. Ill. by Robert Meganck. Margaret Quinlin Books. 
10. Caprara, Rebecca. 2026. Eva to the Max. Dial. 
11. Chapman, Ty and Tison, Ari. Eds. 2026. Witness: Poems to Address the Past, Present, and Future of Policing. Ill. Damon Davis. by Lerner/Zest. 
12. Classey, Paige. 2026. Anna-June and the Last Summer. Random House. 
13. Cole, Olivia A. 2026. Blood Lick. Labyrinth Road. 
14. Cronin, Mary E, 2026. Trucks, Boots, and Bells: Firehouse Poems. Ill. by Aaron Marin. Holiday House. 
15. Elliott, David. 2026. At the Edge: Curious Creatures of Planet Earth (Paws, Fins, Feathers, Claws). Ill. by Clover Robin. Candlewick
16. Fischer, Max. 2026. The Unpoetic Life of August Grey. Scholastic.
17. Fogliano, Julie. 2026. Because of a Shoe. Ill. by Marla Frazee. Knopf.
18. Fraillon, Zana. 2026. Song of a Thousand Seas. Simon & Schuster. 
19. Freeman, Megan E. 2026. The Secret of Belonging. Atheneum. 
20. Ghigna, Charles. 2026. The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Book of Poems. Ill. by Eric Carle. Random House.
21. Goodwin, Idris. 2026. Don’t Drop the Mic. Ill. by Kaylani Juanita. HarperCollins.
22. Heard, Georgia. Ed. 2026. Words I Might Have Eaten. Ill. by Paige Keiser. Astra/Calkins Creek. 
23. Henderson, Judith. 2026. Counting Poems. Reycraft Books.
24. Hughes, Langston. 2026. Melodies of the Weary Blues: Classic Poems Illustrated for Young People. HarperCollins. 
25. Iqbal, Shagufta K. 2026. Everything in Between. 
26. Jett, Brianna. 2026. Under a Carnivore Sky. Page Street. 
27. Ko, Christine. 2026. Love Language. Sorra Books. 
28. Lamb, Simon. 2026. A Passing on of Shells. Ill. by Chris Riddell. Scallywag Press.
29. Latham, Irene and Waters, Charles. 2026. For the Win: Poems About Pivotal Moments in the Lives of Phenomenal Athletes. Lerner/Carolrhoda. 
30. Latham, Irene. 2026. Come In! Come In! Ill. by Amy Hevron. Astra/Wordsong.
31. LaTulippe, Renée. 2026. Limelight: Curtain Up on Poetry Comics! Ill. by Chuck Gonzales. Charlesbridge.
32. MacCulloch, Jone Rush. 2026. Tilt: Like Climbing a Tree. River Oak Press. 
33. Malee, Alison. 2026. All I Can Tell You. Ill. by Chantal Horeis. Paw Prints.
34. Manley, Curtis. 2026. Chasing Eruptions: How Volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft Helped Save 60,000 Lives—But Lost Their Own. Ill. by Katherine Roy. Clarion. 
35. Martin, Erica. 2026. Onward We Marched. Ill. by Alleanna Harris. Penguin/Flamingo. 
36. McCullough, Joy. 2026. Kestrel Takes Flight. Atheneum. 
37. Mole, Simon. 2026. Poetry Pizza. Ill by. Tom McLaughlin.
38. Moses, Brian. 2026. I am Ray’s Imaginary Friend. Ill. by Bethan Welby. 
39. Murray, Yvette R. 2026. Celebrate We Gullah Geechee. Ill. by Tonya Engel. Free Spirit. 
40. Newman, Lesléa. 2026. Song of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Ill. by Vesper Stamper. Enchanted Lion. 
41. Oliver, Mary. 2026. Goldfinches. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Viking. 
42. Park, Linda Sue. 2026. Just One Gift. Ill. by Robert Sae-Heng. HarperCollins/Clarion.
43. Patel, Khushboo. 2026. All That Chandni Knows. Putnam. 
44. Paul, Miranda. 2026. House of Joy: A Celebration of Lucille Clifton, Author and Poet. Ill. by Jerry Jordan. Henry Holt. 
45. Peña-Govea, René. 2026. Estela, Undrowning. HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books. 
46. Piercey, Rachel. 2026. Wisdom of the Woods. Ill. by Freya Hartas. Magic Cat.
47. Randall, Julian. 2026. Shook. Henry Holt. 
48. Safadi, Shifa Saltagi. 2026. Sisters Alone. Putnam. 
49. Salas, Laura Purdie. 2026. Meet the Mighty Helpers. Ill. by Julia Patton. Astra Young Readers. 
50. Salazar, Aida. 2026. Stream. Scholastic. 
51. Saltzberg, Barney. 2026. You Can Count on a Cat: And Other Poems About Cats. Holiday House/Neal Porter Books. 
52. Santaeulàlia, J.N. 2026. Time for Haiku. Ill. by Lucian Lozano. Trans. by Lawrence Schimel. Red Comet Press. 
53. Seigal, Joshua. 2026. I Tell Myself I’m Awesome. Ill. by Chris Piascik. Bloomsbury.
54. Singer, Marilyn. 2026. Whose Tree Is This?: Poems About the Mighty Oak and Its Companions. Ill. by Julian Plum. Millbrook Press.
55. Sterer, Gideon. 2026. What Is the Wind? Ill. by Guojing. Clarion.
56. Taylor, Susan Johnston. 2026. If Pets Wrote Poems: A Parody Collection. Ill. by Sandie Sonke. Gnome Road Press. 
57. Toalson, R. L. 2026. Love, Sivvy. Little, Brown. 
58. Wagamese, Richard. 2026. Canada. Ill. by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley. Tundra/Swift Water Books.
59. Wenjen, Mia. 2026. Barbed Wire Between Us. Ill. by Violeta Encarnación. Red Comet Press.

Now head on over to BookSeedStudio where Jan is hosting our Poetry Friday gathering!