2026 Caudill Nominees

"In this dual-POV novel in verse, Black seventh graders Ebony "Eb" Wilson and De'Kari "Flow" Flood contemplate the conflict that sees them both suspended from school. A ten-day suspension has tweens De'Kari and Ebony seeing the world with a fresh perspective. Don't miss this poignant novel in verse from the award-winning author of Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero. Two kids. One fight. No one thinks they're wrong."-- Publisher description. Ebony and De'Kari...

From New York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green comes a gripping, deeply personal standalone football novel about a star middle school quarterback faced with a life-changing decision after his dad is diagnosed with ALS. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica! With two all-star college football players for brothers and a former Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman for a father, it is only natural for sixth-grade quarterback Benjamin Redd...

"July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren't real. So she pretends they don't exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He's a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends...

"On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker. Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile's long-lost treasure. She's excited to finally meet her arriving relatives...

"A descendant of Medusa, Ava is sent to the Accademia del Forte in Venice after an altercation with a classmate, where she must learn to control her emotions, especially when she unearths a terrible secret that could change the world forever"-- Provided by publisher.

"Pedro/Peter Mart̕n es un Mexikid, o un nįo que naci̤ en Estados Unidos de padres mexicanos: un nįo que no pertenece a ninguno de los dos lugares. As̕ que no sabe qǔ pensar cuando su padre anuncia que toda la familia (¡11 personas!) se apretar̀ dentro del Winnebago para manejar 2,000 millas hasta M̌xico con una misi̤n: traer a su misterioso abuelito de la era de la Revoluci̤n Mexicana a vivir con ellos. Esta divertid̕sima memoria gr̀fica...

"Middle school is a dungeon ... At least, that's how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners,...

"Iris opens her eyes to hard truths and the power of her voice when her father dies of AIDS in 1987"-- Provided by publisher.

"Thirteen-year-old new girl Anna Hunt decides to make an investigative podcast about how fellow classmate Rachel Riley went from being the most popular girl in school to the most hated"-- Provided by publisher.

"Celina y su familia son biling Goodreads. "A novel in verse about the joys and struggles of a Chicana girl who is a warrior for her name, her history, and her right to choose what she celebrates in life"-- Provided by publisher.