It’s here! 
We’re excited to reveal the official booklist for the Summer Reading Challenge 2026 – Read to the Beat! – along with this year’s incredible illustrations by Harry Woodgate.
This year’s collection features 55 amazing titles for all reading levels, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic novels (plus dyslexia-friendly options). From rap and K-pop to orchestras and opera, there’s a whole world of music-inspired stories waiting to be discovered.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4sqP7aV
Launch dates:
Scotland & online – 20 June
England & Wales – 4 July
The Summer Reading Challenge 2026, delivered in partnership with public libraries and powered by Universal Music Group UK, is almost here! Launching in June in Scotland and July in England and Wales, the Challenge invites children to embark on an exciting reading journey, either through their local library or online. This year’s theme, Read to the Beat!, celebrates the joy of music and the power it has to move, inspire, and connect us – all through the magic of reading. This year’s Challenge is brought to life with illustrations by award-winning author and illustrator, Harry Woodgate.
The 2026 Summer Reading Challenge collection features 55 captivating titles for different reading levels, spanning early readers, and middle grade titles, as well as dyslexia-friendly titles. With a rich mix of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic novels, the collection has been carefully curated to get young readers tapping their feet and turning pages. The books will be available to borrow for free from public libraries.
The Challenge is supported by publishers from across the UK and the official list includes titles such as Marching Band by Kael Tudor, Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae, Kofi and the Brand New Vibe by Jeffrey Boakye, The Adventures of Rap Kid by MC Grammar, and Glory Days in New Orleans! by Bïa.
Libraries and schools can order this year’s books through their usual suppliers, with eBook and audiobook versions available for select titles.
Every year, the Summer Reading Challenge plays a vital role in keeping children excited about books. This year’s collection is particularly special as it celebrates the universal language of music – from drumming and dancing to orchestras, opera, rap, K-pop and everything in between. We are proud to work with libraries and publishers to bring these fantastic books to children across the UK.
Please note these titles have been broadly divided into age categories for the Summer Reading Challenge Book Collection but you can find more specific age ratings, including any relevant content warnings, on publisher websites to ensure a title is suitable for your child.
Read to the Beat! 2026 Book Collection
For younger readers (ages 4–7)
- The Very Noisy House – Sally Nicholls, illustrated by Gosia Herba (Andersen Press)
- Music of the Mountains – Sabrina Shah, illustrated by Manal Mirza (Barefoot Books)
- The Missing Piece – Jordan Stephens, illustrated by Beth Suzanna (Bloomsbury)
- Busy Little Fingers: Music – Eva Wong Nava, illustrated by Eleonora Marton (Bonnier Books – Big Picture Press)
- Some Bears – Christian Foley, illustrated by Rob Turner (Caboodle Books)
- Tree Whispers – Mandy Ross, illustrated by Juliana Oakley (Child’s Play)
- My Little Drummer – Sian Radford, illustrated by Gwen Millward (Farshore)
- Bhangra Boogie – Hena Khan, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat (Farshore)
- 1, 2, 3, Do the Unicorn – Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw (Farshore)
- ABC of Opera: Romantic – Mark Llewelyn Evans, illustrated by Karl Davies (Graffeg)
- Listening to the Quiet – Cassie Silva, illustrated by Frances Ives (Lantana)
- The Life-Changing Magic of Drumming – Nandi Bushell, illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier (Magic Cat Publishing)
- The Elephant and the Piano – Colette Hiller, illustrated by Nabila Adani (Magic Cat Publishing)
- Songs in the Shade of the Cherry Tree – Nathalie Soussana, illustrated by QU Lan (The Secret Mountain)
- The Piano – Joaquin Camp (The Secret Mountain)
- The Rock Family Band – Robert Tregoning, illustrated by Laura Brenlla (Oxford University Press)
- The Twirly Wiggly Dance – Farrah Riaz, illustrated by Navya Raju (Oxford University Press)
- Little Sheku and the Animal Orchestra – Sheku Kanneh-Mason, illustrated by Rekha Salin (Penguin)
- The Wonder – Tom Percival (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)
- But Dancing is for Girls! – Gyasi Sheppy, illustrated by Ola Snimshchikova (Sweet Cherry)
- Coorie Doon – Jackie Kay, illustrated by Jill Calder (Walker Books)
- Skipping to Sammy’s Beat – Coral Vass, illustrated by Blithe Fielden (New Frontier Publishing)
- Marching Band – Kael Tudor, illustrated by Kate Hindley (Nosy Crow)
- Meet the Mubbles – Liz Pichon (Macmillan Children’s Books)
- Carnival Queen – Donette Williams-Harry, illustrated by Amélie-Anne Calmo (Little Tiger)
- All the Wonderful Ways to Move – Laura Baker, illustrated by Sandra de la Prada (Little Tiger)
- Doggy Dance Off – Steve Smallman, illustrated by Robert Starling (Little Tiger)
- Put Your Records On – Corinne Bailey Rae, illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara (Fox & Ink Books)
- The Big Time Boogie-Woogie Animal Band – Giles Andreae, illustrated by Nick East (Hachette Orchard Books)
- The Paper Piano – Rachel Ip, illustrated by Natelle Quek (Hodder Children’s Books)
For older readers (ages 8–11)
- I Tell Myself I’m Awesome – Joshua Seigal, illustrated by Chris Piascik (Bloomsbury Education)
- Raising the Roof – Jack Pepper, illustrated by Michele Bruttomesso (Bonnier Books – Templar Books)
- Girl on the Fly – Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl (David Fickling Books)
- Be More Olivia Rodrigo (DK)
- Rebel Girls Rock: 25 Tales of Women in Music (DK – Rebel Girls)
- The Color of Sound – Emily Barth Isler (Carolrhoda Books)
- Hari Kumar: Ultimate Superstar – Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Mamta Singh (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
- Melody Queen – Puneet Bhandal (Lantana)
- Glory Days in New Orleans! – Bïa, illustrated by Fanny Berthiaume (The Secret Mountain)
- Gordon Starts a Band – Alex Latimer (Oxford University Press)
- Isadora Moon and the Pop Stars – Harriet Muncaster (Oxford University Press)
- Space Band – Tom Fletcher (Puffin)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Överlöde – Jeff Kinney (Puffin)
- Lil’ Muffin Drops the Mic – Romesh Ranganathan, illustrated by James Lancett (Puffin)
- Happy Hills: Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens – Sophy Henn (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)
- The Adventures of Rap Kid – MC Grammar (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)
- The Magic Piano: Dahlia and the Land Without Music – James B Partridge, illustrated by Laura Wood (Sweet Cherry)
- Skylar and the K-Pop Head Teacher – Luan Goldie (Walker Books)
- You VS the Poison Plot – Josh Hicks (Walker Books)
- My School Musical and Other Punishments – Catherine Wilkins, illustrated by Katie Abey (Nosy Crow)
- Running My Own Race – Abena Eyeson (Nosy Crow)
- Hunt for the Golden Scarab – M. G. Leonard, illustrated by Manuel Sumberac (Macmillan Children’s Books)
- The Piano at the Station – Helen Rutter, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli (Barrington Stoke)
- Kofi and the Brand New Vibe – Jeffrey Boakye (Faber)
- How to Build an Orchestra – Mary Auld, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli (Hachette Wayland)
Find out more about the Challenge by visiting the official Summer Reading Challenge website for competitions, book recommendations, and activities throughout the year.
The Read to the Beat! Summer Reading Challenge launches on Saturday 20 June 2026 in Scotland and online, and on Saturday 4 July 2026 in England and Wales. Children can sign up at their local library to join the adventure and discover how music and stories make the world come alive.
Sign up to the Summer Reading Challenge bulletin to stay up to date.
Read more about the books here.
Get ready to join the challenge, find your rhythm, and let reading move you all summer long 
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