Three Works of Children’s Literature Win the 2026 Prix Albertine Jeunesse
This enthusiastic 8th edition brought together nearly 12,961 students for a year of lively reading, discussion, and debate, culminating in the selection of the annual readers’ choice awards for the best Francophone children’s books in English translation.
Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, the Embassies of France in the United States and Canada, Institut français du Canada Agence pour l’enseignement français à l’étranger (AEFE), and Albertine Books are thrilled to announce the three winning titles of the 2026 Prix Albertine Jeunesse.
Congratulations to these exceptional books and to the thousands of young voters who selected them!
Encouraging children ages 3-11 to choose their favorite book from several works of Francophone youth literature available in English translation, the Prix Albertine Jeunesse fosters a love of reading in both French and English. This year’s winners are: The Great GRRRRR (Le Grand Grrrrr) by Marie-Sabine Roger and Marjolaine Leray, translated by Angus Yuen-Killick; The Remarkables, The Most Incredible Children I’ve Met So Far! (Les incroyables ou les enfants les plus étonnants que j’ai rencontrés) by Clotilde Perrin, translated by Daniel Hahn; and Lost In the Future (Perdus dans le futur) by Alex Fuentes and Damian, translated by Tom Imber.
These books have been honored for their exceptional literary and artistic value; the uniqueness and authenticity of the perspectives they offer to young readers around the world; and their captivating appeal.
Created in 2018, the annual Prix Albertine Jeunesse promotes recently published books translated from French in the US and Canada. This year, 12,961 students in North America participated, reading several books from a bilingual shortlist of various youth titles. Young voters assessed the quality of each book in both French and English.
This Prize is a tool to strengthen bilingual and multilingual education, fostering connections between French and English. Participating schools receive complimentary educational resources and lesson plans for teachers made available for free here. Additionally, Villa Albertine organized a series of 12 online author events in March 2026, providing students with direct interactions and discussions with the authors of the shortlisted books.
The 2026 shortlist was selected by a committee of experts representing Villa Albertine, the Embassies of France in the United States and Canada, Albertine Books, and representatives of the AEFE network of North America.
The forthcoming 2027 Prix Albertine Jeunesse shortlist will be available by the beginning of the summer on Albertine Book’s website. Schools will be welcome to register for the next edition starting in fall 2026.
The winners of this year’s prize are available for purchase on Albertine Book’s website, alongside all the nominees.
2026 Winners
3-5 years old:
The Great GRRRRR (Red Comet Press / Seuil jeunesse) by Marie-Sabine Roger and Marjolaine Leray, translated by Angus Yuen-Killick
The Great Grrrrr works for an express delivery service. A monster on a mission, he must deliver a package to a cottage in the country. But, when the recipient isn’t home, he becomes increasingly frustrated and then angry. Just when he has destroyed the cottage out of an explosive bout of rage, the homeowner shows up and everything changes. The Great Grrrrr learns to manage his anger issues and finds patience and perhaps a new perspective on life. This hilariously entertaining book takes frustration and impatience to a ridiculous extreme and finds humor in uncontrolled emotions no toddler will fail to recognize. Expressively illustrated by Marjolaine Leray in sketchy crayon drawings with bright neon second color to accent the visual drama.
Read more and buy the book at Albertine Books.
6-8 years old:
The Remarkables, The Most Incredible Children I’ve Met So Far! (Gecko Press / L’école des loisirs) by Clotilde Perrin, translated by Daniel Hahn
The Remarkables is a big book of fantasy and humor that entertains and provides a way to talk about emotions and identity. Through Perrin’s unique imagination, this inclusive encyclopedia celebrates individuality, strengths, and differences, allowing every reader to explore what miraculous superpower they would wish for—or might have.
Known for her original lift-the-flap explorations of fairytale stories, Perrin here turns the lens onto her child readers, showing each one that they are a superhero.
Each child describes their characteristics, tells anecdotes, and presents the special powers that make them unique. A “class photo” brings everyone together with a quiz finale for readers to discover their own superpowers.
Read more and buy the book at Albertine Books.
9-11 years old:
Lost In the Future (Papercutz / Dupuis) by Alex Fuentes and Damian, translated by Tom Imber
A group of classmates must learn to work together to survive being LOST IN THE FUTURE!
A school field trip to an ancient castle goes terribly wrong for a group of friends, when a dangerous storm erupts. As they are about to leave the castle, four friends are cornered by their arch-nemesis— the class bully, who tries to pull one of his usual pranks. Instead, they all get the scare of their lives, when they fall down a tunnel that transports them into the future: a future where mankind has nearly disappeared from the face of the earth, and where nature has taken control. The friends will have to face up to this hostile new world— as well as their nemesis, who must come to terms with his own trauma— if they are to work together and have any chance of making it back home…