The 2026 Prix Albertine Jeunesse Shortlist
About the Prize
Presented by Villa Albertine, The French Institute for Culture and Education, Albertine Books, and the Agency for French Education Abroad, the Prix Albertine Jeunesse is an annual young readers choice award that invites children from ages 3 to 11 to vote for their favorite book from a selection of Francophone youth literary works translated in English.
The program is open to the network of accredited French schools (AEFE-FISNA) and all American public schools with a French section or program.
The 2026 Shortlist
This year’s selection was made by a committee that includes the staff of Albertine Books in New York, the AEFE network of North America, Villa Albertine, and the French Embassy in Canada. The selected books are divided into three categories according to age groups: 3-5 years; 6-8 years; and 9-11 years.
3-5 years old:
- Window (Kid Can Press / Editions les 400 coups) by Marion Arbona
- How Dreadful! (Transit Children’s Editions / L’école des loisirs) by Claire Lebourg, translated by Sophie Lewis
- The Great GRRRRR (Red Comet Press / Seuil jeunesse) by Marie-Sabine Roger and Marjolaine Leray, translated by Angus Yuen-Killick
6-8 years old:
- Hekla & Laki (Milky Way / Albin Michel) by Marine Schneider, translated by Nick Frost and Catherine Ostiguy
- World of Mushrooms (Storey / Panthera) by Pauline Payen and Zelda Pressigout, translated by Celyn Harding-Jones
- The Remarkables, The Most Incredible Children I’ve Met So Far! (Gecko Press / L’école des loisirs) by Clotilde Perrin, translated by Daniel Hahn
9-11 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
- Lost In the Future (Papercutz / Dupuis) by Alex Fuentes and Damian, translated by Tom Imber
- Magda, Intergalactic Chef: Book 1 The Big Tournament (Macmillan – First Second Books/Actes Sud Jeunesse) by Nicolas Wouters and Mathilde Van Gheluwe, translated by Ann Marie Boulanger
Resources for Teachers
Starting in September 2026, teachers can register their students to vote in the next round of the Prix Albertine Jeunesse. Learn more about engaging students in the program via this dedicated website for teachers.
For further information, please contact: Noémie Jornet, Program Officer, Fiction, Children’s Books, and Comics, at noemie.jornet@villa-albertine.org.