The 2026-2027 Maine Student Book Award nominees are here! The Maine Student Book Award is designed to expand literary horizons of students in grades 4-8 by encouraging them to read, evaluate, and enjoy a selection of new books and to choose a statewide favorite by written ballot each spring. The List of nominated books is built by a committee of dedicated professionals including public librarians, school librarians, and elementary grade teachers and represents the best of the best for middle readers!

Many of the books on this list are either currently in our collection or in the process of being added. Our Tweens & Teens Summer Book Club will be reading three nominated books this summer, and our year-round Tween Book Club has ambitions to read the entire list! Parents looking for summer reading suggestions for their children are encouraged to check out the Annotated Title List to learn more about each selection. Happy Reading!