Excelsior Award Blue 2026

2026 Shortlist
The books on the Excelsior Award Blue shortlst have been designated as suitable for children aged 11+ (or Key Stage 3 in schools)
Click on the book's title for extra information
High schooler Kensuke Fuji adores cats, but others in his family are allergic, so he’s never really been able to spend time with any. When he meets a mysteriously skilled cat guru - who seems to be able to understand everything about cats - Kensuke finds a kindred spirit who is also “absolutely kitty bonkers,” so he decides to study under this Ultimate Cat Whisperer! Come along with Kensuke and learn the secrets of the Cat Fist Way!
Details
Writer: Wataru Nadatani
Artist: Wataru Nadatani
Published by Dark Horse
ISBN: 978-1506747088
Jango Fett, father of Boba Fett, has a bounty to find! A mystery to solve! And a treaty at risk! But when the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter targets a stolen artifact at the centre of a planetwide war, the hunter will become the hunted! Brace yourself for a heavyweight bounty-hunter battle that will shake the galaxy!
Details
Writer: Ethan Sacks
Artist: Luke Ross
Published by Marvel
ISBN: 978-1302958671
When the evil Darkseid invades Sonic’s home in search of the ultimate power, Sonic and his friends find themselves with their backs against the wall and in need of a miracle. Luckily, the Justice League is able to step in and lend their hands! See DC’s most iconic characters teaming up with the most beloved blue hedgehog on the planet against an insurmountable foe. There’ll be action, adventure, and plenty of chili dogs!
Details
Writer: Ian Flynn
Artist: Adam Bryce Thomas
Published by DC Comics
ISBN: 978-1799505686
1941. War is raging. And Joseph has been sent to live in the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, he will live with Mrs. F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, Joseph and Adonis become friends, but what will happen when the bombers set him rampaging free?
Details
Writer: Phil Earle
Artist: Fred Fordham
Published by Andersen Press
ISBN: 978-1839135620
Set your time circuits ahead to the techno-dystopian future of 2099! Miguel O'Hara, A.K.A. Spider-Man 2099, is facing a hostile takeover - of his own body! Kron Stone, the Venom of 2099, wages an all-out assault on Alchemax, and the only hope of stopping him lies with the power awakened by a top-secret project gone terribly wrong. What must Miguel sacrifice to seal the bond with his new symbiote? His body? His mind? His very soul?!
Details
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Roge Antonio
Published by Marvel
ISBN: 978-1302949969





