Barnes and Noble announced its 2026 Book of the Year, as well as its Books of the Year in Nonfiction, Children’s, and Children’s Gifts. The winners are:
- Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane (2026 B&N Book of the Year): A family saga about brotherhood and immigration from Ireland to Montana from the author of Ask Again, Yes
- This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark by Craig Fehrman (2026 B&N Nonfiction Book of the Year): An in-depth account of the Lewis and Clark expedition featuring new perspectives and recently discovered materials
- The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan (B&N Exclusive Edition) by Jasmine Warga (2026 B&N Children’s Book of the Year): A heartwarming story about two unlikely friends from the author of Other Words for Home
- Is This a Plum? A Peek-Through Picture Book by Dan Ojari and Finn Ojari (2026 B&N Children’s Gift Book of the Year): An interactive picture book from a father-son duo that teaches the littles about perspective
Barnes and Noble’s Books of the Year are described as the titles their booksellers are raving about. Previous winners include:
- Mona’s Eyes (2025 B&N Book of the Year) by Thomas Schlesser
- James (2024 B&N Book of the Year) (Pulitzer Prize Winner) (National Book Award Winner) by Percival Everett
- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: A Novel (B&N Exclusive Edition) by James McBride
Explore the list of B&N Book of the Year finalists and their category-spanning Best Books of 2026.