Big City Reads 2026

Fantastic YA reads coming your way this summer!

Now in its fourth year, the free book giveaway campaign features five compelling Young Adult titles which selected by our Youth Selection Panel from a shortlist of 14 books submitted by both large and independent publishers. Centred on the theme of Identity, this year’s selected titles will give readers the opportunity to engage in a city-wide shared reading experience. Mia Hagues, Chair of the Youth Advisory Board said:

It’s difficult for young people to celebrate their unique identity in a world of social media trends and conformity. We want to challenge the narrative and show the world the beauty of self expression and being true to yourself!

 

The 2026 Big City Reads titles are:

Click on each book to learn more about it ⤴︎

• 29 Locks by Nicola Garrard (HopeRoad Publishing) — a fast-paced debut about fifteen-year-old Donny, growing up in Hackney in poverty and groomed by a local gang, who finds unexpected purpose working on a canal — before the 29 locks home to London beckon.
• Charlotte Grote: Solver by John Allison (Scary Go Round Books) — a graphic novel from the Eisner award-winning creator of Giant Days, following a former teen detective who peaked too soon and must now figure out what comes next.
• Searching for the Remarkable in Things by Natalie Lucy (ZunTold) — a debut novel in which a grieving teenage girl discovers a box of letters from 1851 that reveal her true heritage and the hidden family secrets of slavery her mother kept from her.
• Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley (Bloomsbury YA) — a queer coming-of-age story about a teenage girl whose life unravels when a viral video falsely accuses her of cheating, exploring identity, grief and first love.
• The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh (Bloomsbury YA) — from the author of international bestseller As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow, a story about a Syrian American girl navigating grief, Islamophobia and a new school, who finds refuge in a sketchbook.

Big City Reads hopes to empower and inspire young minds with feel-good, upbeat stories, alongside promoting reading as a practice that enhances wellbeing. This year, the campaign extends into libraries across Nottinghamshire with the opportunity to borrow most of the chosen titles through BorrowBox. Eighteen libraries across the County will also be encouraging their readers to get involved with the campaign for the chance to win an entire set of the five titles. We’ve invited our Youth Selection Panel members to participate in our series of masterclasses, The Next Page: an exciting programme designed to develop writing skills, literary engagement beyond the page and make the literary and creative industries more accessible. 

To find out more about how to get involved with this year’s Big City Reads, and for clues on where to find the five books between 29th June and 12th August, keep an eye on our social media!