Kildare authors and illustrators feature among best Irish titles of 2026
The talented artists and authors feature in a new free guide which was launched by Children’s Books Ireland
Five titles by writers and illustrators from County Kildare feature in a brand-new free guide which has just been launched by Children’s Books Ireland this week.
The ‘Best Irish Books of 2026’ guide, which features reviews in English and as Gaeilge, includes books for all ages up to 18.
It features titles by authors and illustrators from Kildare, such as:
- ‘Heroes of Light’ written by Conor Forrest (The O’Brien Press)
- ‘Shorelines’ written by Ruth Ennis (Little Island Books)
- ‘Teenager’s Book of Life’ written by Tony Griffin (Little Island Books)
- ‘I met a Woman Near Ballycanew and Other Nonsense Rhymes for Children’ (Gill Books)
- ‘Little Irish History Heroes’ (Gill Books) illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald
‘ENJOYMENT OF READING IS ESSENTIAL’
Explaining why reading is so important for young people, Elaina Ryan, the CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, said: “For some children, the summer holidays may have been spent devouring as many books as possible, but for others, the return to school might also be a return to reading.
“We have to be careful that families don’t conflate the two, and that there is time for reading just for fun in children and young people’s lives. The enjoyment of reading is essential if our children are to become lifelong readers and reap the benefits that come from this.”
She continued: “It sounds like something very simple, but international research into the educational, health and wellbeing benefits of reading for fun prove it can be a superpower that sets children up for life, making them happier, more confident at school and more likely to succeed in later life.
“At Children’s Books Ireland, our mission is to ensure that every child has an opportunity to unlock that superpower.”
In addition, Ms Ryan says it is important that children in Kildare can access stories that ‘reflect their own lived experience’ and ‘the rich culture and diversity of life in Ireland’.
She elaborated: “Our recent research found that almost one in four respondents didn’t know if they had any books by Irish artists in their home, and 50pc of parents and guardians feel it’s a struggle to find something appropriate for their children to read.
“Our guide is a free resource available to all; it’s a map to help discover a great Irish book and a support to those seeking to foster or reignite reading for fun for the children and young people in their lives.”
‘The Best Irish Books of 2026’ reading guide is available as a free download at www.childrensbooksireland.ie.
Free copies can also be found in participating bookshops and in libraries nationwide.