Mayo author features among best Irish books of 2026
The new guide, launched by Children’s Books Ireland, highlights the best Irish publications for young readers, with Mayo author Kevin Moran’s book among the selected titles.
A Mayo author is celebrating success after his latest work was selected for inclusion in a new guide highlighting the best Irish books for young readers published this year.
‘The Doomsday Club: Bog Bodies’, written by Mayo author Kevin Moran, features in The Best Irish Books of 2026, a new free reading guide launched this week by Children’s Books Ireland.
The annual guide showcases some of the best and brightest Irish publications for young readers across fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels and verse, with reviews available in both English and Gaeilge.
Children’s Books Ireland, the national charity that supports every child’s right to develop a love of reading, is encouraging parents, guardians and teachers to make time for reading for fun as children return to their school routines this September.
The call comes as new research highlights the importance of regular recreational reading. In its recently published Children and Young People’s Reading in Ireland report, Children’s Books Ireland found that 23% of children and young people read for fun every day. That figure rises to 46% among children whose parents are daily readers.
Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, said it was important that reading for enjoyment did not become lost among the demands of schoolwork.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
She also said the enjoyment of reading was essential if children were to become lifelong readers and benefit from the educational, health and wellbeing advantages associated with reading for pleasure.
“At Children’s Books Ireland, our mission is to ensure that every child has an opportunity to unlock that superpower,” she said.
The charity also believes it is important for children to have access to stories that reflect their own lives, communities and the rich culture and diversity of Ireland.
She said this remained a challenge for some families.
“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 50% of parents and guardians feel it’s a struggle to find something appropriate for their children to read,” she said.
She described the new guide as a free resource designed to help families and educators discover quality Irish books.
“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,” she said.
The Best Irish Books of 2026 reading guide is available to download free of charge through Children’s Books Ireland. Free copies are also available at participating bookshops and libraries nationwide.
‘The Doomsday Club: Bog Bodies’ is among the Irish titles featured in this year's guide.