Edinburgh International Book Festival 2026: Children's and YA highlights

This year’s Edinburgh Book Festival will celebrate a number of notable anniversaries, writes Fiona Shepherd

In addition to Liz Pichon (23 August, see feature), a number of big hitters of children’s literature will be appearing at EIBF. Tracy Beaker author (and former Children’s Laureate) Jacqueline Wilson introduces her new character Esme Pepper (23 August), a young girl in foster care. Meanwhile, there is never a bad time to step into The Wonderful World of Julia Donaldson (29 August) populated by her creations from the Gruffalo and Room on the Broom.

Another former Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho, celebrates his Luna Loves books with Luna Loves the Festival (15 August) and his new poetry collection Rapunzel is a Lettuce (29 August), appearing with respective illustrators Fiona Lumbers and Shirley Hottier. Dean Atta will be popping up all over the shop, including launching his new book Confetti at an all-ages event for those with learning disabilities (17 August).

The book festival celebrates a number of notable anniversaries, among them A Birthday Party for…Winnie the Pooh, 100 years young (15 August), and the comparatively fresh-faced Charlie and Lola (29 August). Keeping up the party atmosphere, Beano editors Mike Stirling and Craig Graham will improvise a new story for the beloved comic, with a little help from their audience, at Beano: Lost in Time (16 August).

Travis bassist Dougie Payne has diversified into children’s literature with his rhyming tale Poochie Pete and his Very Big Feet and is joined by illustrator Rachel Seago for Music and Mayhem (16 August), but he’s not the only musician making inroads into the kids’ book world. Corinne Bailey Rae’s picture book Put Your Records On is named after her debut hit single and she’ll be discussing how music affects our mood at her event (30 August). There’s also a chance for young readers to quiz actor Paterson Joseph and historian (and Celebrity Traitors contestant) David Olusoga on Black British History at their Changemakers event (23 August).

The big ticket event events in the Young Adult programme include Juno Dawson discussing her new Hunger Games-style novel Survival Show (27 August), while Patrick Ness presents Piper at the Gates of Dusk, a belated new installment of his Chaos Walking series (28 August). Jem Calder, hailed as “the internet’s resident librarian”, talks to Jack Edwards for a live recording of the Inklings Book Club podcast (20 August).

Brace for Schemes, Screams and Secrets with Holly Bourne, who will talk about her new teen horror novel And Then We Screamed (23 August) and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé with her new thriller The Heirs (22 August).

Zoulfa Katouh discusses her book The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue (16 August), about Jihad, who is the only Muslim girl in her new school, and singer/songwriter Emma-Lee Moss aka Emmy the Great offers real-life perspective on feeling like a fish out of water when she moved from Hong Kong to the UK in her book My Cantopop Nights (15 August).

Buffy’s Book Club returns to the Spiegeltent (22 August) and House of YA stage a takeover of the same venue (28 August) for a festival within a festival featuring events, panels, workshops, and bingo.

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