Maybe we’ll see a colossal change when fall rolls around, or maybe we’ll need to accept that 2026 is not the year where YA nonfiction thrives. While it is likely I’ve missed a title or two in my thorough searching of publisher catalogs, there appear to be virtually no new works of YA nonfiction published by major or large publishers for May. There is one work of comic nonfiction being pulled into the nonfiction category for this roundup, but the landscape over the last five months in YA nonfiction has been bleak.
This has been the lament every month this year. In April, we hit a high-water mark for new YA nonfiction with a whopping five titles, including an anthology, a work of sports history, and more. The numbers were not great in January, February, or March.
Nonfiction isn’t as sexy as YA fiction, and it’s certainly not as easy to sell and market to adult readers as, say, the latest romantasy title. But nonfiction is crucial for teen readers who love learning about the world around them, diving into niche interests, and exploring the real lives of people who’ve done interesting things. With so few new choices, wher...
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