Chongqing  — A children's novel by Chongqing writer Li Shanshan has been selected for the 2026 IBBY Honour List, becoming the first work by a Chongqing author to appear on the biennial international children's literature list.

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a nonprofit organization that promotes children's books and reading worldwide, announced the 2026 Honour List on its official website on July 21. Li's novel, Qi Cheng Qian Nian (The Legend of Chinese Pottery), was selected in the Writing category.

The 2026 IBBY Honour List is displayed on the International Board on Books for Young People website. (Photo/Website screenshot)

"It is a great honor to be selected," Li said. "The story is rooted in the Bashu region and centers on the ancient Shu civilization represented by the Sanxingdui archaeological site. I hope the IBBY Honour List will help Chinese stories reach more readers around the world and introduce China's outstanding traditional culture to more young readers overseas."

Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, IBBY publishes its Honour List every two years to recognize outstanding recently published children's books by writers, illustrators and translators from its member countries.

According to IBBY, the 2026 Honour List features 191 nominations from 59 countries in 52 languages, making it the largest selection since the program began in 1956. The list includes 76 titles in the Writing category, 58 in Illustration and 57 in Translation.

IBBY member sections nominate books that represent the distinctive children's literature of their countries and are recommended for publication in other languages. The program aims to promote international understanding and cooperation through children's literature while showcasing the diversity of children's publishing around the world.

The selected books form a travelling collection that will be exhibited at international conferences and book fairs, including the 2026 Frankfurt Book Fair and the 2027 Bologna Children's Book Fair. The Honour List catalogue is also available through the IBBY Archives, making it accessible to publishers, researchers and readers worldwide.

Qi Cheng Qian Nian (The Legend of Chinese Pottery) follows Mound, a lump of clay from the ancient Shu Kingdom, on a 3,000-year journey to become a vessel. As Mound watches his friends transform into vessels, he dreams of becoming a useful artifact himself. Along the way, he loses contact with his owner, survives floods and is eventually rammed into city walls. When he awakens, he discovers that everything has changed. The story intertwines the clay's transformation with themes of growth, destiny and the preservation of cultural heritage through modern science.

The cover of Qi Cheng Qian Nian (The Legend of Chinese Pottery), a children's novel by Chongqing writer Li Shanshan that was selected for the 2026 IBBY Honour List. (Photo/Publisher)

Li is a member of the China Writers Association and has published more than 60 books. Her works have twice been selected for The White Ravens catalogue. She has received honors including the China Publishing Government Award and the Bingxin Children's Book Award, and her books have been translated into English, Korean and Persian.

Li said the inspiration for the novel grew out of both childhood memories and years of research.

Growing up in the mountains of Sichuan Province, she spent much of her childhood playing with clay while her parents worked in the fields.

"I often wondered what treasures might be hidden beneath the soil," she said. "When I later visited the Sanxingdui Museum, I realized the earth really does preserve extraordinary treasures."

Driven by that curiosity, Li studied books, academic research and documentary materials on the ancient Shu civilization and spent about a year conducting field research at the Sanxingdui archaeological site before creating the story.

The China Writers Association said the book's selection for the IBBY Honour List highlights the growing international recognition of Chongqing children's literature.

"Outstanding children's literature serves as a bridge for exchanges between civilizations," a representative of the association noted. "Rooted in local culture while transcending regional and national boundaries, it has the power to foster emotional connections and mutual understanding among young readers around the world."