The Reading Agency launches new mood-boosting books collection
A new collection of uplifting, feel-good reads chosen to boost mood and support wellbeing has been shared by PIF member The Reading Agency.
For the National Year of Reading 2026, Mood-boosting Books is back to celebrate the different ways reading can help us feel good. They include books that make you laugh or offer a little escape, to stories that bring comfort, connection and hope. The new 2026 collection has been chosen by young adults aged 18–25, for adults to enjoy. Young adults from across the country recommended books that had boosted their mood, before a panel of young adults, librarians and booksellers read and reviewed the longlisted titles to help create the final collection.
Launching the new collection
Mood-boosting Books 2026 has been developed by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Booksellers Association. The collection officially launches on 10 October 2026, coinciding with World Mental Health Day and Bookshop Day.
The collection will be available through libraries and bookshops.
How were the books selected?
Books were suggested through a crowd-sourced approach with young adults (18-25) from across the country recommending over 100 mood-boosting books. Recommendations were reviewed by a reader panel of young adults, librarians and booksellers focusing on whether they would recommend them as mood-boosting.
Shortlisted titles were then reviewed by an expert book selection panel featuring young adults (18-25), librarians, booksellers and representatives from Arts Council England, PIF member Mind and the Booksellers Association. The panel voted for their top 10 Mood-boosting Books.
The final collection brings together books that readers found feel-good, uplifting and meaningful. It includes fiction and non-fiction and a range of genres from romance to science fiction.
How can I view the collection?
You can find the Mood-boosting Books collection on The Reading Agency's website here.