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Children’s Wainwright Book of the Year – Otherlands: An illustrated journey through Earth’s lost worlds by Thomas Halliday ill. Gavin Scott

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 18 Sep 2026
Children’s Wainwright Book of the Year 2026

The 2026 Children’s Wainwright Prize Book of the Year and Children’s Non-Fiction category winner, Otherlands: An Illustrated Journey Through Earth’s Lost Worlds by Thomas Halliday, illustrated by Gavin Scott, is a “deeply knowledgeable” illustrated journey through time, adapted from the bestselling adult book that was highly commended at the 2022 Wainwright Prize. The book introduces young people to the life that shared the world before our time, with judges calling it a “breakthrough children’s classic that will endure for decades.”

The Wainwright Prize was founded, and is still supported by, both the Alfred Wainwright Estate and Frances Lincoln, publisher of the Wainwright Guides, and is grateful to its partners and supporters, whose shared commitment to connecting people with nature helps make the Prize possible. The Prize continues to be supported by The RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, National Geographic Kids, World Book Day, The National Literacy Trust and The National Trust, whose ongoing partnership plays a vital role in supporting the Prize’s mission to inspire a deeper connection with the natural world.

Beginning with the last ice age and ending when the very first animals started to swim and hunt, this illustrated journey back through time is adapted from the bestselling adult book Otherlands with new illustrations by Gavin Scott, who you can follow on Instagram:

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Gavin Scott (@gavillustrator)

Congratulations also to:

The 2026 Wainwright Prize for Illustrative Books
The Book of Birds by Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane, (Hamish Hamilton, Penguin Random House UK)

The 2026 Children’s Wainwright Prize for Fiction
The Danger of Small Things by Caryl Lewis (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)

The 2026 Children’s Wainwright Prize for Picture Books
The Great Bear by Annie Booker (Two Hoots)

Branford Boase Winner

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Asli Jensen and her editor Shalini Vallepur are the winners of the 2026 Branford Boase Award for Love on Sight (Chicken House).

Love on Sight is a contemporary romance exploring the relationship between two young people living on a council estate in London. They are caught between cultures, dealing with the undertone of religious expectations and coping with demanding family responsibilities while trying to live their lives as they want.

Asli Jensen draws on experience, first and second-hand, with a large portion of the book written while she was working in the youth justice system, the young people she came to know there directly influencing her story. Love on Sight has already been recognised in the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition with the Lime New Storyteller Award for the unpublished manuscript with the greatest potential for development into a TV series or screen adaptation.

Set up in 2000, the Branford Boase Award is unique. It commemorates prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase of Walker Books and is the only prize to recognize the vital role of the editor alongside that of author.

Margaret McDonald, winner of the 2025 Branford Boase Award for Glasgow Boys was a judge this year and says: “I was completely blown away by Love on Sight and we judges were gripped from the first page. We admire the authenticity of the voice and the language and the way the story examines dating in contemporary London through the relationship between main characters Jalaal and Sabrina, a Somali Muslim boy and English Jamaican Christian girl. The approach is insightful and nuanced, and brings so much tenderness and empathy to the novel alongside the myriad issues explored. It’s truly a worthy winner.”

Asli Jensen says: “Love on Sight has been living in me for a long time. I’ve always wanted to write a love story that draws on real teen experiences and dives deep into issues that linger in my heart. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t always confident that it would land with people, and I’m so grateful that it did. This book is rooted in culture and complexity, and it’s there to shine a light on communities that don’t always get to see themselves at the centre of a love story. I am truly blessed to have both myself and my editor Shalini recognised for the hard work and love we poured into this book.’

Shalini Vallepur says: “It’s an honour and a dream come true for Love on Sight to be chosen as the winner of the Branford Boase Award. The story is important and authentic, offering a view into complicated teen lives and the hopes and dreams of youth today. From the Times/Chicken House competition in 2023 all the way to now, Asli and I have been on an incredible journey to bring her voice to the world and I’m so proud for all our hard work to be recognised by the judges.

The 2026 winners of the Branford Boase Award were announced by Margaret McDonald on Wednesday 8 July at a ceremony at CLPE, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW.  Asli Jensen receives a cheque for £1,000 and she and Shalini Vallepur receive engraved trophies.

Follow Asli Jensen on Insta:

Carnegie Winners 2026

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The Carnegie book award winners were announced yesterday at a ceremony hosted at the Cambridge Theatre in London and live-streamed. 

Carnegie Medal for Writing AND Shadowers’ Choice Award for Writing winner, Beth O’Brien for Wolf Siren

  • Debut author Beth O’Brien wrote her reimagining of Red Riding Hood from a desire to tell stories that give voice to the nuanced spectrum of sight based on her own lived experience of visual impairment.
  • Blindness is often misrepresented as total sight loss, but 93% of blind and partially sighted people experience a spectrum of light, movement, and colour, something Beth captures in her descriptions not of what she sees but how she sees using all the senses.
  • Beth is studying for a PhD researching the (mis)representation of disability in fairytale retellings, often primarily used as a plot device to be cured, a symbol of evil, or to be supplemented by a superhuman ability.
  • Beth grew up reading audio and large print books, something not easily affordable for many, and now advocates for greater accessibility, championing audiobooks as a form of reading every bit as valid as visual reading.

Carnegie Medal for Illustration winner, Kate Rolfe for Wiggling Words

  • Wiggling Words is a deeply personal picture book that illustrates Kate’s experience with dyslexia.
  • Like many dyslexic people, Kate often tried to hide how her brain worked for fear of being judged, but this book proved a catalyst for her unmasking. It visualises her dyslexia through typography as mountains of words and ends not as something to ‘overcome’ but to embrace, celebrating how her neurodiversity informs her creativity. 
  • Traditional book layouts can create barriers to reading, but Wiggling Words has been made with dyslexia friendly font, bold contrasting colours, and a cream background to make it more accessible. It is, importantly, a book for all children.
  • Kate Rolfe was first shortlisted for the Medal for Illustration in 2025 for her debut book, Wolf and Bear.

Shadowers Award for Illustration winner, Aimée de Jongh for her graphic novel adaptation of Lord of the Flies (by William Golding, for ages 12+)

  • The Shadowers Award has been voted for by children across the country and this book came out on top as their favourite illustrated book on the shortlist, with some children saying it contained “some of the most mind-blowing & jaw-dropping illustrations” they had ever seen and many young people expressing how the graphic novel format helped them understand the story better.

Jane Yolen Obituaries

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This page will be updated as more obituaries appear…

New York Times
SCBWI
Horn Book

2026 FCBG Children’s Book Award Winners

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Pablo and Splash: Roman Holiday by Sheena Dempsey is the Overall Winner of the 2026 FCBG Awards.

ACHUKA picked the first title in this series as a Book of the Day on 22 January 2024.

The winners for the 2026 FCBG Children’s Book Award were announced yesterday at a ceremony in Birmingham.

This award, the only once currently voted for entirely by children, is celebrating its 46th year.

The award continues to shine a spotlight on the books that truly connect with young readers, with children across the UK choosing the stories that captured their imaginations, hearts and conversations over the past year.

This year’s winners are:

Books for Younger Children:

Gozzle by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Books for Younger Readers and Overall Winner:

 Pablo and Splash: Roman Holiday by Sheena Dempsey (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Books for Older Readers:

 My Name is Samim by Fidan Meikle (Floris Books)

Sheena Dempsey’s Pablo and Splash: Roman Holiday was not only voted winner in the Younger Readers category but also crowned the Overall Winner of the 2026 Children’s Book Award. Bursting with humour, comic chaos and vibrant illustrations, the latest adventure in the much-loved series proved enormously popular with children across the country.

The success of Pablo and Splash also reflects the continuing rise in popularity of graphic novels and illustrated fiction amongst young readers. Dynamic, accessible and highly engaging, graphic storytelling is playing an increasingly important role in fostering a love of reading and helping children build reading confidence and enjoyment.

Sarah Stuffins, CBA Coordinator says: “This year once again saw an outstanding response from young readers, with thousands of children taking part in the voting process. The continued enthusiasm for the award demonstrates the importance of giving children ownership over the stories they read and celebrate. This year’s winners reflect a fascinating cross-section of children’s books: a hilarious time-travel adventure story in graphic novel format, a heart-warming family story from a popular author/illustrator duo, and a thought-provoking debut about migration.”

 

2026 Klaus Flugge Prize – The Shortlist

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We always say it, because it’s true. This is our favourite children’s book prize of the year.

The shortlist for the 2026 Klaus Flugge Prize is announced today (Wednesday 14 May). Established in 2016, the prize is awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s picture book illustration and was set up to honour Klaus Flugge, founder of Andersen Press and a hugely influential figure in the world of children’s publishing.

Now in its eleventh year, the £5,000 prize is the only one specifically to recognise a published picture book by a debut illustrator.

From a longlist of 18, the panel of judges have chosen six to shortlist and praised the illustrators for their skill and originality and for the inventiveness of their storytelling.  

Their books’ subjects are very varied, and topics include a magical island that finds a way to slow down its residents; a dog creating amazing artwork from materials he has to hand; seven very active little babies; a family constantly on the move; and a little girl finding a new way to dance when her parents separate. There is also an information picture book on the list, telling the true story of Ferdinand Magellan and his epic journey.

The shortlisted books are:

The Great Green Island written and illustrated by Becky Colvin (Macmillan)
Ali lives with her dad on a beautiful island with a busy fishing village. So busy in fact that, no matter how hard she tries, Ali can never persuade anyone to stop what they are doing and come exploring with her. That is until the morning everyone wakes to find ALL the fish have disappeared. There’s a cinematic quality to this picture book, say the judges, a clarity of composition and an emotional connection to the characters that marks this out as an extremely accomplished debut.

We Are Like Birds illustrated and written by Laila Ekboir (Kumusha Books)
Flor is only seven but she is moving for the third time. We watch as she leaves her old home behind and begins to settle in a new home, school and country. Readers can see how hard this is but as she begins to find her feet, she makes friends and becomes more confident sharing her heritage. This book takes a difficult topic and makes it joyful, say the judges. The characterisation is excellent and the pacing just as good and there’s a skilful mix of light and shade.

The Voyage that Changed the World illustrated and written by Thekla Priebst (Quarto)
This book takes readers on an amazing journey of discovery with Captain Magellan and his crew as they sail round the whole world. Such are the hardships they experience, that only 18 of the original crew of 240 complete the journey. A perfect example of an information picture book, say the judges, who admire the way the artwork “embraces” the text; the illustrations tell the story as much as the text and bring the drama of the voyage to life.

Henry the Artistic Dog illustrated and written by Justin Worsley (Andersen Press)
Henry is an artist. A master sculptor. Unfortunately, his work, which is crafted with dedication from materials he can control (his own poo), goes largely unappreciated, until one day, he finds an audience who really value his work. A truly memorable picture book, say the judges, fresh, different and with a unique voice. The use of perspective is impressive and the confidence in bold shapes.

Seven Babies illustrated and written by Forest Xiao (Walker Books)
One Thursday morning, a box of seven babies arrives at a door … and chaos ensues! Feeding, bathing and entertaining the babies is too much for the two adults in the house, who are left sound asleep as the babies head out for more fun. Each baby has its own character, say the judges, who also admire the strong visual storytelling. The real life details are a delight too and there’s a freshness to this very funny picture book.

Our Dance illustrated and written by Circle Yuen (Graffeg)
The little girl in this story loves to dance, especially when her mummy and daddy join in. When her parents separate, she only sees her daddy at the weekends at a child contact centre. Though it is hard at first, she comes to realise that now she has two dances. This is a book that really tugs on our heartstrings, say the judges. Circle Yuen’s style and way of working give the illustrations a rawness and make them feel very immediate. Atmospheric, it will connect directly with readers.

This year’s judges are:

  • Rob Biddulph
  • Emma Farrarons, winner of the 2025 prize
  • Shelley Jackson, course director for the  MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art
  • Vanessa Lewis, co-owner of independent children’s bookshop The Book Nook in Hove

Julia Eccleshare is chair of the judges.

The winner will be announced at an award ceremony at the Art Workers’ Guild, London on Wednesday 9 September 2026.

Congratulations:

Shortlist For The Branford Boase Award 2026

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The shortlist for the prestigious 2026 Branford Boase Award, given annually to the author and editor of the year’s outstanding debut novel for children has just been announced.

Seven books are on this year’s shortlist: a rom com, a horror story, thought-provoking contemporary stories for YA readers, a sci-fi thriller, and two rich, meaningful stories for pre-teen and early teen readers.

Founded in 2000 to commemorate prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and influential Walker Books editor Wendy Boase, the Branford Boase Award consistently highlights the most talented new writers for children at the very start of their careers. 

The Branford Boase Award also honours the editor of the winning book and highlights the importance of editors in nurturing new talent. It is the only award to do this.

The seven books shortlisted for the 2026 Branford Boase Award are:

  • Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley, edited by Cathy Liney (Bloomsbury)
  • How to Roller Skate with One Leg by Ella Dove, illustrated by Jennifer Jamieson, edited by Anne Marie Ryan (Orchard Books)
  • Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree by Janeen Hayat, edited by Bella Pearson (Guppy Books)
  • Love on Sight by Asli Jensen, edited by Shalini Vallepur (Chicken House)
  • Gloam by Jack Mackay, edited by Katie Jennings (Rock the Boat)
  • The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn, edited by Emma Jones and Charlie Castelletti (First Ink)
  • Augmented by Kenechi Udogu, edited by Natasha Brown and Jenny Glencross (Faber)

The winner will be announced at a ceremony at CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) in central London on Wednesday 8 July 2026. The winning author receives a cheque for £1,000 and both author and editor receive an inscribed plaque.

 

CLiPPA 20026 Shortlist

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The shortlist for the CLiPPA Poetry Award 20026 was announced yesterday…

Five Little Friends: A Collection of Finger Rhymes by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, Walker Books (3+) [ACHUKA Book of the Day 8 Dec 2025]
With 35 brand new finger rhymes, this collection invites children to use not just their fingers, but their arms, and even their whole bodies to bring the verses to life. This will have everyone joining in, say the judges, who loved the memorable rhymes, the storytelling element and the way the book provides so many opportunities for contact and bonding.

A First Book of Bugs by Simon Mole, illustrated by Adam Ming, Walker Books (5+)
Simon Mole introduces young readers to a wide range of bugs through verse. We meet millipedes, ants, bombardier beetles and more and the verse is as varied, ranging from snappy haiku-style three liners and rhythmic text to blank verse. A brilliant book to share with children, say the judges, it explores biology through the milieu of poetry and will both spark their curiosity about the natural world and their desire to write.

The Poetry World of John Agard by John Agard, illustrated by Shirley Hottier, Otter-Barry Books (6+) [AN ACHUKA Book of the Year 2025]
John Agard selects 80 of his liveliest, funniest and most engaging poems in this masterful collection, which shows off his unique talent for observation and mischief, as well as the joy he finds in language. The warmth and playfulness is irresistible, say the judges, Agard’s voice is so distinctive and reading this is like getting a hug.

Press Start to Play by Sam Gayton, illustrated by Jack Noel, Andersen Press (8+)
This inventive debut collection cleverly bridges the gap between gaming and poetry, inviting readers to ‘press start on poetry’ and treat language as a kind of playground. It speaks directly to young gamers, using the style, rhythm, and energy of video games to spark an interest in words. Interactive, relatable and a gateway into word play, there’s lots to appeal here, say the judges, and the book dispels old notions of what poetry is.

This is Not a Small Voice: Poems by Black Poets edited by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Jade Orlando, Nosy Crow (10+) [ACHUKA Book of the Day 28 Nov 2025]
Traci N. Todd brings together a range of predominantly African American, Caribbean, and Black British writing for children while an afterword puts the poems in their historical and cultural context and highlights the poems’ contributions to black pride, community, and resistance. Beautiful, say the judges, wonderful poems full of music, insight and originality, with strong design and handsome illustrations.

Nicola Davies is joined on the judging panel by 2025 CLiPPA winner, Colette Hiller; Reading Development and Children’s Book Consultant, Jake Hope; Lisa Mead, CEO of Apples and Snakes; and Anjali Patel, Lead Advisory Teacher, CLPE.

The winner of the award will be announced on 9 July at the National Theatre on London’s South Bank.

Michael Rosen Announced Hans Christian Andersen Award Winner 2026

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The 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award winners are Michael Rosen from the United Kingdom for Writing and Cai Gao from China for Illustration.

Watch as Michael Rosen was announced the 2026 winner of Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing. The UK writer was unable to attend because of a technical hitch with his passport.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children’s books. Given every other year by IBBY, the Hans Christian Andersen Awards recognize lifelong achievement and are given to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made an important, lasting contribution to children’s literature.

The announcement was made  at the IBBY Annual Press Conference on 13 April 2026 at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

The criteria used to assess the nominations included the distinctive literary and artistic qualities of writing and illustrating, the capacity to engage the reader with confidence in the child’s abilities to process complexities, the authentic representation of cultural aspects, as well as the freshness and innovation through the body of work; the ability to see the child’s point of view and to stretch their curiosity. All the nominees were assessed on their lifetime achievement to date and the continuing relevance of their works to children and young people.

Seventy-eight candidates from forty-four countries were nominated for the 2026 IBBY Hans Christian Andersen Award by the IBBY Sections. After in-depth discussions related to the criteria, the international jury carefully and thoroughly assessed each one of these highly qualified candidates. The shortlist of six authors and six illustrators was announced in January this year.

Michael Rosen’s body of work demonstrates an extraordinary ability to speak to children with honesty, humour, intelligence, and respect. His writing reflects the rhythms of children’s language and thought, combining playfulness with emotional depth and social awareness. Across poetry, novels, and non-fiction, his work invites children into literature, encourages empathy, and opens space for discussion about history, family, loss, identity, and society. His work shows that literature for children can be playful and profound at the same time. Through his extensive and influential body of work, Michael Rosen has made a lasting and significant contribution to children’s literature internationally.

Cai Gao’s work demonstrates outstanding artistic quality and a unique visual language that expands the possibilities of illustration for children. Her illustrations combine technical mastery with creativity, sensitivity, and innovation. Her work moves between tradition and modernity, creating images that are visually striking, emotionally resonant, and meaningful for young readers. Through her use of colour, composition, and visual storytelling, she creates books that invite children to explore, imagine, and interpret the world visually. Her body of work represents a significant and lasting contribution to the art of children’s books.

 

 

Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2026 – The Winner Announced

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Huw Aaron has been named Overall Winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for his picture book Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob, as voted for by Waterstones booksellers.

The Prize, now in its 22nd year, consists of £5,000 and the promise of ongoing commitment to the winner’s writing and illustrating career, making it one of the most valuable and prestigious children’s book awards in the UK.

Last year’s winner, The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please, went on to be named Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year in December, finishing the year as our bestselling picture book of 2025.

Bea Carvalho, Head of Books, Waterstones, says: “Huw Aaron is a storyteller and illustrator of staggering talent, a new voice to be seriously excited about: we are extremely proud to name him the overall winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2026. Booksellers everywhere hailed Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob an instant bedtime story classic, falling in love with Huw’s dreamy, painterly style and sweet rhyming text, and relishing the joy that it brings to little ones at bookshop story times. This is a gorgeously cosy tale which puts an adorable spin on all things spooky with bags of charm and a hilarious and monstrously cute supporting cast. Blob is a character for the picture book hall-of-fame: we can’t wait to share his delightful story with children everywhere as the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2026 alongside our brilliant category winners, Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree and A Language of Dragons.”

Huw Aaron was nominated not only for his winning title, Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob in the Illustrated Books category, but also forUnfairies in the Younger Readers category, marking the first time in the award’s history that an author has been shortlisted for two different titles at the same time.

Huw is a Welsh cartoonist, author, and illustrator from Swansea, now living in Cardiff. After a short and fairly hopeless career in finance, Huw found a niche as a cartoonist, producing joke cartoons for, among others, Private Eye, Prospect and The Spectator and presented the weekly art programme, Cer i Greu on S4C.

The winner of the Younger Readers category is Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree by Janeen Hayat, a warm and human contemporary story following the budding friendship between two girls, Evie and Maryam, with flashbacks to Evie and Maryam’s family during the Partition of India. Following in the footsteps of a previous Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner (The Cats We Meet Along the Way), Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree won the Guppy Books Open Submission competition in 2023.

Janeen Hayat grew up in Florida and now lives in London. She’s half-Pakistani, half-New-Yorker, a lapsed lawyer, teacher, Muslim and Catholic. She is passionate about creating characters that are many things at once because she knows she is not alone in being a tangled mass of identities, always changing. When she’s not writing, she is advocating for an education system that gives every child a fair chance.

Rachel from Waterstones Canterbury describes Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree as a “fascinating piece of history that isn’t written about enough”, and Morag from Waterstones Edinburgh really enjoyed the setting of this story and that there are “family mysteries and secret codes to solve”, whilst Kitty from Waterstones Weybridge says “each chapter left me wanting more”.

The winner of the category for Older Readers, A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson, is set in an alternate 1920s London. As civil war threatens a fragile truce between humans and dragons, Vivien Featherswallow’s parents are arrested. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

S.F. Williamson is originally from Kent and now lives in France. She is fascinated by the way languages are born and was surrounded by them long before she undertook a degree in French and Italian. She has always known that languages are creatures that live and move and breathe, and as a child she learned that speaking them meant accessing ideas, traditions and people she would only otherwise know from a distance.

Previous Winners of the Prize

  •  2025 The Café at The Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please
  •  2024 Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson
  •  2023 The Cats We Meet Along the Way by Nadia Mikail
  •  2022 The Last Bear by Hannah Gold
  • 2021 A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
  • 2020 Look Up! by Nathan Bryon (author) and Dapo Adeola (illustrator)
  • 2019 The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf
  • 2018 The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  • 2017 The Girl of Ink & Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
  • 2016 My Brother Is a Superhero by David Solomons
  • 2015 Blown Away by Rob Biddulph
  • 2014 Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
  • 2013 Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
  • 2012 The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle
  • 2011 Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari
  • 2010 The Great Hamster Massacre by Katie Davies
  • 2009 The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison
  • 2008 Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls
  • 2007 Darkside by Tom Becker
  • 2006 The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
  • 2005 The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill